Enchantment State News

All eyes are on Washington D.C. as legislators and the White House hammer out details for the next stimulus package that states like New Mexico hope will provide economic relief.

The overriding question is how much of the state’s problems should the federal government be on the hook for?

In announcing the extension of a health order for 30 days, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham spent much of a press conference talking about a "lack of leadership" in Washington and added comments on social media, the Errors of Enchantment reported.

The site brought attention to a tweet by the governor which lambasted Congressional Republicans for wanting to provide less to state residents at a time when they need more because of the public health crisis and subsequent economic emergency. She said it’s not a partisan issue but the responsibility of government to meet the needs of its people.

The Errors of Enchantment reported the governor’s lockdown and stated need for a bailout results in an incentive issue. The governor shut down the state, which resulted in serious economic damage and follows up with a need for federal government assistance. The federal government is $26.5 trillion in debt, the Errors of Enchantment reports, and will shoulder a heavier burden to finance state economic revival. The site also indicates this form of federalism will bankrupt the nation. 

Despite whether one believes the merits of closing the economy is just and good, it should not fall on Washington D.C. to compensate the entire cost of closing the state economy, according to the report. State legislators should take a larger role in making the tough decisions that will impact thousands, the Errors of Enchantment reported.

Among the provisions in the proposed stimulus package are $1,200 for people making less than $75,000 a year, the Albuquerque Journal reported.