1 1 >> HOW BAD IS THE STATE'S PROBLEM WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING? 2 >> APPARENTLY BAD ENOUGH TO BRING THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL TO 3 TOWN. 4 AHEAD THIS WEEK, WE'LL FIND OUT ABOUT HIS NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION 5 AND HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED. 6 >> PLUS, ON THIS WEEK'S SEGMENT OF THE LINE, WHERE HAVE ALL THE 7 GOOD-PAYING JOBS GONE? 8 AND ALBUQUERQUE'S VOTERS GET READY TO PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR 9 BALLOT IS. 10 ALL THIS AND MORE ON TONIGHT'S NEW AND IMPROVED NEW MEXICO IN 11 FOCUS. 12 13 Ø 14 15 16 MAJOR FUNDING FOR IN FOCUS IS PROVIDED BY THE MCCUNE CHARITABLE 17 FOUNDATION, ENRICHING THE CULTURAL LIFE, HEALTH, EDUCATION 18 ENVIRONMENT AND SPIRITUAL LIFE OF THE CITIZENS OF NEW MEXICO. 19 20 21 >> NEW MEXICO IS BACK AT THE TOP OF THE RANKINGS, BUT IN THIS 22 CASE, THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING. 23 >> OUR STATE IS ONE OF THE WORST WHEN IT COMES TO KIDS GETTING 24 INVOLVED WITH BOOZE AT AN EARLY AGE. 25 A FULL 30% OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ADMIT TO HAVING THEIR FIRST 2 1 DRINK BY AGE 13. 2 >> AND UNDERAGE DRINKING COSTS OUR STATE AN ESTIMATED $700 3 MILLION A YEAR IN MEDICAL CARE, WORK LOSS, AND OTHER RELATED 4 EXPENSES. 5 >> THESE ARE THE KINDS OF STATISTICS THAT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF 6 THE ACTING U.S. SURGEON GENERAL. 7 HE SPENT PART OF THE WEEK HERE IN NEW MEXICO, TALKING ABOUT HIS 8 NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION ON UNDERAGE DRINKING. 9 OUR VERY OWN GENE GRANT EVEN HOSTED A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH 10 LOCAL DOCTORS THIS PAST TUESDAY. 11 >> THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, A CLOSER LOOK AT HIS PLAN TO 12 HELP OUR KIDS KICK THE BOTTLE FOR GOOD. 13 PLUS THE LINE PANELISTS TACKLE THE ECONOMY, BOND ISSUE S FLOOR, 14 AND THE POLITICS OF GENETICS. 15 >> UP FIRST, OUR CANDID CONVERSATION ABOUT KIDS AND LIQUOR, 16 STARTING WITH SOME THOUGHTS FROM THE SURGEON GENERAL HIMSELF. 17 18 >> THE BACKGROUND OF THE SURGEON GENERAL'S CALL TO ACTION TO 19 PREVENT AND REDUCE UNDERAGE DRINKING REALLY GOES BACK A NUMBER OF 20 YEARS, WHEN WE STARTED FOCUSING ON OUR YOUTH AS WELL AS OUR 21 FUTURE, BECAUSE OUR YOUTH IS OUR FUTURE, AND SEEING SOME OF THE 22 DATA THAT WERE EMERGING. 23 11 MILLION OF OUR YOUTH ARE DRINKING. 24 THAT'S ALMOST 30% OF THAT COHORT. 25 EVERY YEAR, LOSING 5,000 OF OUR YOUTH AS A CONSEQUENCE OF 3 1 UNDERAGE DRINKING. 2 1,900 WHO DIE FROM AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS, 1,600 FROM HOMICIDES, 3 300 FROM SUICIDES. 4 THAT'S THE SIZE OF A SMALL COLLEGE CAMPUS. 5 AND IN LOOKING AT THAT, WE SAID, "THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND IT'S 6 ALL PREVENTABLE." 7 WE NEED TO HELP THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOCUS ON THIS ISSUE, AND 8 THAT'S WHAT LEAD TO THE PUBLICATION OF THIS CALL TO ACTION. 9 IT'S A SOCIETAL PROBLEM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT AS WE LOOK OVER 10 THE YEARS, OUR SOCIETY APPEARS TO HAVE BECOME MORE COMPLACENT 11 ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING. 12 JOHNNY COMES HOME FROM A DATE DRUNK AND THE PARENTS SAY, "DON'T 13 WORRY ABOUT IT. 14 IT'S A RIGHT OF PASSAGE." 15 OR JANE COMES HOME DRUNK, "SHE'LL OUTGROW IT." 16 WELL, THIS SENSE OF COMPLACENCY, OF ACCEPTABILITY, HAS REALLY 17 INFLUENCED THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH OUR YOUTH ARE GROWING UP. 18 WE HAVE GOT TO BE ABLE TO SEND A CLEAR AND UNEQUIVOCAL MESSAGE 19 THAT UNDERAGE DRINKING IS DANGEROUS, IT IS UNHEALTHY, AND IT'S 20 UNACCEPTABLE, AND THAT MESSAGE HAS GOT TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR. 21 WE HAVE NOW SCIENCE THAT TELLS US THAT AN INDIVIDUAL, A YOUTH WHO 22 STARTS DRINKING AT THE AGE OF 15 HAS FIVE TIMES THE CHANCE OF 23 HAVING ALCOHOL PROBLEMS AFTER THE AGE OF 21. 24 THAT'S A PROBLEM IN THE HERE AND NOW AS WELL AS FOR THE FUTURE OF 25 THAT INDIVIDUAL AND THE FUTURE OF OUR SOCIETY. 4 1 IN LOOKING AT THE NATURAL HISTORY OR THE NATURAL COURSE OF 2 DRINKING, TO REALIZE THAT BEGINNING DRINKING IS ALSO HIGH AND THAT 3 THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF ALCOHOL DEPENDENCIES ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 4 18 AND 20, THAT IS DISTURBING. 5 IT SHOULD BE DISTURBING TO US AS A NATION, IT SHOULD BE 6 DISTURBING TO US AS COMMUNITIES, IT SHOULD BE DISTURBING TO US AS 7 FAMILIES AND AS PARENTS, BECAUSE WE REALLY DO WANT TO PROVIDE OUR 8 CHILDREN, OUR YOUTH, THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS POSSIBLE. 9 THE MESSAGE FROM THIS CALL TO ACTION IS THAT THERE ARE MANY 10 SEGMENTS OF OUR SOCIETY THAT ARE ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE OF UNDERAGE 11 DRINKING. 12 WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF CONNECTING THE DOTS AND MAKING SURE 13 THAT ALL OF OUR SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY THAT ARE FOCUSED IN ON THIS 14 ARE WORKING TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON GOAL, WITH A COMMON STRATEGY. 15 AND WHEN I SPEAK ABOUT ALL SEGMENTS, I'M TALKING ABOUT PARENTS 16 AND FAMILIES AND TEACHERS AND FAITH COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY 17 ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENTS AND POLICYMAKERS. 18 THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY ITSELF AND OUR YOUTH ITSELF, THEY NEED TO 19 BE -- WE NEED TO BE ALL BROUGHT TOGETHER TO AGREE ON A COMMON 20 APPROACH. 21 ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN, YOU KNOW, THE BEVERAGE INDUSTRY 22 AND ADVERTISING IS FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE, BECAUSE THEY SEE A 23 RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THE DOLLARS THAT THEY PUT INTO 24 ADVERTISING, AND IF THEY ARE NOT GETTING A RETURN ON THAT 25 INVESTMENT, YOU CAN BE DARN WELL SURE THAT THEY WILL REDUCE THEIR, 5 1 QUOTE, INVESTMENT. 2 IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS THE COMMUNITY TO RISE UP WHEN THERE ARE 3 ADVERTISEMENTS THAT ARE TRULY FOCUSED AT OUR YOUTH AND ARE TOTALLY 4 INAPPROPRIATE AND ARE INAPPROPRIATE VENUES, BUT ALSO FOR US AS 5 COMMUNITIES TO REJECT THOSE ADVERTISINGS AND TO SHOW ECONOMICALLY 6 WHY IT IS UNACCEPTABLE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE IT. 7 I THINK ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT I'VE NOTICED HERE IN NEW MEXICO 8 IS THAT THERE ARE MANY PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT INTO PLACE. 9 IN MY PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE PIECES 10 TO BE LINKED TOGETHER EVEN MORE STRONGLY THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. 11 THE ISSUE OF DUI IS DRINKING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE, THAT IS 12 ACTING AFTER SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED. 13 WE NEED TO ALSO FOCUS ON PREVENTING THE INITIATION OF UNDERAGE 14 DRINKING, AND IN DOING SO, WE WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON DUI AS WELL. 15 THE FACT THAT YESTERDAY I MET WITH A NUMBER OF OUR HEALTH 16 PROFESSIONALS IN THE COMMUNITY, ALL OF WHOM ARE DOING THINGS TO 17 ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, BUT WHAT WAS REALLY TELLING WAS A COMMENT BY 18 ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT ROUND TABLE. 19 YOU KNOW, HE SAID, "WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING IN OUR OWN AREAS TO 20 ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, BUT VERY HONESTLY, I HAVEN'T MET MANY OF THE 21 PEOPLE SITTING AROUND THIS TABLE FOR ALL THIS TIME." 22 SO IT GETS BACK, AGAIN, TO THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE DOING GOOD 23 THINGS. 24 WE NEED TO CONNECT THE DOTS, WE NEED TO FOCUS IN ON THAT COMMON 25 GOAL, AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT NEW MEXICO AS A STATE AND AS A 6 1 COMMUNITY AND WE, AS A NATION, WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 2 >> THANK YOU. 3 4 5 >> WE'RE JOINED NOW IN THE STUDIO BY TWO MEN WHO KNOW THEIR FAIR 6 SHARE ABOUT THE STATE'S STRUGGLE WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING. 7 DR. ROBERT MILLER IS A PEDIATRIC ICU PHYSICIAN AND PRESIDENT OF 8 THE STATE PEDIATRIC SOCIETY. 9 AND DR. BILL WIESE IS THE FOUNDER OF UNM'S INSTITUTE FOR PUBLIC 10 HEALTH AND INTERIM ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON 11 FOUNDATION CENTER FOR HEALTH POLICY AT UNM. 12 WELCOME TO BOTH YOU GUYS. 13 TO START THIS DISCUSSION, I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED 14 EARLIER HOW BIG A PROBLEM THIS IS IN NEW MEXICO. 