NMPolitics.net (https://nmpolitics.net/index/author/michael-l-hays/)
America is downsizing, and the failure of American presidents and other elected leaders to prepare for this eventuality – indeed, their success in pretending that it could not happen here and in persuading us that it could not happen here – is magnifying the strains that now jeopardize American democracy. Continue Reading
The usual choice presented for reforming education – money or management and technology – is a choice between irrelevancies or worse. A discussion of educational reform must start and stay with a definition of education. Continue Reading
Paul Gessing’s recent column, “Federalism is key to America’s future,” is a local example of interpretations of the constitution tailored to serve special interests. Here’s why his reactionary federalism misreads the Constitution. Continue Reading
Given most of his competition at this time, I have to hope that Barack Obama wins re-election, but if he loses, as the chances of his doing so improve with every dodge and dither, he will have earned his defeat. Continue Reading
All residents have an obligation to serve this country. So I want a restoration of the military draft, and the establishment of national service for those not drafted. Continue Reading
I have been challenged to revise my previous assessment of Obama because of his “gutsy” decision to kill Osama. I am probably not going to revise it any time soon because it is simply too soon to tell; the differences between leading in military affairs and leading in domestic ones are simply too great. Continue Reading
Even if Barack Obama wins re-election against mounting odds, I think we will continue to lose. We are losing in his first term as he acquiesces in the erosion of the social compact. Given the history of two-term presidents, we cannot hope for better in a second term. Continue Reading
Some Republican or Tea Party conservatives accept or create fictions to support not only specific policies, but also a general re-orientation of American government. Continue Reading
Well-meaning New Mexico educators focus on an array of bad proposals to fix public education, while Gov. Susana Martinez intends to debilitate or dismantle the system, starting with her plan to stigmatize public schools with letter grades. Continue Reading
Increasingly, Democrats, liberals, progressives hope and pray that Obama will assert leadership on this or that issue. Sorry, my friends on the left, give it up. It ain’t gonna happen. Continue Reading
Everyone else sees Sarah Palin as a politician, a celebrity, or a political celebrity. I see her differently – as a threat, ironically, to the one thing she purports to hold most dear: freedom (whatever it means to her). Continue Reading
My hope is that Gov.-elect Susana Martinez realizes she must blame herself for being surprised by the bad news about the budget deficit. Continue Reading
Merit pay doesn’t work in public education because what works in competitive contexts and cultures does not work in non-competitive ones. No one becomes a public school teacher expecting to get rich, and none is disappointed! Continue Reading
Here are my thoughts on the national races, the local races, and what the failure of what a bond issue for universities says about taxpayers, who I think are voting to starve the beast. Continue Reading
Small high schools for all locales in New Mexico neither suit the demographic and geographic realities of state public education, nor address the problems of public education, particularly dropouts. Continue Reading