Yesterday’s post about 2015 personal-income growth in New Mexico noted that the Land of Enchantment posted the second-worst result in our region, and fell below the national figure.
But unpacking the data, as the Albuquerque Free Press did, exposes an even scarier reality: Nearly half of New Mexico’s income growth came from government programs.
The Free Press didn’t examine our neighbors, so the Foundation took a look. Predictably, New Mexico’s income from “transfer receipts” landed at the top, and was more than double the share for the nation as a whole.
The governor’s profoundly unwise expansion of Medicaid surely played a role in this disturbing finding. And a judge’s recent ruling that that work/training/volunteer requirements cannot be imposed on able-bodied recipients of food stamps won’t help things in 2016.
Question for our friends on the left: Still think “public investment” is the source of prosperity?
As far as the fiasco of Medicaid, Paul Gessing covered that here very effectively:
http://riograndefoundation.org/errorsofenchantment.com/2015/11/19/paul-gessings-testimony-on-the-economic-impacts-of-medicaid-expansion-before-the-health-and-human-services-committee-new-mexico-legislature-santa-fe/
Testimony on the Economic Impacts of Medicaid Expansion: Before the Health and Human Services Committee New Mexico Legislature, Santa Fe
And Heritage covered that here:
http://dailysignal.com/2016/03/23/in-five-charts-how-obamacare-has-worked-past-six-years/
In 5 Charts, How Obamacare Has Worked the Past 6 Years
Sadly we probably have more people watching porn then reading these articles. And when current programs don’t cut the mustard for them what do they do, why more big government programs for a fix. Coverage is not quality nor good medical care, it’s just the feel good pill that treats the syndrome but not the problem.