15 MAYBE, DR. MILLER FIRST, WHY IS IT SUCH A BIG PROBLEM IN THIS 16 STATE, RELATIVE TO OTHER STATES WHERE MAYBE IT'S NOT QUITE AS BIG 17 A PROBLEM? 18 >> TOBACCO -- I'M SORRY, ALCOHOL USE IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT 19 SEEMS TO BE A RIGHT OF PASSAGE AS CHILDREN GROW UP, AND IT'S 20 SOMETHING THAT IF THE PARENT ARE USING IT, THE CHILDREN ARE 21 STARTING TO USE IT. 22 WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH ALCOHOL USE IN THIS STATE. 23 IT'S SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM BOTH IN THE PEDIATRIC 24 AS WELL AS THE ADULT WORLD. 25 WE KNOW THAT IF CHILDREN GROW UP IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE PARENTS 7 1 ARE DRINKING, THEY HAVE ABOUT A FOUR TIMES GREATER CHANCE OF 2 ACTUALLY USING ALCOHOL AS THEY GET OLDER AS WELL. 3 SO PART OF IT, AGAIN, IS THE EXPOSURE THAT THEY'RE GIVEN -- THAT 4 THEY HAVE AS THEY'RE GROWING UP. 5 >> DR. WIESE, MAYBE THE SAME QUESTION, ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? 6 >> WELL, THE SURVEY DATA SUGGESTS THAT AMONG THE YOUTH, OUR -- 7 THE PREVALENCE OF THE USE, WHICH BEGINS BEFORE AGE 12 WITH SOME OF 8 THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, ISN'T ALL THAT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM OTHER 9 STATES. 10 THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM. 11 IN NEW MEXICO, IT EXPRESSES ITSELF MORE. 12 BINGE DRINKING IS MORE, AND BY THE TIME ADULTS -- THESE KIDS GROW 13 INTO ADULTS, THE PROBLEM SEEMS BIGGER HERE, AND THE CONSEQUENCES 14 ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BIGGER IN NEW MEXICO. 15 AND I THINK THAT'S MULTIFACTORIAL. IT'S NOT ONE THING. 16 THERE ARE CERTAINLY CULTURAL ELEMENTS, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF 17 ACCEPTANCE THAT PROBABLY DISTINGUISHES US HERE IN NEW MEXICO. 18 >> YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT WOULD COME TO MY MIND AS TO 19 MAYBE WHY NEW MEXICO IS WORSE WOULD BE OUR HIGH POVERTY RATES OR, 20 YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF ETHNIC OR RACIAL GROUPS HERE IN THE STATE, 21 BUT APPARENTLY THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THAT'S NOT A FACTOR. 22 THIS IS ACROSS KIND OF BOYS, GIRLS, ETHNIC, AND RACIAL LINES. 23 WOULD THAT SURPRISE EITHER OF YOU? 24 >> INITIALLY WHEN I LOOKED AT THE DATA I WAS SURPRISED BY THAT, 25 BUT THAT IS THE INFORMATION THAT'S COME OUT. 8 1 THIS IS NOT ONLY OUR STATE, BUT IT'S ALSO OTHER STATES ACROSS THE 2 COUNTRY THAT HAVE NOT FOUND THAT TO BE A FACTOR. 3 >> HOW EARLY SHOULD PREVENTION EFFORTS GET STARTED? 4 I READ SOMEWHERE THAT SOME PEOPLE SUGGEST -- SOME RESEARCH 5 SUGGESTS, AND MAYBE THIS IS TO YOU, DR. WIESE -- AS EARLY AS THE 6 4TH GRADE. 7 IS THAT THE RIGHT TIME, AND IF SO, WHY? 8 >> THE PROBLEM BEGINS, IF YOU LOOK AT -- IF YOU DO 9 CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEYS BY GRADE, YOU GET -- YOU'LL FIND KIDS WHO 10 ARE LESS THAN 12 WHO ARE STARTING TO DRINK, AND IT GOES UP RAPIDLY 11 AFTER THAT. 12 SO WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IF THERE'S GOING TO 13 BE PREVENTION UP FRONT, IT'S GOT TO BEGIN IN BASICALLY ELEMENTARY 14 SCHOOL, PRIMARY SCHOOL LEVEL, INSOFAR AS THE SCHOOLS ARE 15 CONCERNED. 16 >> BUT -- I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. 17 >> THE PREVENTION HAS GOT TO BE ACROSS ALL SECTORS. 18 IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF DOING IT IN THE SCHOOLS. 19 THE SCHOOLS HAVE GOT TO BE VERY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PLACES, BUT 20 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FAMILY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FAITH 21 COMMUNITY, AND VIRTUALLY ALL SECTORS HAVE GOT TO BE INVOLVED IN 22 THE PREVENTION EFFORT. 23 >> DR. MILLER, WHAT WOULD A GOOD PREVENTION PROGRAM -- YOU KNOW, 24 NOT JUST SCHOOLS BUT FAMILY, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY, KIND OF, WIDE 25 PROGRAM, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? 9 1 >> IT REQUIRES A MULTIFACTORIAL APPROACH. 2 NUMBER ONE IS THE EDUCATION WITHIN THE FAMILY, THAT THERE IS AN 3 ISSUE WITH REGARDS TO ALCOHOL. 4 FAITH-BASED PROGRAMS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE FAITH WITHIN NEW 5 MEXICO, CHURCH-GOING PEOPLE IN NEW MEXICO, SEEM TO BE RELATIVELY 6 DESIROUS TO UNDERSTAND THESE TYPES OF THINGS WITHIN THEIR HOMES. 7 IF THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT FROM A RELIGIOUS 8 PERSPECTIVE, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE WITH THE FAMILY. 9 THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE PART OF IT, THE SCHOOL PROGRAM, AS WELL 10 AS THE PEDIATRICIANS AND FAMILY PRACTITIONERS WHO ARE TAKING CARE 11 OF THE CHILDREN. 12 >> ARE WE DOING ENOUGH RIGHT NOW TO COMBAT THIS, OR ARE THERE 13 OTHER THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING? 14 DR. WIESE. 15 >> WELL, THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO WAY. 16 THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT'S OUT OF CONTROL. 17 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HALF OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ARE 18 ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY HAVE HAD A DRINK IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, AND 19 SOME 60, 70% OF THOSE ARE HAVING BINGE DRINKING WITHIN THE LAST 30 20 DAYS. 21 IT'S A HUGE, HUGE PROBLEM. 22 SO WHATEVER WE'RE DOING AT BEST IS NOT ENOUGH AT ALL. 23 SO IT'S GOT TO BE MUCH MORE -- IT'S GOT TO BE MUCH MORE 24 EFFECTIVE. 25 THE QUESTION IS WHAT AND WHERE, HOW TO TARGET THAT. 10 1 I THINK YOUR INITIAL IMPLICATION WAS THIS IS AN EMBEDDED PROBLEM 2 IN OUR CULTURE, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S AN ETHNIC ISSUE, ALTHOUGH 3 MAYBE DIFFERENT ETHNIC RACIAL GROUPS HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING 4 IT, BUT IT EXPRESSES ITSELF ACROSS THE BOARD. 5 >> ONE THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS THAT -- YOU KNOW, I WONDER IF 6 IT REALLY IS KIND OF A CULTURAL ISSUE. 7 OTHER COUNTRIES, MANY OF THEM DON'T HAVE DRINKING AGES LIKE WE 8 DO. 9 IS THERE SOMETHING KIND OF TO THE SORT OF FORBIDDEN FRUIT THAT 10 MAYBE CAUSES A LOT OF UNDERAGE, YOU KNOW, KIDS TO START DRINKING? 11 DO YOU EVER THINK THAT MAYBE WE'D BE BETTER IF WE KIND OF ADOPTED 12 A MUCH DIFFERENT MODEL LIKE SOME OTHER COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, 13 ELSEWHERE -- AND ELSEWHERE, WHO DON'T HAVE DRINKING AGES? 14 DOES THAT EVER OCCUR TO YOU, DR. MILLER? 15 >> IT'S AN INTERESTING CONCEPT; HOWEVER, THE STATISTICS DON'T 16 SHOW THAT. 17 IN EUROPE, THEY'RE ALSO SEEING A PROBLEM WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING 18 AS WELL, WITH TEENAGERS, AND BINGE DRINKING AS WELL IN THOSE AGE 19 GROUPS. 20 >> DR. WIESE, WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT? 21 >> ABSOLUTELY. 22 IN FACT, THE COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, ESPECIALLY NORTHERN EUROPE AND 23 THE UK, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE HIGHER RATES OF DRINKING THAN WE DO IN 24 YOUTH, AND THOSE COUNTRIES FOR THE MOST PART HAVE LOWER AGES OF 25 ACCESS THAN WE DO. 11 1 SO THAT THE AGE OF ACCESS IS ACTUAL BENEFICIAL, BUT I THINK YOUR 2 POINT ABOUT THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT IS PART OF THE ADOLESCENT 3 EXPERIENCE. 4 IT'S AN ELEMENT, BUT IN THAT, I DON'T THINK IT'S THE CRUCIAL 5 ELEMENT. 6 >> YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT HAS RECENTLY HAPPENED IS THE 7 PENALTIES ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER PURCHASING ALCOHOL FOR SOMEONE 8 WHO IS UNDERAGE HAVE GREATLY INCREASED. 9 IT'S A FOURTH DEGREE FELONY, I BELIEVE, NOW. 10 OTHER, ALSO SIMILAR LOSS OF PRIVILEGE. 11 IS THAT PART OF THE SOLUTION IN YOUR OPINION? 12 MAYBE DR. MILLER, YOU FIRST. 13 >> THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE THEY WILL, 14 OBVIOUSLY, LIMIT SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE ACCESS OF ALCOHOL. 15 IT MAY ALSO DRIVE IT MORE UNDERGROUND. 16 OR IN SOME OF THE SITUATIONS WE RAN INTO RECENTLY WHERE PARENTS 17 STARTED TO PURCHASE THE ALCOHOL FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEY 18 FIGURE IF THEY HAVE A PARTY AT THEIR HOUSE, IT'S SAFER THAN IF 19 THEY WERE AT SOMEBODY ELSE'S HOUSE. 