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>> NOW IT'S TIME TO PUT OUR PANELISTS "ON THE CLOCK."
FIRST UP FOR A HOT MINUTE OF DEBATE, DROUGHT CONDITIONS
IN NEW MEXICO HAVE BECOME SO SERIOUS THAT THE STATE'S
LIVESTOCK BOARD HAS SEIZED ABOUT 1000 HEAD OF CATTLE
FROM A RANCH NEAR FORT SUMNER, WHERE 25 CATTLE HAVE
ALREADY DIED OF STARVATION. IT WILL COST THE LIVESTOCK
BOARD ABOUT THREE GRAND A DAY TO TAKE OVER THE CARE OF
THESE REMAINING IN THE HERD. BUT, DAN, DO YOU SEE THE
PRICE TAG JUST GOING UP? BECAUSE MORE RANCHERS ARE
GOING TO BE IN THIS FIX AS EVERY DAY GOES ALONG IN THIS
SUMMER. WHO HAS TO PAY FOR ALL THIS
AT SOME POINT? >> CLEARLY THE TAXPAYERS
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS.
IT'S HARD TO GET BLOOD OUT OF A TURNIP.
THESE GUYS ARE BROKE. THEY'VE GOT NO WATER.
THERE'S NO WAY TO FEASIBLY GET THIS STUFF TO THEM.
BUT YET, WE STILL WANT TO EAT BURGERS.
IT'S A BIG QUESTION ABOUT -- I MEAN, WE'RE AT A REAL
CROSSROADS, I THINK, GLOBALLY ON OUR FOOD
SOURCES. IT'S A BIG THING FOR THIS
STATE. >> LAURA, I'M HEARING ABOUT
FOLKS WHO CAN'T BUY HAY. EVEN IF THEY WANT TO BUY HAY
RIGHT NOW, THEY CAN'T GET IT FOR UNDER A TON OF MONEY A
BALE. >> AND YEARS AGO WE TALKED
ABOUT THIS BEING A POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCE OF CLIMATE
CHANGE ISSUES AND NOT ADDRESSING WHAT WE'RE DOING,
AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE.
AND THERE ARE STILL THOSE OF US THAT BELIEVE THAT THIS
WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE, AND WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING
THE LARGER CAUSES OF THIS DROUGHT PROBLEM.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS A TERRIBLE SITUATION.
>> MARISA, WHAT SHOULD WE DO HERE?
THAT'S A LOT OF CATTLE. >> SOMEBODY IS GOING TO
HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE CATTLE, AND I THINK IT WAS
THE HEAD OF THE LIVESTOCK BOARD WHO POINTED OUT,
BECAUSE WE'RE BLAMING THE DROUGHT FOR THE PROBLEMS
WITH THE CATTLE, THAT THE DD RANCH OWNER COULD HAVE
CHOSEN TO SELL THE CATTLE RATHER THAN TO LET THEM
STARVE. SO THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. >> REMEMBER THE SLAUGHTER
PLANT IN ROSWELL. >> STOP THAT.
I'LL HOLD YOU THERE. WHITNEY, THOUSANDS OF
PROTESTORS TOOK TO THE STREETS ON SATURDAY TO JOIN
IN ON A GLOBAL MOVEMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THIS
ONE, WHITNEY CHESHIRE, THE MARCH AGAINST MONSANTO,
PROTESTING THE AGRICULTURAL GIANT'S USE OF GENETICALLY
ENGINEERED AND MODIFIED FOODS.
NOW, THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR FAILED
TO PASS A BILL THAT WOULD MANDATE LABELING OF FOOD
CONTAINING GMO'S, OR GENETICALLY MODIFIED
ORGANISMS. IS THIS PROTEST ENOUGH TO
CHANGE SOME MINDS, OR IS IT MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING?
HOW DID IT HIT YOU WHEN YOU SAW THIS PROTEST?
>> WELL, LIKE THE COMPANY THAT PRODUCES IT.
YOU KNOW, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE RIGHT
TO PROTEST. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN
YOU LOOK AT GENETICALLY ALTERED FOOD, IT PLAYS INTO
A LOT OF THE DROUGHT ISSUE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IS MAKE
PLANTS THAT ARE LESS -- THAT NEED LESS WATER, THAT NEED
LESS HERBICIDE AND CARE, AND CAN GROW IN MORE DRY
CLIMATES. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S
TIMELY. I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S A
LOT OF THINGS THAT SCIENCE CAN DO TO HELP US WHEN OUR
RESOURCES ARE DWINDLING. >> MARISA, THERE'S A LOT OF
CONTROVERSY ABOUT WHAT WHITNEY JUST SAID ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF IT, ABOUT WHAT MONSANTO DOES OR DOES NOT
DO. WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT?
