Can New Mexico Find the Freedom to Prosper? With Paul Gessing | Let People Prosper Show Ep. 154

​Why does New Mexico, rich in resources and culture, remain poor in economic freedom?

That’s the question I explore in this week’s Let People Prosper Show with Paul Gessing, president of the Rio Grande Foundation. Paul brings nearly two decades of insight into New Mexico’s political and economic trends, offering a sobering look at why the state is falling behind and what must change to turn it around.

New Mexico has a shrinking population, high poverty, and a growing dependency on government, despite a $61 billion sovereign wealth fund and booming oil revenues. The problem isn’t money; it’s policy.
For more insights, visit vanceginn.com. You can also get even greater value by subscribing to my Substack newsletter at vanceginn.substack.com. 

(0:00) – Intro to New Mexico’s unique challenges
(8:51) – Historic roots of NM’s economic issues
(12:02) – Film subsidies: cost vs. return
(15:01) – The fall in economic freedom rankings
(20:52) – Poor policy, lost potential
(26:00) – Competing with Texas and Arizona
(29:16) – Future threats to oil and gas
(30:41) – Solutions for a freer, more prosperous state