20 SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S REALLY THE BEST ANSWER OR NOT. 21 >> I'LL ADD SOMETHING TO THAT. 22 THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN LOOKED AT IN A 23 QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL WAY, AND WHAT IS FOUND IS THAT WHERE THE AGE OF 24 ACCESS, 21, IS ENFORCED, THE RATES ARE LOWER OF USE. 25 NOW, THESE OTHER PHENOMENON GO ON, KIDS WILL GET IT ONE WAY OR 12 1 ANOTHER IF REALLY WANT TO, BUT WHERE THOSE ARE RIGIDLY ENFORCED, 2 WHICH IS THE DIRECTION WE HAVE MOVED IN NEW MEXICO, THAT SHOULD BE 3 HELPFUL, IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF KIDS INVOLVED. 4 >> IS THERE RESEARCH THAT SUGGESTS THAT IT IS HELPFUL -- 5 >> YEAH. 6 >> -- OR IS IT TOO SOON TO KNOW? 7 >> NO, THIS HAS BEEN DONE ELSEWHERE. 8 IT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WE KNOW DOES MAKE DIFFERENCE, AT LEAST 9 IN THE NUMBERS OF KIDS. 10 SO THERE IS AN ISSUE ABOUT ACCESS, AND IF THERE ARE BARRIERS TO 11 ACCESS, THAT IS HELPFUL. 12 THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS OF CREATING BARRIERS. 13 FOR EXAMPLE, APART FROM JUST HAVING A LAW THAT SOMEBODY CAN'T 14 SELL TO AN UNDERAGE PERSON AND ENFORCING IT, THERE ARE OTHER 15 THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE. 16 TAXES ON ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. 17 >> HIGHER TAXES. 18 >> YEAH. 19 THAT'S CERTAINLY WORKED IN THE TOBACCO -- I MEAN, IT'S WORKED 20 SPECTACULARLY. 21 OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WORKED, THAT HAS BEEN VERY SIGNIFICANT. 22 >> SPEAKING OF TOBACCO, I CAME ACROSS AN INTERESTING FACTOID THAT 23 TOBACCO USE AND ILLEGAL DRUG USE AMONG ADOLESCENTS IS GOING DOWN, 24 BUT YET, ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IS EITHER STAYING THE SAME OR GOING 25 UP. 13 1 WHAT EXPLAINS THAT DIFFERENCE? 2 >> WELL, OTHER THAN TO SAY ALCOHOL IS CONSIDERABLY MORE PREVALENT 3 IN THE FIRST PLACE, THAN EITHER TOBACCO OR OTHER DRUGS, I CAN'T 4 EXPLAIN THAT. 5 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE NEED TO TRY OUT 6 ALCOHOL AND THEN GETTING STUCK ON IT, IT'S THERE, AND THE 7 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THAT AND THE TOBACCO, THEY SEEM TO MOVE 8 INDEPENDENTLY, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE TIED, THE PEOPLE WHO SMOKE ARE 9 MORE LIKELY TO DRINK, BUT THE RATES IN THE POPULATION SEEM TO MOVE 10 SOMEWHAT INDEPENDENTLY. 11 >> DR. MILLER, BEFORE WE STARTED THE SHOW, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT 12 ABOUT THE SURGEON GENERAL HERE IN NEW MEXICO, THIS CALL TO ACTION. 13 I KNOW YOU'RE INVOLVED. 14 I THINK BOTH OF YOU ARE. 15 CAN BOTH OF YOU TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT PROMISE THAT HAS FOR 16 HELPING THIS PROBLEM HERE IN THE STATE? 17 >> WELL, ACTUALLY, DR. WIESE AND I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH A 18 NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE IN BRINGING THE SURGEON GENERAL HERE TO THE 19 STATE OF NEW MEXICO. 20 IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY, AND AS WE LOOK AT IT, ONE 21 OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS IT ACTUALLY BRINGS THIS UP IN 22 PEOPLE'S MINDS, IT ACTUALLY GIVES THEM A THOUGHT THAT, "OKAY, THIS 23 IS ACTUALLY A PROBLEM." 24 MANY TIMES WHEN I TALK WITH MY OWN CHILDREN, IT'S SOMETHING WE 25 DON'T NECESSARILY TALK ABOUT. 14 1 ALCOHOL USE, NAMELY. 2 WE TALK ABOUT MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I 3 HAVEN'T BROUGHT UP. 4 AND SO AS I'VE BEEN PART OF THIS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK WITH MY 5 OWN KIDS AS WELL AS KIDS I TAKE CARE OF, AS WELL AS NEIGHBOR 6 CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS. 7 AS WE'VE DONE THAT, THEY'VE RECOGNIZED THAT THIS IS MORE OF A 8 PROBLEM IN THE STATE. 9 >> I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT THE SURGEON GENERAL IS POINTING 10 OUT THAT I REALLY LIKE IS THAT THIS ISN'T GOING -- THERE'S NO 11 MAGIC BULLET THAT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. 12 IT'S GOT TO BE ADDRESSED AT MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE LEVELS. 13 THE OTHER THING IS THAT IT'S NOT SOMEBODY ELSE THAT'S GOING TO 14 FIX IT. 15 IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET FIXED IF WE, AS A COMMUNITY, WORK AT IT. 16 THAT'S REALLY US. 17 NOT JUST THE PHYSICIANS, IT'S NOT JUST THE POLICYMAKERS. 18 IT'S THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY THAT SOMEHOW HAS GOT TO GET 19 SUFFICIENTLY UPSET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM TO TAKE IT ON, AND THAT'S 20 WHAT I HOPE THIS VISIT WILL STIMULATE. 21 >> YOU KNOW, OUR TIME IS RUNNING SHORT, BUT IF BOTH OF YOU CAN 22 TELL ME, I KNOW IN YOUR PRACTICE, I'M SURE YOU DEAL WITH PARENTS, 23 THAT'S PART OF THIS MULTIFACETED APPROACH I THINK BOTH OF YOU HAVE 24 BEEN TALKING ABOUT. 25 WHAT ADVICE DO YOU GIVE PARENTS WHO MAY KNOW OR CERTAINLY SUSPECT 15 1 THEIR KIDS, THEIR TEENS, ARE DRINKING? 2 WHAT SHOULD THEY SAY? 3 WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? 4 WHAT WORKS? 5 >> THEY NEED TO BE OPEN AND HONEST WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND TALK 6 ABOUT THIS AND RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS AN ISSUE. 7 MANY OF THE CHILDREN THAT USE ALCOHOL, THEIR PARENTS DON'T EVEN 8 RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE USING IT. 9 APPROXIMATELY 75 TO 80% OF CHILDREN WHO DRINK, THEIR PARENTS 10 DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DRINKING. 11 SO THAT IS A VOID THAT NEEDS TO BE CROSSED. 12 OPEN AND HONEST DISCUSSIONS, THE WAY THAT PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE 13 ABLE TO TALK WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND THE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE 14 ABLE TO FEEL THAT THEY CAN TALK WITH THEIR PARENTS ABOUT THIS. 15 >> DR. WIESE? 16 >> I WOULD ADD THAT, IN ADDITION, TO COMMUNICATING CLEARLY AND 17 OPENLY WITH CHILDREN, THEY NEED TO GET UPSET AND MAD. 18 THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, AND THEY NEED TO LOOK AROUND THEIR 19 COMMUNITIES, THEY NEED TO TALK WITH THEIR GOVERNMENT LEADERS ABOUT 20 WHAT MIGHT POSSIBLY BE DONE, AND IT'S JUST THIS CULTURAL TOLERANCE 21 WE HAVE OF THIS PROBLEM IS NOT OKAY. 22 KIDS ARE DYING BECAUSE OF THIS. 23 THEY BECOME ADULTS WHO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS. 24 THEY KILL OTHER PEOPLE. 25 THIS IS NOT OKAY. 16 1 >> MAYBE ONE LAST QUESTION, QUICKLY, ANYONE WHO WATCHES TV SEES 2 THE SLICK ADS FOR BEER, WITH THE PRETTY GIRLS AND EVERYONE LOOKS 3 GREAT, IT'S A VERY GLAMOROUS THING. 4 FOR A CYNICAL JOURNALIST LIKE MYSELF, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE 5 PROBLEMS HERE, CAN YOU GIVE ME HOPE, GIVE OTHERS HOPE THAT THIS IS 6 -- THAT THIS ISN'T A HOPELESS PROBLEM, IN TERMS OF THE LARGER KIND 7 OF POP CULTURE FORCES THAT ARE AT WORK HERE? 8 DR. MILLER. 9 >> AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WE WENT ON THE AIR, WE WERE 10 TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TOBACCO ISSUES, AND A GREAT DEAL OF 11 EFFORT WAS PUT FORWARD WITH THAT IN THE 1970'S AND AS WELL THE 12 LATE 1990'S, WITH LEGAL ACTION. 13 WITH THE EFFORTS THAT WERE DONE THERE, WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT 14 DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO ARE SMOKING, AS WELL AS 15 ADULTS. 16 IF WE WERE TO TAKE THE SAME APPROACH AND SAY THIS IS A PROBLEM 17 THAT AFFECTS ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS 18 CHILDREN, AFFECTS OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE AROUND, AFFECTS 19 PEOPLE ON THE ROADS BECAUSE OF DRUNK DRIVING, ET CETERA, AND WE 20 CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE THERE -- I'M SORRY, IF WE CAN 21 ACTUALLY BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, JUST 22 LIKE WE DID IN THE TOBACCO WORLD. 23 >> WE GOT JOE CAMEL OFF THE AIR, AND TOBACCO USE IN KIDS WENT 24 DOWN. 25 WE CAN DO THE SAME THING WITH THOSE SLICK ADS. 17 1 20% OF ALL ALCOHOL SALES IN THE U.S. GO TO UNDERAGE KIDS, KIDS 2 UNDER 21. 3 IT'S AN INDUSTRY ISSUE, AND IT WAS TAKEN ON WITH TOBACCO, IT CAN 4 BE TAKEN ON WITH THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY. 5 >> ALL RIGHT. 6 I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END IT THERE. 7 I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS AND 8 EXPERTISE WITH US TODAY. 9 NOW IT'S TIME FOR ANOTHER SEGMENT OF THE LINE. 10 GENE, WHAT DOES EVERYONE OVER THERE THINK ABOUT THIS PLAN TO CURB 11 UNDERAGE DRINKING? 12 >> WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT, DAVID. 13 NICE JOB, AND VERY INTERESTING. 