Joe Monahan

The torrent of news this week--the coronavirus count, the school closings, major public events being cancelled and the runs at the grocery and other stores--was enough to make an Alligator (our senior political sources) curl up and shed their skin. But then there's always a streak of optimism and humor in those critters. One of the political consultant variety opines:

Joe, I'm really worried about getting voters to the polls for my candidate for the June primary. Voters aren't going anywhere for a while. The only way I think we can get them there is by offering free hand sanitizer and a roll of toilet paper.

Great idea. And if you throw in a free Netflix subscription for their bunkers, you're going to own them.

What we need newswise to get out of our current extraordinary distress and what we will get could be worlds apart as we look deep into the abyss going into this historic weekend. So here's a wish list for our beleaguered and anxious Land of Enchantment. It may be fair to call some of it wishful thinking but off we go. . .

--The coronavirus stalls out here in part because of the cancellation of public events and other measures. The scientists and medical community give us a decent shot.

--That Saudia Arabia and Russia unexpectedly reach a deal and halt their oil price war. Then, that  sends prices soaring to over $40 a barrel and lessens the financial pressure on the state's oil-dependent budget. A deal could ward off state government pay freezes and/or layoffs as well as thousands of lost jobs in the SE NM oilfields.

--That the virus news gets good enough and fast enough to keep customers coming into our small businesses thus avoiding bankruptcies which at this point appear inevitable.

--We wish New Mexicans in their teens, 20's and 30's and who are exempted from getting seriously ill from this bug will carry the ball for the older generations. They can do that by continuing to go out to their favorite entertainment venues and restaurants. It's simple. Keep enjoying life while helping to keep people on the job.

--We wish as things gradually return to "normal" that we don't have to cancel the State Fair and Balloon Fiesta because we are on course to do just that.

--We wish for families and friends to pitch in and help out with all the kids out of school for the next three weeks. That's going to be one of the bigger challenges facing parents, especially those who work outside the home and that's most of them.

Finally, even in these troubled, dystopian times laughter remains the best medicine (short of a coronavirus vaccine).Try this one from one of our Alligators:

Joe, I couldn't find any hand sanitizer at the store so I'm making a homemade batch. It's three parts gin, two parts vodka and a bit of vermouth. You drink that and then wash your hands with a good Scotch.

Oh yeah, Mr. and Mrs. New Mexico are all in on that one. Cheers!

I'm Joe Monahan, reporting to you this week from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com)

Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. 

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2020