“Publicity stunt”: The New Mexico Governor’s stock response to every question about her disastrous policy making
Whenever Governor Susana Martinez and her administration are questioned about their policy decisions, their all too predictable response is to dismiss it as a “publicity stunt”. These questions come, by the way, after those decisions frequently worsen the lives of residents in need of help. The administration’s stock response attempts to distract attention from the underlying questions that demand answers. Today was no exception.
In its response to the Albuquerque Journal’s coverage of Democratic legislative leaders asking for an independent federal inquiry of the administration’s handling of the behavioral health crisis, Martinez’s spokesman called it a “blatant political publicity stunt.” Read it: http://www.abqjournal.com/772580/inquiry-sought-on-behavioral-health-shakeup.html
This response does not even acknowledge the questions raised by the administration’s shredding of the behavioral health system. It doesn’t address the damage that was done to the thousands of vulnerable residents, including thousands of children, who had their behavioral health services disrupted overnight, employees who lost their jobs, and small businesses that had to permanently shut their doors.
Instead of dealing with the serious problems that New Mexicans face today – and are caused by this administration’s own decision-making – Michael Lonergan, the Governor’s spokesman, calls it a “publicity stunt”. Would he be so dismissive if he was personally affected by the administration’s actions? If one of his loved ones had their behavioral health service disrupted or lost their job or business because of the administration’s actions? Legislators and citizens are simply asking for answers.