14 FIRST, LET ME INTRODUCE MY GUESTS FOR THIS WEEK'S SEGMENTS 15 STARTING WITH OUR REGULARS, MARGARET MONTOYA, WHO HOLDS 16 APPOINTMENTS AT BOTH UNM SCHOOLS OF LAW AND MEDICINE; WHITNEY 17 CHESHIRE, POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND BLOGGER HERE IN NEW MEXICO; JIM 18 SCARANTINO, COLUMNIST FOR "THE WEEKLY ALIBI"; AND JOINING US THIS 19 WEEK A VERY SPECIAL GUEST, DR. MICHAEL THOMAS WITH UNM'S HONORS 20 PROGRAM. 21 THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US HERE. 22 JIM, WHAT WE JUST HEARD IN THIS VERY INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH 23 THESE TWO DOCTORS ABOUT THIS ISSUE OF UNDERAGE DRINKING, SHOCKING 24 STATISTICS HERE. 25 IT'S REALLY QUITE SOMETHING. 18 1 AND FOR US, AS PARENTS, AS COMMUNITY, WHAT CAN REALLY BE DONE 2 ABOUT THIS? 3 THIS IS REALLY A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION. 4 >> WELL, MY FIRST IMPRESSION, MY INITIAL EMOTION WAS JUST TO BE 5 DEPRESSED AND FEEL TOTALLY HOPELESS, BUT I THINK IT WAS DR. WIESE 6 HAD THE RIGHT IDEA, WHICH IS IF WE LOVE OUR KIDS, WE NEED TO GET 7 ANGRY ABOUT THIS AND FIGHT BACK, AND EVERYBODY'S GOT TO PITCH IN. 8 ONE PLACE TO GO TO, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE INDUSTRY. 9 ONE OF THE SHOCKING STATISTICS THAT CAME UP IN THEIR DISCUSSION 10 AND SOME OF THE MATERIAL WE'VE STUDIED HERE IS THAT 25% OF THE 11 PROFITS OF THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY IN THIS STATE, 25% OF THE GROSS 12 REVENUE AND PROFITS COMES FROM UNDERAGE DRINKING. 13 NOW, THAT CAN'T BE HAPPENING UNLESS THERE'S ADULTS FACILITATING 14 IT, BUT THAT'S ALSO A SOURCE OF REVENUE TO FUND THIS FIGHT, THAT 15 WE JUST HAVE TO WAGE. 16 AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE WITHIN 17 OUR POWERS TO CHANGE THIS CULTURE, JUST AS WE DID WITH CIGARETTES. 18 AND I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON KIDS AREN'T SMOKING. 19 NOT ONLY IS IT NOT COOL, IT'S STUPID TO SMOKE, AND I THINK THAT 20 EDUCATION HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PARENTS FIRST OF ALL AND THEN WORK 21 ITS WAY DOWN TO THE KIDS. 22 >> IS IT ENOUGH, MARGARET, GIVEN THE INDUSTRY, WHAT THEY THROW AT 23 THIS? 24 AS DAVID MENTIONED, THE SEXINESS OF THE LIQUOR INDUSTRY IS A TOUGH 25 FIGHT FOR PARENTS TO GO AGAINST. 19 1 >> I THINK THAT IN THIS SOCIETY, ALCOHOL IS THE LUBRICANT FOR 2 SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, THAT IN SO MANY WAYS THE MESSAGES THAT WE 3 GIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE IS THAT YOU CAN'T BE COOL, YOU CAN'T BE SEXY, 4 YOU CAN'T BE -- YOU CAN'T PERFORM WITHOUT HAVING A DRINK, AND I 5 THINK THAT THAT MESSAGE -- SO THAT THERE'S A MESSAGE ABOUT -- THAT 6 COMES AT THE VERY TIME THAT KIDS ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT BEING 7 COOL, ABOUT KNOWING HOW TO BEHAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER, BUT THE OTHER 8 MESSAGE IS THAT IT CAN MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU'RE FEELING 9 BADLY, THAT IF YOU HAVE ALL OF THE SOCIAL PAIN THAT IS ACCOMPANIED 10 WITH BEING AN ADOLESCENT -- YOU DON'T FIT IN, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY 11 DON'T LIKE YOUR PARENTS, AND THAT'S AGE APPROPRIATE, YOU WANT TO 12 BE LIKED BY OTHER PEOPLE, HAVE A DRINK. 13 IT WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. 14 IT WILL HELP, AND SO IF ALL OF THAT IS PUT NEXT TO WHAT JIM WAS 15 TALKING ABOUT, $100 MILLION IN PROFITS IN NEW MEXICO, THAT IS, YOU 16 KNOW, AN AMAZING -- 17 >> ILLEGAL PROFITS. 18 >> OF ILLEGAL -- LEGAL PROFITS. 19 BUT THAT IS FROM UNDERAGE DRINKING. 20 >> YOU KNOW, WHAT I SEE WHEN I HEAR -- WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE 21 STUDY, YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS, IT'S DISCOURAGING TO ME BECAUSE 22 IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE PROBLEMS THAT GOVERNMENT 23 IS GOING TO HAVE IN TRYING TO TACKLE. 24 IT'S SO HUGE. 25 AND WHAT I WOULD WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, THERE'S A BIG 20 1 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADOLESCENT DRINKING AND UNDERAGE DRINKING, AND 2 TO ME, THE BIGGER PROBLEM IS THE ADOLESCENT DRINKING, THE KIDS 3 THAT ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT ARE DRINKING. 4 I KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM FOR KIDS IN COLLEGE TO BE DRINKING, BUT WE 5 ALL KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT, BECAUSE IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT 6 TO POLICE BECAUSE THERE'S A MIXTURE OF AGES THERE. 7 BUT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THE YOUNG KIDS THAT ARE DRINKING, AND 8 WHAT ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE FAMILIES AND 9 THE PARENTS ARE FORCING -- FORCING THEIR INVOLVEMENT INTO THEIR 10 CHILDREN'S LIVES ENOUGH TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON? 11 WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF PARENTS HERE. 12 AND ONE OF THE OTHER PHENOMENON THAT I CAN'T STAND THAT'S HAPPENED 13 NOW, YOU CAN'T, AS AN ADULT, SAY SOMETHING TO A KID THAT'S DOING 14 SOMETHING WRONG WITHOUT EITHER THE KID TALKING BACK TO YOU OR 15 SOMEBODY ELSE TRYING TO SUE YOU. 16 25 YEARS AGO, 30 YEARS AGO, ADULTS WERE ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING TO 17 KIDS IF KIDS WERE MISBEHAVING. 18 IT'S LIKE WE'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER, AND 19 THAT, TO ME, IS THE MOST DISCOURAGING THING, AND I THINK WE'RE 20 SEEING MORE. 21 >> IF YOU CAN'T SAY SOMETHING TO A KID, WITH THIS EXAMPLE, KIDS 22 DRINK LESS OFTEN THAN ADULTS, BUT THEY DRINK MORE WHEN THEY DO. 23 REALLY STUNNING STATISTICS. 24 BINGE DRINKING, FIVE DRINKS OR MORE. 25 THAT'S A TON OF ALCOHOL. 21 1 I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE. 2 >> AND THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF AN ADULT NOT BEING AROUND. 3 >> SURE, SURE. 4 FIRST, LET'S GET YOU IN HERE. 5 THANKS FOR BEING HERE, FIRST OF ALL. 6 >> THANK YOU. 7 >> GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON THIS. 8 >> WELL, MY TAKE ON IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE 9 POSITIVES. 10 WHAT IS HAPPENING FOR KIDS THAT'S POSITIVE, THAT THEY'RE GETTING 11 OUT OF IT, IN ORDER TO SOMEHOW RESPOND AS A SOCIETY. 12 AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP ALREADY. 13 YOU KNOW, FOR SHY PEOPLE, OFTEN ALCOHOL HELPS TO PROVIDE THAT 14 DUTCH COURAGE TO SAY SOMETHING TO SOMEBODY. 15 THE ANESTHETIC. 16 YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE STRESSED, IF YOU ARE UNDER PRESSURE AT HOME, 17 AT SCHOOL, THEN IT'S A RELAXANT. 18 AND SO WHAT CAN BE DONE? 19 I THINK IN PLACES LIKE SCHOOL, DEALING WITH THINGS THAT ARE HARD 20 ON KIDS, LIKE BULLYING, FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK THAT DOING SOMETHING 21 ABOUT THAT COULD HELP, OR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 22 THERE'S SO MANY THINGS. 23 I THINK THAT DR. WIESE WAS SAYING THAT THERE HAD TO BE A REALLY 24 KIND OF MULTILEVEL APPROACH, AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE, TOO. 25 IT HAS TO HAPPEN IN THE VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS. 22 1 >> LET ME ASK EVERYBODY HERE, ARE WE GUILTY HERE OF HOLDING A 2 BEER IN ONE HAND AND WAGGING OUR FINGERS WITH THE OTHER? 3 IS THIS A SITUATION WHERE ADULTS HAD BETTER CHANGE THEIR ACT 4 FIRST BEFORE WE CAN EXPECT CHILDREN TO, OR -- IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE 5 TRYING TO HAVE OUR CAKE AND EAT IT, TOO, WHEN IT COMES TO ALCOHOL. 6 >> I THINK WE HAVE TO BE HONEST, AND THE HONEST ANSWER, I THINK, 7 FOR THAT IS FOR MANY ADULTS ALCOHOL IS A VERY POSITIVE THING, AND 8 THEY -- BUT FOR, ALSO, MANY ADULTS, ALCOHOL IS HARD TO CONTROL. 9 ALMOST EVERY FAMILY HAS SOME FAMILY MEMBER WHERE THERE'S PROBLEMS 10 AND OUR FAMILIES ARE DEALING WITH IT. 11 >> I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BE ABLE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN 12 RESPECT FOR THE LAW. 13 THAT'S WHERE WE, AS PARENTS, HAVE PROTECTION. 14 ANY ADULT WHO HAS A GLASS OF WINE IN THE EVENING AND THINKS THEY 15 CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE THEIR CHILD IS GOING TO END UP DRINKING -- 16 WE HAVE TO TEACH RESPECT FOR THE LAW. 17 IT'S AGAINST THE LAW. 18 WHEN YOU HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, SUPPORTING KEG PARTIES, 19 OR SAYING -- IF THEIR HOUSE IS A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL THE DRUNK KIDS 20 TO LAND ON A FRIDAY NIGHT BECAUSE THEY WON'T ASK QUESTIONS -- 21 PARENTS HAVE TO START LOOKING AT THEMSELVES AND WHAT IT IS THAT 22 THEY'RE DOING IN TERMS OF ENCOURAGING THE KIDS, AND OTHER PARENTS 23 OF OTHER KIDS NEED TO START LOOKING AT WHO THEIR CHILDREN ARE 24 HANGING OUT WITH. 25 >> THE OTHER THING THAT'S SORT OF MISSING FROM OUR CULTURAL 23 1 DISCUSSION OF ALCOHOL ABUSE IS THAT WE THINK THE ONLY DOWN SIDE, 2 THE ONLY RISK IS DRUNK DRIVING OR THE HANGOVER THE NEXT MORNING. 