New Mexico | Democracy in New Mexico

Comparing Democratic Systems

: Image by The Library of Congress via Flickr

When considering the benefits and the drawbacks of democracy in a state such as New Mexico, it is sometimes beneficial to do a comparison and contrast between the state in question and other locales all together. For example, you might look at the New Mexico democracy in comparison to basic Canada 411 to get a good idea of what the differences are. Countries like Canada have their own government and legal systems, and comparing them to the democratic system of the United States can give you some interesting insight into how the world works. The more you know about each side, the better able you will be to become informed on the subject.

A democratic state and a democratic society are important considerations. The reason is because in a democracy, the people have the power to choose a leader. In New Mexico, all aspects of government are democratic. This means that the people get to put every measure to a vote before a decision is made. In New Mexico, politicians are chosen, ballot measures are voted on, and no serious decision can be made without the people first deciding as a whole. Just as the United States as a whole is a democratic environment, so is the governmental system in the state of New Mexico.

It is vitally important that you understand how a democracy works in order to take part in it. You must understand your role as a democratic citizen in order to best benefit from what this system affords you with. Once you know how a democracy is formed and run, that is when you can really make educated and informed decisions when you vote and participate in other democratic principles and processes. Take the time to get to know how the democratic process works, and what role you have in voting, and make your vote count in the New Mexico democracy.

Filed Under: Business, Democracy Tagged With: Canada, Democracy, Government, Legislature, New Mexico, Pakistan, Politics, United States

New Mexico Tourism Department Promotes the State

: Image via Wikipedia

New Mexico tourism is a definite boost to the state’s bottom-line economy. Currently the responsibility of advancing tourism in New Mexico falls to the New Mexico Tourism Department. According to its website the mission of this organization is to market the state by spotlighting the destination areas of the state; attracting tourists from around the world as well as the United States; and to encourage those tourists and visitors to prolong their planned stays.

The New Mexico Tourism Department touts the State’s landscapes and natural resources and being rich and diverse. It states that there are adventures of all kinds for any type of traveler, including snow and water skiing, hiking, biking, boating, sailing and so much more.

New Mexico has plenty to do and see such as art, exploring history that includes conquistadors and dinosaurs. Among some of the activities to be found include exploring old ranching, railroading and mining towns. You can learn about the history of these towns including stories about Pancho Villa, John Chisum and Billy the Kid while traveling on the wonderfully scenic highways. You can also stop and visit many state and national parks, ancient lava flows, ice caves and archeological sites. New Mexico has a wealth of geology and sites to be explored.

There’s also high-tech to be discovered in New Mexico. The state is home to Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos, the Very Large Array and many space observatories. The state’s wide-open landscape has been a home to much aerospace industry advancement since Robert Goddard started his space and rocket research in the 1930s. Goddard is considered to be a frontier of modern rocketry and started his research in Roswell. And of course if you are visiting Roswell, you should visit all the fascinating venues surrounding the aliens of Roswell, whether you are a believer or not.

There is so much to do and discover in New Mexico—there will be something for everyone!

Filed Under: New Mexico, United States Tagged With: Billy the Kid, New Mexico, United States

New Mexico’s Assisted Living Policies

When it comes to assisted living in New Mexico, it is important to know the number of residents in the state. You also need to know what percentage of that population is disabled or soon will be, and you need to know how many assisted living facilities or in-home care providers are available. New Mexico is one of six states where one-quarter of its current population will be senior citizens by 2030 (the other states are Florida, Wyoming, Maine, Montana, and North Dakota).

This means that one out of every four people in New Mexico will have an 85% chance of needing assisted living. That doesn’t include younger individuals who, for whatever reason, are disabled and need assisted living support.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a State Residential Care and Assisted Living Policy in 2004. If you go to the website for the New Mexico Department of Health, very little is explained with regard to assisted living, and it is categorized under State General Funded Services. To the state’s credit, a phone number is supplied, as well as a link to send an email. With government agencies, it can often be very difficult to get a response.

What are New Mexico’s assisted living policies? How many assisted living facilities are there in the state? How many residents need care, now or in the future? What regulations are in place to ensure the health and well-being of the residents? To answer these vital questions, the New Mexico Department of Health could add a PDF on its website, outlining the pertinent policies and regulations.

Filed Under: New Mexico, New Mexico Government, United States Tagged With: Assisted living, Health, New Mexico

New Mexico Jobless Rate Drops

: Image via Wikipedia

For the first time in what feels like forever, New Mexico jobless rates have finally dropped. The Associated Press recently released a study proving that jobless claims in June 2010 were at 8.2 percent, down from 8.4 the previous month. That small percentage decrease may seem insignificant when stacked up against June 2009’s comparatively measly 7.1 percent jobless rate. However, when compared with New Mexico statistics over the past several months, it’s a wonderfully vast improvement. Throughout the past twelve months, the state of New Mexico has reportedly lost over 14,000 jobs – and unemployment claims have steadily and continually grown each month – until June 2010, when things began to change.

