Las Cruces or Las Communist: The Growing Leftist Ideas in the Borderlands
The American Dream: the idea that anyone in America can succeed as long as they have the gumption. We have been taught throughout our lives to follow the formula, work hard so that we can be successful. Many of us have been given the advice, “Go to college so you can have a nice future”. But one growing problem stands; what if the American Dream is not possible anymore in America?
New Mexico is one of the 50 states in America, tucked away in the south just west of Texas. Many citizens of New Mexico today are being crushed under the weight of their economic battles between the rise of inflation and the stagnation of wages. “It’s tiring working every day for barely any pay”, says Hannah Geubelle, a retail employee working full time, “I’m working over 40 hours a week and I still can barely afford my bills”. Hannah is one amongst many in the Las Cruces area that are struggling to survive. Jonathan Medina, another working class citizen and a family man says, “My grandparents were able to support a whole family just with my grandpa working at the local grocery store. Now, I have a baby on the way and I’m working over time just to be able to provide for my family. Living like my grandparents did feels near impossible right now”.
When asked if they supported more socialist policies, both interviewees agreed that there should be more done for the working class such as universal healthcare and higher minimum wages. Both also agreed that the American Dream does not feel attainable anymore with our current state. The working class makes up the backbone of our economy, without our everyday workers society couldn’t run. So why are our valued workers paid so little while everything costs so much? Overall it is becoming clear that our average worker can no longer survive under the archaic policies beset upon them.
