Hector on the Issues

Growing up in Wagon Mound, New Mexico defined me. My mother and I didn’t have much. My father was rarely around. We lived in public housing and relied on food stamps to help put food on the table. Our struggles were shared by families across the small and poor village.

 

As a community we were always there for one another. When my mother couldn’t afford basketball shoes for me, my coach dug a little deeper into his pockets and bought me shoes. When my school didn’t have the funding for an official chess club, my science teacher made it his mission to teach us chess – and helped us make it all the way to nationals.

 

That’s the kind of place I grew up in. And because of the people in and values learned from Wagon Mound I became the first from the village to graduate from law school. These values of shared responsibility, commitment to community, and hard work have guided me through my career as a public servant. They have enabled me to achieve the American Dream.

 

Now, as the father of three children, I find it tragic that this is the first generation of Americans who believe that their children will have it worse off than they do. Too many New Mexicans are out of work, struggle to make their mortgage payments and worry about sending their children to college or securing their retirement. The American Dream may feel out of reach for themselves and their children.

 

Why? Because Washington has lost a sense of purpose and responsibility—that we should all work together so that everyone can succeed in our great nation. That’s why New Mexicans are so frustrated with our national leaders. They see Washington stuck in partisan bickering, protecting the wealthy and big corporations while ignoring the concerns of the middle class and most vulnerable citizens. Everyday New Mexicans who work hard and play by the rules fall further behind – yet not one Wall Street executive has been held accountable for sending our economy to the brink of disaster!

 

Now we are at a crossroads. Down one path, Tea Party Republicans want us to invest even more in the wealthy and big corporations, while cutting programs that will help New Mexico’s families get back on their feet.

 

That’s not fiscally responsible. That’s fiscally reckless.

 

I believe there is a better way. We need to bring Wagon Mound values to Washington. We need leaders who understand they represent communities instead of corporations. We need to invest in those programs that will get our economy moving again – initiatives that support education, innovation and infrastructure and protect our safety net. These are the tools that will help put more New Mexicans back to work. And as State Auditor, I know that we can pay for them by holding government and Wall Street accountable – by cracking down on waste, fraud and abuse, and by making billionaires and large corporations pay their fair share.

 

If it’s possible in Wagon Mound, it’s possible in Washington.

 

Above you’ll find links to my positions on some of the key issues facing our country and state today. Check back regularly as I’ll be updating this section with detailed policy plans in the coming months.