The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) has suggested that this drop in jobless rate may be attributed to the fact that many unemployed New Mexico citizens have stopped actively looking for work. However, the small improvement may still be reason to hope, as the United State Census Bureau temporary employment opportunities ended in June, and the improvement in jobless claims persisted in spite of the loss of many temporary jobs.

Regardless for the reasons behind the improvement, New Mexicans – and Americans as a whole – still have good reason to believe unemployment rates will turn around. President Obama signed a bill in July 2010 to extend jobless benefits like COBRA health coverage and partial salary reimbursement to those still searching for work. We still have quite along way to go before everyone can feel comfortable and stable in a suitable area of work. In the meantime, however, we should certainly view every small victory – even if it’s only a partial percentage point decrease in jobless claims – as a step in the right direction.

Filed Under: New Mexico Tagged With: Employment, New Mexico, United States

Finding Your Signature Style in New Mexico’s Thrift Stores

With America’s economy still deeply in the throws of a seemingly relentless recession, and New Mexico’s jobless rate hovering stubbornly above 8 percent, what’s a modern day, budget savvy New Mexico fashionista to do? Hit the hottest spots in town – the local thrift stores- of course! A limited budget doesn’t have to equal cheaply made, poor quality fashions from the local discount mall. You may even be shocked at just how affordably you can dress, and still maintain your style street credit! It’s easy to do in New Mexico, when some of the state’s best-kept secrets lie among the second-hand racks.

Albuquerque’s own Buffalo Exchange (3005 Central Avenue) is open seven days a week, and has won acclaim in popular New Mexico publications like The Alibi. The Exchange even took home the coveted “Best Thrift Store” and “Readers Choice” awards in the “Best of Burque” 2010 issue. Need a new look, but fresh out of cash? Not a problem at this favorite hotspot, where customers can bring a gently worn outfit to the store, and trade it in for a new wardrobe – no money necessary! Become a regular, and the friendly and helpful staff will pull looks specifically for you and have them waiting for your next budget-conscious shopping trip. Not too far from Buffalo Exchange, located right on Menaul Blvd is Thrift Town, where a savvy shopper can dress her entire clan for a fraction of retail. The trendy shop even offers a large variety or bridal and special occasion gowns.

Santa Fe’s Barkin Boutique (1107 Pen Rd) feels more like a luxe shopping spree in Manhattan than a consignment shop. From designer jeans and shoes to home dÃ©cor and furniture, the smart shopper on a budget will find exactly what he/she needs for less. Shopping on a budget doesn’t need to be daunting and difficult, especially in New Mexico! You can dress for less and look and feel your best too, if you use those dollars wisely and scope out the right spots.

Filed Under: New Mexico Tagged With: Charity shop, Manhattan, New Mexico

New Mexico Summer Vacationing in Our Current Economy

: Image via Wikipedia

It’s no secret that America’s economy hasn’t exactly been on the upswing lately. Sure, some projected trends show that President Obama and Congress have been steering our country toward an eventual recovery – but the majority of society continues to struggle. Certainly, more Americans haven’t seen any promise than those who have – and the jobless claims hover around nine percent. Meanwhile, it’s still July, children are still on summer break, and families still want to celebrate and spend quality time together in their hours off from school and work. What to do? Enter the summer staycation – the trendiest way to stay cool, enjoy each other and still manage to save money in the process!

Especially in New Mexico, where the weather is super hot and dry, it’s easy to find places to splash around. Pack up the kids and head to the nearest local pool, brown bag lunches in tow to save even more cash. An even more economical way to get wet is one of the oldest child pleasures – turn the backyard sprinkler on high and watch the kids have a blast. Have homemade yogurt or juice pops ready to snack on when they come inside – and they’ll never miss a traditional summer getaway.

Looking to stay cool in the air conditioner, rather than bear the stifling desert summer heat outdoors? The New Mexico Museum of Art is free on Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and offers fun educational opportunities for the whole family! The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science has both a planetarium and “dynatheater” for only a four-dollar admission.

These suggestions are all great ways to supplement your family’s summer fun in lieu of a pricey summer excursion – but the key is to make time in your schedule in the same way you would, had you traveled someplace exotic. Block out weekends for these close-to-home-activities, and give your family your full attention. That way, it’s easy to squeeze the most quality time out of your summer, without squeezing the last pennies out of your family budget!

Filed Under: Democracy, New Mexico Tagged With: Business and Economy, NBA Summer League, New Mexico