3 WHAT'S MISSING IS THE EDUCATIONAL ELEMENT TO LET PARENTS KNOW THE 4 DEBILITATING EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL UPON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR 5 CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY THEIR BRAINS, TO LET PARENTS KNOW THAT 6 ALCOHOL, IN FACT, IS MORE DANGEROUS TO THE HUMAN BODY THAN HEROIN 7 IN THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON THE ORGANS. 8 WE JUST DON'T DISCUSS THAT AT ALL. 9 I CAN PERCEIVE IF WE HAD THIS $100 MILLION IN NEW MEXICO TO USE, 10 AN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN SHOWING THE REALITIES OF BINGE DRINKING -- 11 YOU KNOW, HERE'S YOUR WEEKEND BINGE DRINKING, SOME KID LAYING ON 12 THE FLOOR BY THE TOILET BOWL, SOME GIRL WAKING UP, WONDERING WHAT 13 HAPPENED TO HER, HER DIGNITY, HER SELF-IMAGE. 14 THE REAL HARD-CORE FACTS ABOUT ALCOHOL ABUSE, AS WE DID WITH 15 CIGARETTES, THE COWBOY WITH THE HOLE IN THE THROAT. 16 LET'S DO THIS WITH ALCOHOL ABUSE. 17 >> HERE'S WHERE I THINK THAT THE MEDIA CAN PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT 18 ROLE. 19 I THINK THAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, I THINK THE FILM INDUSTRY GIVES 20 ALL OF THESE MESSAGES THAT I THINK REALLY HAVE CHANGED ATTITUDES 21 ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS. 22 ABOUT LITTER, FOR EXAMPLE. 23 ABOUT SMOKING, CERTAINLY. 24 I THINK THAT'S THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE, WHERE IT BECOMES SOCIALLY 25 UNACCEPTABLE TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS. 24 1 FRANKLY, I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT WITH 2 ALCOHOL, BECAUSE IT IS SO PERVASIVE. 3 AND I DON'T THINK THE MESSAGE IS A PROHIBITION MESSAGE, THAT IS, 4 WE WANT TO OUTLAW IT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE NO ONE DRINKS. 5 IT'S REALLY A MESSAGE ABOUT THE SUSCEPTIBILITY OF ADOLESCENTS, 6 THAT THEIR BRAIN ISN'T FULLY DEVELOPED, THAT THIS IS ABOUT 7 JUDGMENT, AND THEY HAVE THE JUDGMENT OF A NOT THOROUGHLY DEVELOPED 8 BRAIN. 9 >> I THINK THERE'S -- I THINK THERE'S REAL CHALLENGES. 10 I THINK IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE TOUGH, AND I THINK -- BECAUSE 11 RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT FOR ADOLESCENTS, MAYBE LATE ADOLESCENTS, 12 ALCOHOL IS LIKE A PERFECT THING, BECAUSE IT'S TRANSGRESSIVE, YOU 13 CAN -- IT IS ANTI-AUTHORITY, AND THERE'S ALL OF THESE MESSAGES IN 14 THE MEDIA THAT THE REBEL IS A POSITIVE IMAGE, SO YOU CAN BE 15 REBELLIOUS BY DRINKING. 16 BY ACTUALLY TRANSGRESSING THE LAW. 17 IN A SENSE, I THINK THAT SAFELY TRANSGRESSING, BREAKING A LAW, IS 18 A POSITIVE THAT -- A LOT OF KIDS THINK OF THAT AS POSITIVE. 19 >> EXACTLY. 20 >> SO... 21 >> EXACTLY. 22 >> {} 23 >> {} 24 >> YEAH. THIS IS AN INTERESTING VISIT BY THE SURGEON GENERAL. 25 IT'S VERY WELL RECEIVED. 25 1 HE WAS HERE, DEALING WITH PHYSICIANS AND PEDIATRICIANS, LIKE WE 2 SAW WITH DAVID, BUT ALSO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT A FORUM AT THE 3 LENSIC, WHICH HAD A PRETTY GOOD TURNOUT, AND CONCERNED PARENTS, 4 SOME OF THEM BRINGING THEIR KIDS. 5 IT WAS A VERY, VERY INTERESTING FORUM. 6 WE'RE GRATEFUL HE WAS HERE. 7 HE SPENT A LITTLE TIME WITH US AS WELL. 8 NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS IS A FORUM TO LET VOICES IN THE COMMUNITY BE 9 HEARD, AND THAT INCLUDES YOU, THE AUDIENCE. 10 LET'S CHECK IN WITH DAVID NOW AND GET SOME OF OUR THOUGHTS THIS 11 MONTH. 12 >> THANKS, GENE. 13 OUR SHOW IS STILL NEW, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO YOU, 14 THE AUDIENCE, RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING. 15 YOUR OPINIONS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE 16 HAVE ON THE SHOW EACH AND EVERY WEEK. 17 ON THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, WE WANT TO SHOWCASE THOSE 18 THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS. 19 LET'S START THIS MONTH WITH SOME E-MAILS. 20 LOTS OF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW FORMAT FOR THE SHOW. 21 BARBARA AND RICHARD FROM LOS ALAMOS HAVE THIS TO SAY. 22 "WE ARE NOT ALL THAT HAPPY WITH THE NEW FORMAT, "THE LINE/IN 23 FOCUS." 24 WE REALLY ENJOYED THE FULL HALF-HOUR OF "THE LINE." 25 IT SEEMS THAT THE PACE HAS BEEN SPED UP TO COME AS MUCH AS 26 1 POSSIBLE IN THE NEW TIME SLOT. 2 WE REALLY ENJOY GENE GRANT AND THE REGULARS ON THE PROGRAM. THE 3 SPECIAL GUESTS SEEM TO BE CHOSEN WITH GREAT CARE, ALSO." 4 AND ROGER IN SANTA FE SAID THIS: 5 "JUST FINISHED WATCHING THE NEW COMBINED PROGRAM. 6 AFTER FEELING STARVED OF LOCAL POLITICAL COMMENT OVER THE SUMMER, 7 WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT! 8 THESE 2 DISTINCT PROGRAMS DON'T MESH WELL. 9 NOTHING WAS GAINED BY SPLICING THEM TOGETHER." 10 THANK YOU FOR THOSE HONEST COMMENTS ABOUT THE NEW FORMAT. 11 WE ARE STILL WORKING OUT A FEW KINKS, BUT THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE 12 NEW SHOW IS TO BRING TOGETHER ALL THE BEST ELEMENTS OF OUR 13 PREVIOUS PUBLIC AFFAIRS SHOWS AND REFORMAT THEM INTO A MORE 14 COHESIVE AND INTEGRATED PACKAGE. 15 WE ALSO HOPE THIS NEW FORMAT WILL GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY TO 16 FIND NEW WAYS TO GET YOU INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM IN A TRULY 17 INTEGRATIVE AND POWERFUL WAY. 18 BEFORE WE WRAP YOUR E-MAILS, WE WANT TO PASS ALONG THIS NOTE FROM 19 JOE RENICK, WHO APPEARED IN OUR SHOW TWO WEEKS AGO TO TALK ABOUT 20 INTELLIGENT DESIGN. 21 JOE WRITES: "AGAIN, THANKS FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THE PROGRAM TO 22 DISCUSS ID AND EVOLUTION. 23 THERE WAS AN INTERESTING DOCUMENTARY ON THIS GENERAL SUBJECT 24 PRESENTED AT THE KANSAS FILM FESTIVAL CALLED "KANSAS V. DARWIN," 25 WHICH COVERS THE CONTROVERSY THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS 27 1 IN KANSAS. 2 IT TOUCHES LIGHTLY ON THE SCIENCE AND FOCUSES ON THE POLITICAL, 3 LEGAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS OF THE CONTROVERSY AND THUS HAS AN 4 APPEAL TO A LARGE AUDIENCE." 5 THANKS, AS ALWAYS, FOR THE GREAT E-MAILS. 6 YOU CAN ALWAYS SENDS YOU US YOUR THOUGHTS AT INFOCUS@KNME.ORG OR 7 LOGGING ON TO OUR ONLINE FORUM AT KNMETV.ORG/FORUM. 8 OF COURSE, NOTHING BEATS A LITTLE FACE-TO-FACE TIME WITH OUR 9 VIEWERS. 10 THAT'S WHY WE SENT GENE GRANT OUT ON THE STREETS TO PUT EVERYDAY 11 CITIZENS "ON THE CLOCK." 12 >> WE'RE HERE AT THE CAMPUS OF UNM, TALKING TO SOME FOLKS ON A 13 BEAUTIFUL FALL DAY ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE COVERED ON 14 THE SHOW AND GET SOME OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THE 15 SHOW AS WELL. 16 >> HEY, GUYS, THANKS STOPPING BY. 17 I APPRECIATE THAT. 18 CAN I ASK YOUR NAME? 19 >> I'M KRISHNA. 20 >> KRISHNA. 21 >> AND I'M MAHESH. 22 YOU ARE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS HERE AT UNM. 23 I'M GOING TO TAKE A NOT SO WILD GUESS BUT LET ME GUESS YOUR 24 MAJORS. 25 >> ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING. 28 1 >> MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. 2 >> LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. 3 LAST WEEK -- JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, RATHER, WE HAD A PROTEST HERE 4 ON CAMPUS REGARDING THE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED REGARDING THE 5 MEXICAN FLAG BEING TORN DOWN, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR THIS 6 DISCUSSION, THE SPATE OF HATE CRIMES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING TO 7 INDIAN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS HERE ON CAMPUS. 8 WHAT'S BEEN THE FOLLOW-UP TO THE PRESS REPORTS ABOUT WHAT'S 9 HAPPENED? 10 HAS THERE BEEN SATISFACTORY MOVEMENT FORWARD, IN YOUR VIEW, ON 11 THIS SITUATION? 12 >> YEAH, THERE'S BEEN SOME RESPONSE FROM THE UNIVERSITY AND TO 13 LET THE PUBLIC AND THE STUDENT COMMUNITIES HERE, THEY HAVE GOTTEN 14 TOGETHER, AND EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THE SITUATION, AND EVERYBODY 15 KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON. 16 THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. 