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“I think to keep the republic, people must stay informed, particularly youth. With the world of technology, it can play both ways as there is an abundance of information, but also a dearth of attention. On my iPhone and iPad, I can access every piece of news I could ever want. From what’s happening in the Middle East in The New York Times to developments in Congress in The Washington Post to our local newspapers, it’s all at my fingertips. But at the same time, all that access to information, including movies and other things can take away from—for instance—watching the six o’clock news, which is very important to stay informed. Consuming information is not enough, in that discussion is required, whether you agree with someone’s viewpoint or not. A cup of coffee at Starbucks, where the kids hang out, can go a long way to receiving a diversity of opinion. In the end, if we are discussing important issues, we can have more control over determining our own future and crafting our destinies as individuals, as a community and as a nation.”

Source: Susana Martinez spoke with Christine Barbour and Gerald C. Wright on September 23, 2014.

To deliver on their promises, national politicians must have the cooperation of the states. Although some policies, such as Social Security, can be administered easily at the national level, others, such as changing educational policy or altering the drinking age, remain under state authority and cannot be legislated in Washington. This creates one of federal policymakers’ biggest challenges: how to get the states to do what federal officials have decided they should do.