| Welcome
to the e-Voices MONDAY MINUTE, your weekly email newsletter from New
Mexico Voices for Children. Please take a minute to add your voice to the
pressing issues of the day. Also, tell us what issues you'd like to know more
about so we can tailor the MONDAY MINUTE to your interests. Thanks! October 30, 2006
Health Scare for All
Sorry, but we couldn’t resist using a bad Halloween pun. Of course the thought of losing one’s health coverage – assuming you’re fortunate enough to have it in the first place – is a pretty scary proposition. Hopefully, New Mexico will take the fear out of the current health care coverage system by replacing it with one that covers everyone.
As you may know, the Health Care for New Mexicans Committee has selected three plans that will be studied to determine their financial feasibility. The Health Security Act would provide coverage to all New Mexicans (except non-residents and undocumented immigrants) under one plan. Participants would be free to choose their provider, pharmacist, hospital, etc. Participants would also be allowed to purchase extended coverage. New Mexico Health Choices would provide vouchers to all New Mexicans not covered by public programs such as Medicaid. The vouchers, the amounts of which would be based on participant income, could be used to purchase one of six plans. Coverage would be mandatory for all residents. The Build on the Existing System plan would also require that everyone buy commercial insurance, participate in employer-sponsored plans, or, if they are eligible, sign up for a public plan, such as Medicaid. Employers and consumers would both receive incentives for the coverage, such as tax credits, and Medicaid would be expanded. Five options would be offered. When the Santa Fe New Mexican reported on the plans last week, it also conducted an online poll. The Health Security Act was the preferred plan according to those who participated in the poll. Even so, vouchers were a very popular element, as was the freedom to choose providers.
You can read the whole poll here (may require registration): http://www.freenewmexican.com/poll_results.php?pollid=74
Cast Your Vote Against Discrimination
Election day is now just one week away – finally. Not only will it bring an end to the non-stop campaign commercials, flyers and phone calls, but it will likely bring some changes to our state and federal governments. This year, our ballot contains four proposals to amend the state’s constitution. We’d like to draw your attention to Constitutional Amendment No. 1.
Passage of this amendment would remove an outdated – and disturbingly racist – law that prohibits non-citizens from purchasing real estate. The provision dates back to the early 20th century when an influx of immigrants from Asian countries resulted in anti-immigrant (and specifically anti-Asian) sentiment and laws. In short, the provision made it impossible for Asian Americans to purchase homes.
Obviously, the provision is no longer enforceable. Civil Rights laws actually make enforcement of it illegal. So why remove it from the state constitution? After all, changing the state’s constitution is a costly proposition. And since the provision is completely ineffective, there’s no reason to spend money to remove it, right?
We disagree. All of our Race Matters conference and task force work have made us especially aware of just such issues – and of the terrible consequences. We believe the constitution needs to be amended in order to make a very important statement – that racial discrimination is not tolerated. That even though this outdated law is no longer relevant, we know that the attitudes that led to its creation still are in some circles. That leaving such an egregious law on the books says that we are indifferent to the suffering and pain it created. That as a community, we have a collective responsibility for healing wounds we, ourselves, may have not inflicted. By amending the one state document that governs us all, we’re saying that we want to amend our ways – not just as they pertain to the past, but as they pertain to today.
Please vote ‘yes’ on Constitutional Amendment No. 1.
The Way of Wages
One issue that’s not on our ballot, unfortunately, is an initiative to raise the minimum wage on a statewide basis. However, voters in six other states will have the opportunity to raise wages for as many as 1.5 million people – and two of those states are our neighbors. While their ballot initiative would not affect us directly, it could have an impact on our own efforts to raise the minimum wage statewide. Should Arizona and Colorado voters pass minimum wage raises, it will be harder for our Legislature to defeat a bill to raise our minimum wage – a bill that most certainly will be introduced in the coming session. The minimum wage ballot initiatives are the subject of the Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) current Economic Snapshot. Read more about it here: http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_snapshots_20061025 To read an EPI report about how far the purchasing power of the federal minimum wage has plummeted in the last nine years, click here: http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/ib227 Avoid the Election Day Blues
A lot of us don’t vote early or by mail because we love going to the polls on election day and taking part in a larger process. It’s the one day in which all Americans can get together as a community and make a collective difference. What an amazing thing that is.
We certainly don’t want anyone to miss that warm feeling of patriotism one gets from participating in this national event, however, we want to warn you that your wait at the polls this year is bound to be lengthy. There are bugs in the paper ballot system New Mexico has instated this year. The print on the ballot is small, and some say the layout is a bit confusing.
That’s why we’re recommending that you go to an early voting site and cast your ballot in advance. We don’t want to see anyone leave their polling place in frustration – without having voted – because the wait was simply too long.
To find out where the early voting sites are in your area, contact your County Clerk’s office.
The Talk
of the Town One of the issues the next Congress will address that’s of great importance to us is the reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Originally funded ten years ago, SCHIP helps New Mexico cover some of the children not eligible for Medicaid. Congress is expected to consider whether or not to reauthorize SCHIP early next year.
While the program is obviously of value to children, there’s much more at stake here. SCHIP will play an important role – as will Medicaid – if New Mexico is ever to offer a health care plan that covers everyone.
If you’d like to learn more about SCHIP, Medicaid, and the current state of health care in New Mexico, we invite you to participate in our town hall. The Crisis in Health Care and the New Congress is Thursday, Nov. 9, from 6pm to 8pm, at Smith Brasher Hall (southwest corner of Coal and University in Albuquerque) on the CNM campus (formerly TVI). We’ll have a panel of state and federal experts who will share their perspectives of how the battle will shape up on both fronts. They will also take questions from the audience.
Admission is free, we only ask that you RSVP (online registration will be available on our website shortly).
Race Matters Task Force
At NM Voices we’ve been addressing the racial problem for several months now with our Race Matters Task Force Meetings. A new group has been formed that will address educational issues. Contact Felicia Griffin at fgriffin@nmvoices.org if you’d like to join that group. Please join us for the next task force meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Visit http://www.nmvoices.org/racematters.htm for more information and to register.
Call for Nominees
Know a young New Mexican who’s made a difference in their community through community service or volunteerism? Nominate him or her for the 2007 Amy Biehl Youth Spirit Award. The award honors New Mexico youths in two age groups (13-18 and 19-26) for their work. Nominations are evaluated on evidence of the nominee’s vision, initiative and dedication.
The deadline for nominations is 3pm, Friday, Feb. 9, 2007. If you’d like a nomination packet mailed to you call 505-244-9505, ext. 10. You can also download the forms here: www.nmvoices.org/abysa.htm. The awards ceremony will be Friday, April 20, 2007, in Albuquerque. Your
financial support is critical to our work. Please consider making a contribution
today at http://www.nmvoices.org/donate.htm |