17 >> HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR VIEW OF ALBUQUERQUE WHEN THIS FIRST 18 STARTED, WHEN THESE ASSAULTS FIRST STARTED? 19 DID IT AFFECT YOUR VIEW OF US AS A CITY? 20 >> TO BE HONEST, NOT MUCH, BECAUSE I -- IT WAS A VERY ISOLATED 21 INCIDENT, AND I'M NOT REALLY LOOKING AT THIS AS A TREND OR 22 ANYTHING. 23 >> DID YOU GROW UP HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE? 24 >> NO, I'M FROM COLORADO. 25 >> WHAT BROUGHT YOU DOWN -- ON UNM BROUGHT YOU HERE? 29 1 >> YES, SIR. 2 >> HOW LONG ARE YOU BEEN HERE? 3 >> SINCE JULY. 4 >> AH, PRETTY RECENT. 5 >> YUP. 6 >> TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT ALBUQUERQUE. 7 WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? 8 >> WELL, WE KNEW IT WOULD BE HOT AND DRY, BUT WE LIKED THE 9 SUMMER, AND WE LIKED THAT SO FAR. 10 OUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE CITY HAVE BEEN POSITIVE. 11 WE'VE BEEN UP ON THE TRAM, THE TRAMWAY UP THERE, AND THE SANDIAS. 12 >> ARE YOU A VIEWER OF NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS? 13 >> YES, I AM. 14 >> BLESS YOUR HEART. 15 WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SHOW? 16 >> I ENJOY IT A LOT. 17 >> WHAT ABOUT IT, ABOUT THE SHOW, THAT YOU LIKE? 18 >> I ENJOY THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW AND THAT YOU HIT ON 19 TOPICAL ISSUES, YOU GET DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW THAT ARE VERY 20 TIMELY IN MANY CASES. 21 >> WHAT COULD WE BE DOING BETTER, IN YOUR VIEW? 22 ANYTHING? 23 >> WELL, EDUCATION ISSUES ARE ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO ME, SO THE MORE 24 THAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT EDUCATION, THE BETTER. 25 HOMELESSNESS, POVERTY, THE ISSUES, THE BIG THINGS THAT DON'T GET 30 1 ENOUGH COVERAGE OR GET THE WRONG SLANT FROM OTHER SOURCES. 2 INFORMED DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE ISSUES I THINK IS ALWAYS GOOD. 3 >> I AM SO HAPPY THAT WE HAVE A VENUE TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY COME 4 TOGETHER AS NEW MEXICANS. 5 THERE'S A SPIRIT HERE AND A SENSE OF OPENNESS AND "THE LINE" JUST 6 PERVADES THAT, YOU KNOW. 7 IT DOESN'T REALLY WALK A THIN LINE. 8 IT IS THE LINE. 9 >> THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN, AND BE SURE TO LOOK OUT FOR US, AND 10 WE'LL BE OUT AND ABOUT NEXT MONTH AS WELL. 11 DON'T MISS IT. 12 AND AS DAVID MENTIONED, YOU CAN WATCH FOR ALL THOSE GREAT VIEWER 13 COMMENTS ON THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH, AND NOW IT'S BACK TO 14 OUR REGULAR PANELISTS HERE ON THE LINE AND ANOTHER IMPORTANT 15 TOPIC, THE ECONOMY. 16 YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, "FORBES" MAGAZINE 17 RANKED US THE MOST BUSINESS FRIENDLY CITY OF ITS SIZE IN THE 18 COUNTRY. 19 NOW COMPANIES ARE LAYING WORKERS OFF LEFT AND RIGHT IT SEEMS. 20 PNM, INTEL, ADVENT SOLAR, AND SANDIA LABS ALL TALKING ABOUT 21 SCALING BACK. 22 WHITNEY, SO MUCH FOR "FORBES" MAGAZINE. 23 WHAT HAPPENED HERE? 24 >> WELL, THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE RANKINGS. 25 IT'S LIKE YOU NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT AT 31 1 ANY GIVEN TIME. 2 WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IN ALBUQUERQUE AND NEW MEXICO IN 3 PARTICULAR IS THAT WE HAVE SUCH A HUGE INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT 4 DOLLARS IN OUR STATE THAT AS THE REST OF THE COUNTRY GOES UP AND 5 DOWN, WE TEND TO STAY A LITTLE BIT MORE STATIC. 6 OUR HOUSING MARKET IS A LITTLE BIT MORE STATIC. 7 WE DON'T HAVE THE HIGHS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS, WE TEND ALSO NOT 8 TO HAVE THE LOWS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS. 9 I HATE TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT OUR ECONOMY IN GENERAL, BUT 10 UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A RESULT OF KIND OF 11 THE LIPSTICK COMING OFF. 12 >> LET'S STICK WITH PNM, ON YOUR POINT. 13 APPARENTLY WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, THE PRICE OF COPPER, CONCRETE, 14 AND THE SUCH IS RISING SO RAPIDLY IT'S AFFECTING THEIR BOTTOM 15 LINE, SO THEY HAVE ONE OF TWO THINGS TO DO, LAY OFF PEOPLE TO GET 16 THEIR COSTS DOWN OR PASS ALONG OR BOTH, MOST LIKELY. 17 ARE WE -- WHAT I'M SAYING, ARE WE NOT IN THE MIX NO MATTER WHAT'S 18 GOING ON IN THE ECONOMY NATIONWIDE? 19 IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US IN REAL TIME, IT SEEMS TO ME, AT SOME 20 POINT. 21 >> WITH ENERGY, YES, IT'S LIKE WE'RE GOING TO FLUCTUATE A LITTLE 22 BIT ON OUR OWN, BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE JOB LOSSES, 23 THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE SUCH MASSIVE GOVERNMENT 24 EMPLOYERS, LIKE SANDIA LABS, LOS ALAMOS, YOU TEND TO -- WHEN YOU 25 TAKE A HIT, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT HARD, AND THAT IS DOWN SIDE TO 32 1 HAVING AN ECONOMY THAT'S SO RELIANT ON THOSE TYPES OF INDUSTRIES. 2 >> BUT WE'VE GOT INTEL, JIM SCARANTINO, WHO IS PHASING OUT A 3 CERTAIN CHIP SET, AS THINGS GO PASSE, AND THAT'S A LOT OF FOLKS. 4 SO THE WHIMS OF ECONOMY, WE'RE NOT IMMUNE TO ANY OF THIS, IT 5 SEEMS TO ME. 6 >> NO, WE'RE NOT, BUT IN THE LONG TERM, "FORBES" HAS IT RIGHT. 7 I THINK WE ARE IN A SWEET SPOT HERE IN NEW MEXICO FOR THE LONG 8 TERM. 9 WE'VE GOT GREAT CAPACITY, WE'RE DEVELOPING A -- WE'RE DEVELOPING 10 A MORE DIVERSE ECONOMY THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE. 11 YOU HAVE THE ENTREPRENEURS COMING OUT OF THE LABS AND THE -- WHAT 12 DO YOU CALL THEM -- THE SPIN-OFFS FROM THE LABS THAT CREATE THE 13 INNOVATION IN THE COMMUNITY, STARTING UP BUSINESSES EVERYWHERE IN 14 THE STATE. 15 AND THE ENERGY INDUSTRY IS BOOMING. 16 HOBBS AND THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE DOWN ON THEIR HEELS AWHILE 17 BACK ARE DOING GREAT NOW. 18 SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE ECONOMY. 19 WE'VE GOT ECLIPSE COMING, WE'VE GOT TESLA COMING. 20 PNM HAS DROPPED BEFORE. 21 WHAT WAS IT, 15 YEARS AGO, EVERYBODY WAS HORRIBLY WORRIED ABOUT 22 PNM, AND THEN THEY HAD A BANNER YEAR A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND NOW 23 THEY'RE DOWN A LITTLE BIT AGAIN. 24 >> A LITTLE BIT? 25 WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? 33 1 THEY WENT FROM 17 MILLION IN THE LAST QUARTER TO 6 MILLION THIS 2 QUARTER IN LOSS. 3 >> I'M SORRY, I DON'T THINK -- I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BLIP IN THE 4 ECONOMIC PICTURE IN THIS STATE, AND OVERALL, ACROSS THE STATE, I 5 THINK WE'RE DOING FINE. 6 I THINK IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS WE'RE GOING TO DO EVEN BETTER. 7 >> DR. THOMAS, ARE WE DOING FINE? 8 >> I THINK WE'RE MORE DIVERSE, AND WE'VE GOT THE MOVIE BUSINESS 9 AND TV BUSINESS COMING IN. 10 I THINK IT IS A HELP. 11 BUT ONE THING THAT I NOTICE IS THAT BEING BUSINESS FRIENDLY ISN'T 12 NECESSARILY BEING WORKER FRIENDLY, AND I THINK THAT'S AN AREA 13 WHERE WE COULD SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THIS STATE. 14 >> LET ME PICK UP ON THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE ISSUE HERE IS 15 WITH THE LAYOFFS IN MANUFACTURING, AND THAT MANY OF THESE ARE 16 REALLY HIGH-WAGE JOBS, AND I'M NOT A SANGUINE AS THE GOVERNOR 17 SEEMS TO BE WHEN COMMENTING ON THE INTEL LAYOFFS, THAT, IN FACT, 18 THEY WOULD BE ABSORBED BY ECLIPSE AND SOME OF THE OTHER 19 MANUFACTURERS. 20 THAT BEING SAID, IT'S THE CASE THAT NEW MEXICO'S UNEMPLOYMENT 21 RATE IS STILL VERY LOW, RECORD LOW, BUT I THINK THAT THERE ARE 22 OTHER ASPECTS TO THE ECONOMY, AND I THINK THAT WE SAW THE RATING 23 THAT CAME IN ON WEALTH, YOU KNOW, WHERE NEW MEXICO WAS GIVEN A 24 "D," AN OVERALL GRADE OF "D," AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT 25 ASPECTS, IN TERMS OF FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS, HOME OWNERSHIP, 34 1 EDUCATION, AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING THE WAY THAT EDUCATION IS 2 LINKED TO WEALTH DEVELOPMENT, AND I THINK THAT WE DON'T GIVE 3 ENOUGH EMPHASIS TO THIS, SO THAT WITH RESPECT TO HOME OWNERSHIP, 4 NEW MEXICO IS GIVEN AN "A." 5 IT IS TRUE THAT HISPANICS, PARTICULARLY U.S. BORN HISPANICS, OWN 6 THEIR HOMES. 7 NOW, THAT ISN'T TRUE EVERY PLACE, BECAUSE IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK, 8 NEW MEXICO IS DOING BETTER THAN TEXAS AND ARIZONA IN HOME 9 OWNERSHIP. 10 >> BUT IN NEW MEXICO, THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS THE LOWEST 11 IN THE COUNTRY, BASICALLY. 12 I GO BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE AGAIN. 