The numbers are brutal and they’re hitting New Mexico families right now: average health insurance premiums jumping more than 35%, with some silver plans spiking over 50%. We unpack why rates are soaring, how subsidy design can unintentionally reward insurers, and why middle-income families often get hammered despite “help.” From malpractice pressures to physician shortages and thin competition, we connect the policy dots that quietly decide what you pay and what care you actually get.

Safety takes center stage next. A new ranking labels New Mexico the most dangerous state for solo travelers, a gut punch to a tourism economy that depends on trust. We talk candidly about violent crime, the day-to-day realities for residents and visitors, and how enforcement, sentencing, and services either reinforce stability or erode it. That tension shows up in Bernalillo County’s anti-ICE ordinance debate and in the Albuquerque mayor’s race, where a controversial ad drew sharp pushback from police. When politics turns officers into villains or reframes violent-offender removals as fear campaigns, the public loses clarity—and safety.

We close with kids and the attention economy. Drawing on Jonathan Haidt’s work, we explore how adolescence migrated to smartphones and TikTok, why teen girls and boys are affected differently, and what parents can do right now to restore structure: later phones, device-free nights, shared screen spaces, real jobs, and faith or community anchors. The through-line is simple: policy and design choices matter. Health costs, crime trends, and youth mental health don’t fix themselves; they respond to incentives, accountability, and honest leadership.

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