The Eastern New Mexico News - Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

How concerned are you when it looks like the banking system is teetering on the verge of collapse? Do looming nationwide economic disasters worry you? Banks are encouraged, perhaps... — Updated 3/18/2023

Almost no one enjoys pain. Humans spend a lot of time, effort, and money avoiding it or trying to avoid it. Often, pain is unavoidable and sometimes it’s necessary. Occasionally,... — Updated 3/11/2023

The whole “conservative” versus “liberal,” “left” versus “right” rivalry is a lie. In the ridiculous political world where most people view each idea as either... — Updated 3/4/2023

Drug abuse is stupid, but prohibition is evil. The surest way to guarantee a market will become dominated by criminals who are willing to steal, kidnap, and murder to protect their... — Updated 2/25/2023

You may think I only object when it’s government doing the bad things. Nope. An act isn’t wrong or right based only on who’s doing it. Theft is wrong no matter whether you’r... — Updated 2/18/2023

Are you concerned or angry that the Chinese government has a social control app on practically every cell phone and it is used by most American teenagers -- and others -- every... — Updated 2/11/2023

Almost all of us want the same thing: to live in peace with what we need to survive and enjoy life, free to follow our interests. Problems arise when some of us think we can get... — Updated 2/4/2023

Politicians and their allies who want you unable to defend yourself from violent attackers are at it again. They are pushing for more anti-gun rules. I don’t say “laws... — Updated 1/28/2023

Why can’t most of the public see how ridiculous it looks to fight over the various forms of government? They argue over whether to be ruled (and to rule each other) with... — Updated 1/21/2023

Politics seems to appeal to people who are addicted to drama. How else can you explain two years of hand-wringing over an insurrection that never happened? Or the recent election di... — Updated 1/14/2023

You probably hear a lot of complaints about government corruption these days -- especially over these past several years. I don't see any corruption; I see government acting as it... — Updated 1/7/2023

As seems to happen more and more frequently, the curtain is dropping on yet another year. Rather than looking back at the year as it winds down, I want to look ahead without trying... — Updated 12/27/2022

I’ve realized most people don’t understand freedom of speech. Not even experts. Having freedom of speech doesn’t mean you can force anyone to listen. It doesn’t mean you’l... — Updated 12/20/2022

Have you ever heard the term “beer goggles,” where the more you drink, the more attractive someone looks? Politics works the opposite. The more you see things politically, the... — Updated 12/13/2022

Governments don’t respect rights. Your rights don’t change when you cross a line; not a state line or a national border. Rights are the same everywhere. Only the ways in which... — Updated 12/6/2022

People are more alike than different. Even those who use politics against you want the same things you want. They want to live their lives the way they believe is best, and they... — Updated 11/29/2022

After World War II, the American and Soviet governments entangled themselves in what became known as “the Cold War.” They lied about each other (and told some uncomfortable trut... — Updated 11/22/2022

After the election, I saw a few bitter Republicans on social media blaming the failure of Republican candidates to get elected -- the fizzled “red wave” -- on libertarians.... — Updated 11/15/2022

Why would anyone bother confronting politicians? Do they really believe politicians matter in their daily life? You protect your rights by exercising them -- by putting them into pr... — Updated 11/8/2022

Politicians are always promising to do things politicians can’t do. Either they believe they are magic, or they want you to believe they are. Sometimes they promise things they... — Updated 11/1/2022

It might surprise you to learn this, but I don’t like change. Well, that’s not completely accurate: I don’t like pointless change. I have tolerated uncomfortable situations... — Updated 10/25/2022

Isn’t it better to not create a problem in the first place than to try to fix it after it happens? I appreciate those organizing a trash pick-up day, and those who took time out... — Updated 10/18/2022

Being political leads to unfortunate outcomes. Politics never makes people act smart. I don’t think federal agents -- FBI or anyone else -- have any business digging for things... — Updated 10/11/2022

It’s easy to focus on our problems; on what’s going wrong. It’s harder to notice what’s not going wrong right now. It’s good to find a balance between the two. I’m... — Updated 10/4/2022

Politics divides. If you distrust your neighbor because of political differences, it’s not your neighbor -- or you -- who’s at fault. It’s politics. Some would have you... — Updated 9/27/2022