13 WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, WITH ALL THE OIL AND GAS REVENUE, TO 14 GIVE SOME VERY SERIOUS TAX CUTS TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO, TO 15 TURN BACK SOME MONEY SO THAT WE CAN REINVEST IT IN THE ECONOMY, 16 AND THE LEGISLATURE CONTINUED TO SPEND AND SPEND AND SPEND UNDER 17 THIS GOVERNOR, AND EVENTUALLY IT'S GOING TO BE PAYDAY. 18 WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT CUTTING SERVICES OR RAISING TAXES. 19 AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. 20 SO I THINK, AGAIN, THE PROBLEM THAT HAS COME FROM SANTA FE, AND A 21 REFUSAL TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO REINVEST IN THE ECONOMY. 22 YOU LOOK AT WHAT NEVADA HAS DONE, THEY'VE GROWN LEAPS AND BOUNDS 23 OVER NEW MEXICO, AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 24 IS ANY DIFFERENT, IT'S BECAUSE OF OUR POLICY IN TERMS OF TAXES AND 25 BUSINESS IS VERY DIFFERENT HERE. 35 1 EVEN THOUGH WE'RE OKAY, WE'RE FAILING TO GROW AT THE SAME RATE AS 2 OUR NEIGHBORS HAVE, AND TO ME, THAT'S A TRAVESTY. 3 >> AMONG THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO IN SANTA FE ARE SUCH THINGS AS 4 HAVE A LOW-INCOME TAX CREDIT -- EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT. 5 THE THINGS -- THE RAISING OF THE MINIMUM WAGE WAS A VERY SMART 6 THING TO DO. 7 THE FACT THAT WE HAVE INCREASING NUMBERS OF IMMIGRANTS. 8 WE KNOW THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE ENTREPRENEURS, THAT WHEN THEY COME 9 IN, THEY BEGIN PROVIDING THE SERVICES AND THE GOODS FOR OTHERS 10 SHOULD SHARE THOSE PREFERENCES. 11 THAT'S PART OF WHY THERE'S A LOT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THERE. 12 >> A LOT OF THE IMMIGRANTS ARE ILLEGAL, AND THEY'RE NOT PAYING 13 TAXES, AND THEY'RE SENDING HUGE AMOUNTS OF THEIR SALARY BACK HOME. 14 >> THAT'S INCORRECT. THEY DO PAY TAXES. 15 >> THEY DON'T PAY INCOME TAXES. 16 NO, THEY DON'T. 17 THEY SEND A TON OF MONEY BACK OUT OF THE COUNTRY, SO THERE 18 CONTINUES TO BE A DRAIN ON SERVICES IN OUR STATE, AND THAT'S ONE 19 THING NOBODY WANTS TO TALK ABOUT. 20 >> AT THIS TABLE WE DO, THAT'S FOR SURE. 21 (LAUGHTER) 22 >> I THINK THERE'S BASICALLY A NET BENEFIT TO THE IMMIGRANTS, 23 BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IN TERMS OF THE RESOURCES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL 24 MENTALITY THEY BRING, AND ALSO, THEY DO PAY TAXES. 25 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT INCOME TAX, I DON'T KNOW -- 36 1 >> THEY DO. 2 IT COMES OFF THEIR PAYCHECK. 3 >> IN MANY INSTANCES IT'S NEVER CLAIMED SO THAT, IN FACT, IT'S -- 4 NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT TAXES, SO THAT THERE'S A VERY 5 LARGE BONUS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BECAUSE OF THOSE WORKERS, BUT THEY 6 ALSO PAY STATE AND FEDERAL INCOME TAXES THAT THEY CAN'T CLAIM. 7 >> I THINK MARGARET TOUCHED ON A REAL LONG-TERM PROBLEM WE HAVE 8 HERE, WHICH IS THE TWO NEW MEXICOS WE HAVE. 9 WE DO HAVE THE PROFESSIONALS, WE DO HAVE THE MOVIE STARS, WE'VE 10 GOT THE SANTA FE MILLIONAIRES, WE'VE GOT THE PEOPLE UP IN THE 11 HEIGHTS, AND WE HAVE THE PERMANENT UNDERCLASS THAT HAS TO BE 12 ADDRESSED. 13 THAT'S THE LONG-TERM CHALLENGE, THE LONG-TERM THREAT TO OUR 14 ECONOMY. 15 >> THAT'S A SHAME BECAUSE THE JOBS THEY TALK ABOUT, OUR LOW 16 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, IT'S LIKE WHAT KIND OF JOBS ARE PEOPLE ACTUALLY 17 FILLING? 18 AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT THEY'RE VERY LOW WAGE AND THEY'RE NOT 19 PROVIDING A GOOD LIVING FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE NEW MEXICO FOR THE 20 MOST PART. 21 >> THERE'S MORE AT STAKE FOR ALBUQUERQUE VOTERS NEXT TUESDAY THAN 22 JUST SOME CONTENTIOUS CITY COUNCIL SEATS. 23 CITIZENS WILL ALSO BE DECIDING ON MORE THAN $100 MILLION IN BOND 24 MONIES FOR THINGS LIBRARIES, STREETS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, 25 AND THE LIKE. 37 1 MARGARET, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE ASKING FOR AT ONE TIME. 2 THIS ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN EVERY BOND VOTE. 3 >> THERE IS A LOT OF -- $38 MILLION IN THE PARK BOND ISSUE, SO 4 THAT I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOK AT, WHAT ARE THERE NINE DIFFERENT -- 5 I THINK THERE ARE NINE -- THAT CERTAINLY SOME ARE CONSIDERABLY 6 LARGER THAN OTHERS. 7 I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT JIM WILL HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE HOUSING 8 BOND, BECAUSE -- 9 >> ON THAT -- 10 >> IT'S A INNOVATIVE WAY OF ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE 11 WITH LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOME RENTERS. 12 >> IT'S DEFINITELY INNOVATIVE, AND I WAS READING THE BOND ISSUE 13 ITSELF. 14 THE LANGUAGE, IT'S LIKE "WHAT IS THIS?" 15 THEN WHEN I GOT DEEPER INTO IT, I REALIZED NOT ONLY IS IT 16 INNOVATIVE, IT'S REALLY RADICAL. 17 IT INVOLVES THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN PURCHASING LAND AND INJECTING 18 ITSELF DIRECTLY INTO THE MARKET FORCES IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR THE 19 BUYING AND SELLING OF REAL ESTATE, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOMES 20 AND THE RESALE OF HOMES. 21 THE RESALE. 22 SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PROPERTY BASICALLY TAKEN OUT OF THE 23 MARKET, SET ASIDE IN A SEPARATE POOL FOR WHAT'S GOING TO BE CALLED 24 LOW-INCOME HOUSING OF, PEOPLE WILL MOVE INTO BECAUSE WE'RE GOING 25 TO MANIPULATE THE MARKET FORCES, BUT THEY DON'T GET THE BENEFITS 38 1 AND LESSONS OF HOME OWNERSHIP BECAUSE THAT PROPERTY IS NOT ALLOWED 2 TO APPRECIATE ALONG WITH THE HOMES AROUND THEM. 3 NOW, IS THAT GOOD? 4 IS THAT BAD? 5 I DON'T KNOW. 6 THAT'S A BOND ISSUE I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST BECAUSE I NEED MORE 7 TIME. 8 I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IT. 9 I NEED MORE STUDY. 10 >> I WAS GOING TO BE REAL SIMPLE AND JUST SAY NO ON THAT ONE. 11 WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, I DON'T THINK, WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING 12 IN THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE; WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HAVING ENOUGH 13 JOBS THAT PAY HIGH ENOUGH TO PEOPLE TO AFFORD HOUSING. 14 I THINK THE $10 MILLION PRICE TAG ON THAT IS ABSOLUTELY 15 EXCESSIVE. 16 THE OTHER THING I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST IS THE TRANSIT 17 DEPARTMENT BOND. 18 I'M SO TIRED OF SEEING THESE DOUBLE-LENGTH BUSES DRIVING AROUND 19 TOWN WITH ONE PERSON IN THEM. 20 UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT A WAY -- 21 >> YOU DON'T GET ON THE BUS? 22 >> I'VE BEEN ON THE BUS, BUT -- ANYWAY -- 23 SO I WOULD VOTE AGAINST THOSE TWO. 24 THE OTHER THING I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS 25 YEAR THERE WILL NOT BE ANY KIND OF TAX INCREASE TO GO ALONG -- 39 1 YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE NOT GOING TO GO UP WITH THIS YEAR'S BOND 2 ELECTIONS, SO WHETHER YOU SUPPORT THEM OR YOU DON'T, I THINK IT'S 3 IMPORTANT -- 4 >> BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO DOWN. 5 >> THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO DOWN. 6 THAT'S RIGHT. 7 >> THERE'S A FALLACY IF YOU VOTE FOR BONDS IT WON'T AFFECT YOUR 8 TAX RATE. 9 THAT'S NOT TRUE. 10 IT MAY NOT GO UP, BUT IT PREVENTS A REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAXES 11 WHEN YOU KEEP MAXING OUT YOUR BONDING CAPACITY. 12 >> JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING ABOUT GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, IT'S 13 ALWAYS CROSSED MY MIND, I WONDER IF THE PROBLEM SOMETIMES IS THE 14 WORDING THAT JIM MENTIONED ON THESE THINGS. 15 HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO READ THEM TWO OR 16 THREE TIMES TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, I AM ACTUALLY 17 FOR OR AGAINST BUT I'M FOR, BUT I'M AGAINST. 18 IT'S A DIFFICULTY THIS WAY. 19 >> I THINK THAT THEY COULD BE WRITTEN MORE CLEARLY. 20 YOU'RE RIGHT. 21 I DON'T REALLY HAVE A HORSE IN THE RACE BECAUSE I LIVE IN 22 SOCORRO, SO I'M NOT GOING TO BE VOTING ON THESE. 23 >> (INDISCERNIBLE) 24 (LAUGHTER) 25 >> BUT IN A SENSE, WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE HOUSING, I 40 1 HOPE THEY ALL PASS. 2 >> I DO, TOO, AND I THINK THAT THIS IS WHERE -- I THINK THAT 3 THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A SKEPTICISM ABOUT GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE I THINK 4 THAT PART OF THE MESSAGE OF THE REPUBLICANS HAS BEEN GOVERNMENT 5 DOESN'T WORK, AND SO THEY GET ELECTED AND THEN THEY PROVE, IN 6 FACT, GOVERNMENT DOESN'T WORK, BECAUSE, IN FACT, THEY APPOINT 7 INCOMPETENTS. 