>> THE COMPASS HAS BEEN COVERING THIS EXTENSIVELY,
ACTUALLY, AND I THINK THE ANTI-MONSANTO DEBATE IS
ABOUT THE DANGERS THAT IT POSES TO HEALTH AND TO
PUBLIC HEALTH. WE'VE ALSO INTERVIEWED
FARMERS WHO USE GMOC'S AND WHO ARE DEALING WITH
DROUGHT, LIKE WHITNEY IS SAYING.
SO, I MEAN, IN NEW MEXICO PARTICULARLY, I THINK WE'RE
LOOKING AT ONE OF THOSE URBAN VERSUS RURAL
CONFLICTS, AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF AN
INTERESTING VANTAGE POINT. >> SURE.
I'VE GOT TO HOLD YOU GUYS THERE.
SORRY ABOUT THAT. SAME SEX MARRIAGE WAS THE
ISSUE ON A NEW POLL CONDUCTED BY SURVEY USA FOR
EYEWITNESS NEWS KOB. THAT'S CHANNEL 4, OF COURSE.
THE RESULT: 51% SAID IT SHOULD BE BANNED.
THAT'S A SWITCH FROM A 2011 POLL WHERE THE MAJORITY SAID
IT SHOULD BE LEGALIZED. NOW, IS THIS A SIGNIFICANT
REVERSAL, MARISA, OR JUST ONE OF THOSE NORMAL
FLUCTUATIONS OF POLLING? BUT I ASK IT IN THE CONTEXT
OF, THE NATIONAL CULTURE WOULD MAKE IT SEEM LIKE THE
NUMBER SHOULD BE OFF THE CHARTS IN SUPPORT OF SAME
SEX MARRIAGE. SO HOW SURPRISED WERE YOU BY
THIS ONE? >> I WAS SURPRISED, BUT
AGAIN, BECAUSE LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, IT GOES AGAINST SOME
OF THE NATIONAL POLLING. ANOTHER NUMBER STUCK OUT TO
ME IN THIS POLL, WHICH IS WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT
YOUNGER PEOPLE, 63% OF NEW MEXICANS SUPPORT SAME SEX
MARRIAGE AND LEGALIZING SAME SEX MARRIAGE IN THE STATE.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT'S COMING, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS IS
A MATTER OF YOUNG PEOPLE BECOMING EMPOWERED.
>> SURE, ABSOLUTELY. WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT ON THIS,
LAURA? >> WELL, I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT AT THE
TABLE BEFORE, IS THAT THERE IS SORT OF THIS AGE BREAK.
THERE IS THIS AGE ISSUE RELATED TO THIS, WHERE IT'S
NOT AS MUCH OF A CONTROVERSY FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE.
SO I DO AGREE THAT AS WE HAVE YOUNGER FOLKS GROWING
UP AND TAKING POWER AND BECOMING POLITICAL,
POLITICIANS, THAT THAT WILL CHANGE.
>> 42% OF THE PEOPLE POLLED WERE LOBO FANS, THAT'S ALL I
KNOW. >> OH, MY GOODNESS.
STATE SPENDING IS UP IN NEW MEXICO, BUT THE GOVERNMENT'S
HUMAN RESOURCE NUMBERS HAVE REMAINED STAGNANT.
WHITNEY, DOES THE GOVERNMENT NEED TO GROW SOMEWHAT TO
PROVIDE ADEQUATE SERVICES AS IT'S BEING ALLEGED NOW THAT
WE'VE CUT PERHAPS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO THE BONE?
WHAT DO YOU THINK ON THIS ONE?
>> ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT UNDER GOVERNOR
MARTINEZ'S ADMINISTRATION, SALARIES HAVE BEEN HELD
LOWER THAN EVER BEFORE, AND HIRING HAS OCCURRED WHERE IT
NEEDS TO HAPPEN. HER SPOKESPERSON, ENRIQUE
KNELL, MADE A REALLY GOOD POINT, A LOT OF TIMES THE
LEGISLATURE APPROVES POSITIONS BUT NOT THE
FUNDING FOR IT. >> TOM COAL HAD A GREAT
PIECE IN THE JOURNAL THIS WEEK ABOUT WHAT'S NOT
HAPPENING IN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE OF
UNDERSTAFFING AND UNDERFUNDING.
YOUR SENSE OF THAT. >> I AGREE.
I MEAN, I THINK IT ALSO HITS CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS WORSE.
I THINK THOSE THAT HAVE TO DELIVER CERTAIN TYPES OF
SERVICES, LIKE THE MVD, LIKE CYFD, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT,
HAVE I THINK PARTICULAR CONSTRAINTS WHEN THOSE
POSITIONS GO UNFILLED. >> INTERESTING.
>> IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE HAD UNDER GOVERNOR
RICHARDSON. IT WAS THE SAME DEAL.
