MLG to MSNBC: “New Mexico child poverty dropped from 50 to 17” (What REALLY happened?)

New Mexico Gov. Lujan Grisham recently went on leftist cable TV channel MSNBC to make her opposition to the Trump Administration crystal clear (use the link to watch the full 10 minute interview). There were two interesting items:

1. MLG claimed that “New Mexico went from 50th in child poverty to 17th.” No such improvement happened. As we have written, New Mexico’s “improvement” in child poverty is driven by the use of a different data set (the Census Bureau’s “supplemental” poverty measure). Volumes have been written about the myriad issues with this “supplemental” measure. We don’t take a position on whether the traditional or supplemental is better but MLG is being her usual disingenuous self in claiming this massive improvement in child poverty (especially when ALL other reports show New Mexico to be NOT doing a good job with child outcomes). You can read an article here that is VERY sympathetic to the Gov. that explains what is happening.

2. It is both hilarious and a sign of the media’s extreme bias (especially MSNBC) that they would include New Mexico’s Gov. as an “expert” on education policy considering New Mexico’s worst-in-the-nation outcomes and ongoing failure. The idea of eliminating the Department of Education (as Trump is considering) is certainly worth looking at (MLG’s protests not withstanding). The Department has done nothing to improve New Mexico’s education outcomes in New Mexico or anywhere else. But, it is laughable to value MLG’s opinions on an issue where she has failed so miserably.