8 BUT I THINK THAT WHAT WE SEE OVERWHELMINGLY IS THAT GOVERNMENT 9 GIVES US AN OUTSTANDING ZOO; IT GIVES US, FOR THE MOST PART, 10 TRANSPORTATION THAT WORKS; FOR THE MOST PART -- I MEAN, THE 11 INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE ENJOY FOR RELATIVELY LOW TAX RATES AS 12 COMPARED TO OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES. 13 >> SPEAKING OF INCOMPETENT LEADERS, I'LL SAY WE HAVE A DEMOCRAT 14 MAYOR AND DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED CITY COUNCIL. 15 AND WHAT ABOUT -- DEMOCRATIC. 16 THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REDUCING THE SIZE OF LEAD AND 17 COAL TO ONE-WAY STREETS AND FUNNELING THAT TRAFFIC INTO TWO LANES, 18 WHICH IN ITSELF IS PROBABLY NOT THAT BAD BECAUSE THEY'RE SO 19 DANGEROUS, BUT WE WERE TALKING EARLIER THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING 20 TO ADDRESS ALL THE ARTERIES. 21 ARE THEY GOING TO WIDEN CARLISLE, ARE THEY GOING TO WIDEN GIRARD? 22 IT'S TYPICAL -- 23 >> THEY'RE NOT WIDENING CARLISLE. 24 >> THE PROBLEM IS -- THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT -- IT'S LIKE THESE KNEE 25 JERK REACTIONS TO TRY TO SOLVE A TRAFFIC PROBLEM, AND THEY'RE 41 1 CREATING MORE HEADACHES BY NOT DOING IT. 2 >> IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN YOU CAN'T MAKE A BIGGER BLANKET BY CUTTING 3 OFF THE BOTTOM AND SEWING IT ONTO THE TOP. 4 THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TRAFFIC SPACE, AND I THINK THAT APPLYING ALL 5 THE INGENUITY TO IT IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. 6 >> WHICH IS WHY WE NEED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, NOT ONLY TO 7 PROTECT MOTHER EARTH, BUT TO RETRAIN PEOPLE AWAY FROM PRIVATE 8 AUTOMOBILES. 9 ONE PERSON TO A CAR. 10 I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE. 11 THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT ALBUQUERQUEANS LOSE BY BEING STUCK IN 12 TRAFFIC SHOULD BE A DISINCENTIVE, AND YET, IT ISN'T. 13 >> IT'S AMAZING. 14 JUST A FEW SECONDS LEFT, DO BONDS EVER GO DOWN IN DEFEAT? 15 I CAN'T REMEMBER A HIGH-PROFILE BOND THAT DID. 16 >> AT AN INCREASING RATE. 17 I WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO USED TO VOTE FOR EVERY BOND. 18 NOW I DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. 19 >> YOU CHERRY PICK. 20 >> I SURE DO. 21 >> TO THE AUDIENCE, I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR THE HOUSING BOND, AND I 22 HOPE THAT PEOPLE GO INTO THAT VOTING BOOTH ALREADY INFORMED ABOUT 23 THESE THINGS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAND THERE AND TRY AND 24 FIGURE IT OUT. 25 >> EXACTLY. 42 1 NOW IT'S TIME FOR ONE OF OUR FAVORITE EXERCISES HERE ON THE LINE, 2 WHEN WE PUT OUR PANELISTS ON THE CLOCK. 3 THEY ONLY HAVE A MINUTE AS A GROUP TO TACKLE EACH SUBJECT, SO 4 MAKE IT QUICK. 5 LET'S START THIS WEEK WITH THE NEW RESEARCH STUDY THAT HAS TURNED 6 UP -- TURNED THE POLITICAL WORLD ON ITS HEAD. 7 WHITNEY, SCIENTISTS NOW SAY -- I LOVE THIS -- WE MAY BE 8 GENETICALLY WIRED TO BE EITHER -- YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD NO -- 9 REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS, OR CONSERVATIVE OR LIBERAL IS PROBABLY A 10 BETTER WAY TO IT. 11 ARE YOU BUYING THIS? 12 >> I'M SO TIRED OF PEOPLE TRYING TO TRYING TO DIVIDE THE 13 BIO-PSYCHOSOCIAL FRAMEWORK. 14 YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE. 15 I DON'T BELIEVE IT. 16 >> YOU THINK THERE'S NOTHING TO IT? 17 >> NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. 18 >> INTERESTING. 19 >> I DON'T THINK SO. 20 I THINK THIS IS WHAT IS A CLASSIC PACK VARIABLE, AND WHAT THAT 21 MEANS IS THAT THERE'S ALL KINDS OF POSSIBLE CAUSES THAT CAN BE 22 ASSOCIATED WITH A RESULT, AND THAT ASSOCIATION DOESN'T PROVE 23 CAUSALITY. 24 >> LET'S STAY WITH YOU A SECOND. 25 SOMETIMES YOU CAN BE ONE THING YOUNGER AND ANOTHER THING OLDER, 43 1 RIGHT? 2 >> RIGHT. 3 >> ARE YOU BUYING THIS. 4 >> I LOVED IT. 5 I LOVED, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE -- I WONDERED 6 WHAT THE PARTY WAS OF THE RESEARCHERS. 7 I LOVED READING THE FACT LIBERALS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE FLEXIBLE, 8 YOU KNOW, HAD THE ABILITY TO BE NUANCED. 9 >> SURE. 10 >> TO TOLERATE AMBIGUITY. 11 >> TIME UP ON THAT. 12 JIM, YES OR NO. 13 BUYING IT? 14 >> THE GOP IS STARTING A FERTILITY PROGRAM, I UNDERSTAND. 15 >> I'M SO SORRY I WENT THERE. 16 PETE DOMENICI SCORES A VICTORY ON CAPITOL HILL. 17 HIS MASSIVE MENTAL HEALTH BILL IS ON ITS WAY TO THE HOUSE AFTER 18 EARNING SENATE APPROVAL. 19 THE PROPOSAL HAS BEEN IN THE MIX FOR MONTHS NOW BUT THERE STILL A 20 LOT OF POINTS TO BE WORKED OUT. 21 JIM, HE GOT THIS WORKED OUT WITH SENATOR KENNEDY, OF COURSE. 22 SPENT A LOT OF YEARS. 23 THE HOUSE IS ALWAYS A MUCH DIFFERENT STORY. 24 >> I HOPE IT GETS THROUGH THE HOUSE. 25 IT'S TIME WE REALIZED THAT MENTAL ILLNESS IS A ILLNESS LIKE ANY 44 1 OTHER PHYSICAL DISEASE, AND IT SHOULD NOT RECEIVE LESSER ATTENTION 2 THAN PHYSICAL DISEASES. 3 >> ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS, MARGARET, IS EMPLOYERS, IF YOU HAVE 4 AN EMPLOYEE HEALTH PLAN, YOU HAVE TO APPLY THE SAME RATES AND 5 PREMIUMS AS YOU WOULD OTHER ISSUES. 6 >> IT'S ABOUT TIME. 7 I THINK THAT THIS -- THAT THE RAVAGES OF MENTAL DISEASE ARE JUST 8 FELT SO WIDELY. 9 I APPLAUD WHAT SENATOR DOMENICI HAS DONE, AND REALLY, WE CAN SEE 10 WHAT HAPPENS IN A FAMILY WHEN THERE IS MENTAL DISEASE AND IN THIS 11 CASE, HE WAS RESPONDING POSITIVELY. 12 >> WHITNEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK? 13 >> I THINK IT WAS A PERSONAL AND POLITICAL SUCCESS FOR THE 14 SENATOR. 15 I'M GLAD HE GOT IT PASSED. 16 MY ONLY THOUGHT IS, AND I HAVEN'T READ THE BILL -- I HOPE THERE'S 17 A HUGE FOCUS ON COUNSELING. 18 I GET REAL TIRED OF HEARING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ON 19 ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION. 20 MAYBE THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO TALK TO. 21 >> RIGHT. 22 THE FIGHT OVER HOW TO RUN ALBUQUERQUE'S ANIMAL SHELTERS VERY MUCH 23 IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK AND LAST WEEK, TOO. 24 CITY COUNCILLOR SALLY MAYER UPSET WITH THE MAYOR'S DECISION TO 25 REPLACE A TOP ADMINISTRATOR. 45 1 NOW SHE'S THREATENING TO WITHHOLD FUNDS UNTIL MAYOR CHAVEZ 2 EXPLAINS HIMSELF. 3 MARGARET, LET'S START WITH YOU. 4 I HATE TO SAY THIS, BUT A LOT OF BARKING OVER NOTHING, OR IS 5 THERE SOMETHING REAL HERE? 6 >> I THINK THIS IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT THE ANIMALS, BUT I THINK 7 THAT IT'S SALLY MAYER REALLY FEELING THAT SHE'S BEEN JERKED AROUND 8 BY THE MAYOR, AND SHE DOESN'T WANT TO ALLOW THAT, AND SO I THINK 9 IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WITHIN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. 10 >> DR. THOMAS, PET OWNER, HOW DOES THIS HIT YOU? 11 >> WELL, I THINK THAT ALL OF THE MOVEMENT ON THE ANIMAL QUESTION 12 IS GOOD, BUT I THINK THAT MARTY CHAVEZ HAS THE CAPACITY IN HIM TO 13 BE UNFAIR WITH PEOPLE. 14 >> YEAH, I THINK IT WAS JUST A RAW EXPLANATION AND EXAMPLE OF HOW 15 THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ARE NOT -- A LOT -- IT'S NOT 16 PHILOSOPHICAL AT THE CITY LEVEL. 17 IT'S ABOUT PERSONAL -- 18 >> NINE UNFILLED POSITIONS, ONE GUY GETS A JOB FOR 70 GRAND. 19 10 SECONDS. 20 >> THAT'S RIDICULOUS. 21 $70,000 FOR AN ANIMAL POLICY ANALYST, THAT'S TWICE WHAT WE PAY 22 SCHOOLTEACHERS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN. 23 >> EXCELLENT POINT. 24 THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK'S SEGMENT OF THE LINE, 25 BUT WE INVITE YOU TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ON OUR ONLINE FORUM 46 1 AT KNMETV.ORG/FORUM. 2 >> FOR GENE GRANT, EVERYBODY HERE AT THE TABLE, WE'LL SEE YOU 3 NEXT WEEK. 4 >> THAT WILL DO IT FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS. 5 JOIN US NEXT WEEK, WHEN WE UPDATE YOU ON THE STATE'S NEW MEDICAL 6 MARIJUANA PROGRAM. 7 >> WE'LL BE TALKING WITH ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE IN OUR STATE 8 LICENSED TO USE THE DRUG. 9 THE ONLY PROBLEM? 10 POLICE RAIDED HIS HOUSE FOR GROWING THE PLANTS EVEN AS HE USES 11 THEM FOR TREATMENT. 12 >> HEAR HIS AMAZING STORY NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7 P.M. 13 UNTIL THEN, HAVE A GREAT WEEK! 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25