THEY SAID, THEY'VE GOT ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE GHOST
EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY'RE REALLY WORKING SOMEWHERE
ELSE. REMEMBER THAT WHOLE DEAL?
I MEAN, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, NO MATTER WHO
HAS BEEN GOVERNOR, YOU'VE GOT TO STAND IN LINE FOR 40
MINUTES TO SEE MVD. >> THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY DECREASED THAT TO ABOUT 17 MINUTES ON
AVERAGE. >> NOWHERE WHERE I'VE BEEN.
I JUST WENT TO GET MY CAR TITLE, AND IT WAS OFF THE
CHARTS. >> WE'VE GOT TO KEEP
MOVING. FINALLY, THE ISSUE WE
MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW.
AS WE TAPE THIS, INFORMATION IS STILL POURING IN, BUT
LET'S SPEND OUR MINUTE THIS WAY.
IS THE INDICTMENT OF JAMIE ESTRADA THE END OF THE LINE
FOR THIS FBI INVESTIGATION, OR DANIEL, IS THERE MORE TO
BE PULLED FROM THIS? YOUR SENSE OF THIS, BRIEFLY.
>> WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THIS IS THAT
WE'VE GOT TO HOLD OUR WATER ON THESE THINGS.
I THINK THE START OF THIS E-MAIL GATE, YOU KNOW, WE
WERE QUICK TO THROW PEOPLE TO THE LIONS.
THERE'S PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN CHANGED, RUINED BY
THIS. AND I THINK THAT FOR US TO
BE RUNNING OUT THERE AND TAKING A STANCE -- I JUST
THINK THE ONE THING I KNOW FOR SURE IS, WHEN YOU LOOK
AT SOME OF THESE ENTITIES, THE SANTA FE REPORTER,
MONAHAN, THESE ARE PEOPLE WE SHOULDN'T BE TAKING WITH ANY
VALID REALITY. WE SHOULD BE QUESTIONING
WHAT IT IS THEY'RE DOING. WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL
BEFORE WE RUN WITH THEIR STORIES.
>> THERE YOU GO. LAURA, YOUR SENSE OF THIS?
>> WELL, A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION IS STILL COMING
OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE WAS RELATED
TO THESE E-MAILS THAT HAD BEEN RELEASED AND HAD
EFFECTED PEOPLE'S JOBS, AND I DO AGREE WITH DAN THAT WE
SHOULD BE CAREFUL ABOUT PAINTING WITH A BROAD BRUSH,
BECAUSE THESE ALLEGATIONS AND THESE NEWS STORIES AND
BLOGS OR WHATEVER DO HAVE A REAL EFFECT ON PEOPLE'S
LIVELIHOODS. AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
I WOULD EXPECT THAT THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE OTHER
INDICTMENTS. BUT REMEMBER, IT'S AN
INDICTMENT AND NOT A TRIAL. >> THAT'S RIGHT.
MARISA, YOUR SENSE OF THIS, AS IT STANDS SO FAR.
>> I THINK WE HAVE NO WAY TO TELL WHAT THE REST OF
THIS INVESTIGATION WILL YIELD.
I THINK WE KNOW VERY LITTLE TODAY, AND WE'LL HAVE TO SEE
HOW IT PLAYS OUT. >> GOOD POINT.
>> I THINK IT'S DISAPPOINTING FROM THE START
OF THE DISCUSSION LAST YEAR. EVERYBODY WAS SO QUICK TO
SAY THAT THESE E-MAILS, AS DAN POINTED OUT, LEGALLY
OBTAINED, AND I DON'T THINK THAT -- I DO NOT THINK THAT
THE MEDIA DOVE IN ENOUGH TO REALLY FIND OUT WHAT THEY
WERE EVEN TRYING TO SAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
I MAINTAINED THAT THEY HAD TO BE ILLEGAL.
I KNOW HOW E-MAILS IN THE PROCESS WORK ON CAMPAIGNS.
DAN HAS SAID THE SAME THING. WHOMEVER WAS INVOLVED IN IT,
I THINK SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
OTHERWISE, YOU SET A STANDARD WHERE YOU'RE
SAYING, ANYBODY CAN READ YOUR E-MAIL, DO WHATEVER
THEY WANT, GRAB IT HOWEVER THEY WANT, AND THERE'S NO
LAW OR RULE AGAINST IT. >> A LOT OF EGG ON PEOPLE'S
FACES. >> THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
THOUGHTS ON ALL THESE SUBJECTS.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME
THIS WEEK. AND AS A REMINDER, YOU CAN
ALWAYS CATCH UP WITH US IN BETWEEN SHOWS USING SOCIAL
MEDIA. WE'RE ON FACEBOOK AND
TWITTER. JUST SEARCH FOR "NEW MEXICO
InFOCUS." I'M GENE GRANT.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK InFOCUS.