LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
OPINION: Talk of the Town
Paying legislators opens the door to more people to serve
New Mexico is the only state in the country that does not pay its legislators 鈥� just a daily per diem. This may sound noble, but in practice, it means a lot of working people simply cannot afford to serve.
When legislators are not paid, lobbyists and special interests may step in to fill the financial void 鈥� and they may expect something in return.
Paying our legislators a salary is not a radical idea. It is a common-sense fix that opens the door to teachers, nurses, small business owners and everyday New Mexicans who can鈥檛 take months off without a paycheck.
Let鈥檚 amend the state Constitution and allow our legislators do the work we elected them to do. Vote 鈥測es鈥� to amend the Constitution on Nov. 3.
Susanne Hinkle
Cochiti Lake
Congratulations to Dr. Overton
I wish to publicly congratulate Dr. Heidi Overton on her nomination to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
I had the privilege of briefly getting to know the private person Heidi before she became the public Dr. Overton during our shared rotation in surgical oncology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. The private Heidi I knew is as equally impressive as the public Dr. Overton. She has impeccable ethical character. I witnessed her interactions where she treated others with kindness, care, compassion, curiosity, honor and respect. She is truly a decent human being.
To be a student representative on the UNM Board of Regents, she had to miss the maximum number of hours allowed from her medical rotations to attend the meetings. Each month, she had to read large binders of information before each meeting to be able to speak articulately as a representative. She balanced this by trusting her God to never get sick despite multiple daily interactions with ill patients. She is a rare individual with genius-level intelligence who also communicates clearly and is easy to understand. She is passionate about serving her community through both medicine and public advocacy.
Our country needs her leadership at the FDA. I believe that Heidi鈥檚 excellent personality combined with Dr. Overton鈥檚 excellent professional medical knowledge and public policy experience will transform the FDA for the better. To Heidi, I say, 鈥淲ell done, good and faithful servant.鈥� To Dr. Overton, I say, 鈥淵ou go girl! I know you will amaze us with what you accomplish at the FDA.鈥�
Dr. Dawn Drumm
Albuquerque
Nurse-midwives bring experience to child births
As the Executive Board of the New Mexico affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, we write in response to your investigation in the Aug. 9 Sunday Journal, 鈥�It just shouldn鈥檛 be happening,鈥� detailing lawsuits against Lovelace鈥檚 labor and delivery unit, including the death of Ashley Griego. Our deepest sympathies go to her family and every family named in that reporting.
The lawsuits allege Lovelace routinely lets less-qualified staff make critical decisions in place of a doctor. Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) do not meet that description. CNMs are advanced practice clinicians who complete rigorous graduate-level education, extensive clinical training and national certification, a workforce that has safeguarded maternal-child health in New Mexico for over 70 years.
CNMs do not work in isolation. They identify complications early and collaborate with or refer to physicians based on a patient鈥檚 healthcare and safety needs. The midwifery model of care is an international benchmark, consistently linked to better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction.
The pattern alleged in your reporting describing retaliation against nurses who raised safety alarms and staffing decisions driven by corporate profit is not a midwifery problem. It is a corporate hospital problem, one that endangers patients no matter which clinician is in the room.
Births attended by CNMs in New Mexico result in fewer severe maternal and neonatal complications than the national average 鈥� demonstrating the effectiveness of qualified, collaborative care.
New Mexico鈥檚 midwives share your goal: safe childbirth for every family. We support full accountability for corporate leadership and we call for stronger protection for every clinician, nurse, physician and midwife alike, who speaks up when a mother鈥檚 safety is at risk.
Cathleen Hewlett-Masser, Ruth Golar, Connie Trujillo and Denise Lopez
New Mexico Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives
For affordability, vote out Republicans
Today, I went to my local gas station. As always, I was aghast by the exorbitant cost of fuel. It took more than $50 to fill my tank which was not completely empty. While I am fortunate to have the resources to pay, I am deeply worried about those Americans for whom the rising cost of gasoline and food creates real hardship; each day they must make difficult decisions about what they have the money to buy.
This is but one of many examples why affordability is the single most important issue in the November elections. To be clear, every day the media spotlight some ridiculous, often incoherent and unexplainable thing Trump does or says. However, those ephemeral matters should not distract us. I hope, therefore, people will translate their outrage and hardship about affordability into voting. That's the only viable pathway to change: voting out Republican candidates who continue to stand by a president whose war of choice and tariffs are responsible for this painful and unacceptable situation.
For that reason, almost every day I donate to Democrat candidates in swing states like New Mexico, and especially in Texas where I lived from 1978-2024, many of those years under selfish Republican rule.
Richard Cherwitz
Camas. Washington
