🛂 Border Crackdown: Fentanyl Fight and Migrant Numbers Plummet
🏛️ The Changing Face of Arizona's Election System 💊 Operation Plaza Spike: CBP's War on Fentanyl 🧑🤝🧑 New Blood in Election Offices: A Blessing or a Curse?
Based on the 10/11/24 Buckmaster Show on KVOI-1030AM.
🙊 Notable quotes from the show
"We're going to be tired by the time we get there. You know, I'm wondering how many of those second cards we are going to see, how many people are going to get tired and not do the second card, which it does happen." - Jen Fifield on the long ballot
"Most smuggling is done by US citizens, especially fentanyl. US citizens are the ones who are driving across, who have the drugs in their vehicles." - Paul Ingram on drug smuggling patterns
"A friend of mine said, you know, the other day that we'd become, Tucson has become the belle of the ball, or Arizona, I guess, has become the belle of the ball" - Paul Ingram on political attention on Arizona
⏮️ ICYMI: From the Last Show…
🤝 Power Play: Tucson's Business Titans Eye Game-Changing Merger
Based on the 10/10/24 Buckmaster Show on KVOI-1030AM.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🗳️🛂🌡️ In Arizona, people are getting ready to vote on a super long ballot with lots of choices. At the border, police are catching less people coming in and stopping more bad medicine. Politicians are visiting Arizona a lot because it's important for the next big election. Tucson is really, really hot right now, breaking records! But there are fun things to do like watching movies about sky diving and going to Halloween events.
🗝️ Takeaways
📊 Arizona's ballot is four pages long with 13 propositions
🆔 218,000 registered voters face citizenship documentation issues
📉 Border encounters down 55% since June
🧪 CBP using forensic chemists to trace fentanyl origins
🔄 8 out of 15 Arizona county recorders are new to presidential elections
🌡️ Tucson potentially breaking record for consecutive 100+ degree days
Jump to the 🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary based on:
📻 What They Discussed
On Friday, October 11, 2024, Dylan Smith from TucsonSentinel.com hosted the Buckmaster Show on 1030 The Voice KVOI, filling in for the vacationing Bill Buckmaster.
The show featured two main guests: Jen Fifield, a reporter for VoteBeat, a national nonprofit news outlet focusing on elections and voting rights, and Paul Ingram, a senior reporter for the Tucson Sentinel. The discussion covered various topics related to Arizona's elections, border issues, and local events.
🗳️ Election Processes and Challenges
The conversation with Jen Fifield delved deep into the intricacies of Arizona's election system. Fifield explained the ongoing early voting process, with nearly half a million early ballots sent out in Pima County alone.
She highlighted the complexity of this year's ballot, which is four pages long and includes 13 propositions, making it potentially time-consuming for voters.
The discussion touched on two competing propositions about changing Arizona's election system. Proposition 140 would introduce an open primary system where independents could vote without choosing a party ballot, potentially leading to ranked-choice voting. A competing proposition aims to maintain the current system.
Fifield also addressed the recent issue of about 218,000 registered voters who apparently never provided proof of citizenship when getting their driver's licenses. She clarified that this mainly affects those who registered to vote after 2004 and got their licenses before 1996, emphasizing that it's primarily a paperwork issue rather than an indication of widespread non-citizen voting.
The conversation highlighted election officials' challenges, including a significant turnover rate. Fifield noted that eight out of 15 county recorders across Arizona have never conducted a presidential election before, indicating a loss of experienced personnel in the field.
🛂 Border Security and Immigration
Paul Ingram shared insights from his recent trip to Nogales, where he met with Troy Miller, the acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The discussion centered on two main focuses: immigration and fentanyl smuggling.
Ingram reported on CBP's efforts to intercept fentanyl, including Operation Plaza Spike, which targets cartel bosses responsible for fentanyl trafficking. He mentioned the agency's use of forensic chemists to analyze seized drugs and trace their origins.
Regarding immigration, Ingram noted a significant drop in migration numbers, with encounters down 55% from June. He explained recent changes in asylum-seeking procedures, including a new threshold for credible fear claims and implementing the CBP One app for scheduling asylum appointments.
The conversation also touched on the political aspects of border issues, with Ingram mentioning recent visits by high-profile politicians to the Arizona border, including Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, and Barack Obama's anticipated visit.
🎭 Weekend Events and Local Happenings
Ken Carr from 101.7 The Drive joined the show to discuss upcoming weekend events in Tucson. He highlighted Film Fest Tucson, featuring a notable "Space Cowboy" screening at the Fox Theatre. Other events mentioned included a "Zin, Blues, and Barbecue" event at Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch and the final weekend of Oktoberfest on Mount Lemmon.
Carr also noted the beginning of Halloween-themed events in the area, mentioning four major attractions: Nightfall at Old Tucson, Slaughter House, Terror in the Corn, and Marana Pumpkin Patch.
🌡️ Weather and Climate
The show briefly touched on Tucson's unusually hot weather, with the city potentially breaking records for consecutive 100+ degree days. This led to a discussion about seeking indoor activities and cooler locations like Mount Lemmon for weekend plans.
🦉 Three Sonorans Commentary
Arizona at the Crossroads: Voting Rights, Border Injustice, and Climate Crisis
¡Atención, mi gente! Once again, our beloved Arizona finds itself at the epicenter of national controversy, a battleground where the forces of progress clash with those clinging to an unjust status quo. The recent Buckmaster Show shed light on the myriad issues plaguing our communities. Let's break it down, shall we?
Voting Rights Under Siege
First up, the so-called "improvements" to our voting system. A four-page ballot? Please. As Jen Fifield of VoteBeat pointed out, "I'm wondering how many of those second cards we are going to see, how many people are going to get tired and not do the second card." Make no mistake, compañeros, this is voter suppression dressed up as democracy. Who has the time to wade through this bureaucratic maze? Certainly not our working-class families, juggling multiple jobs just to keep food on the table.
But it gets worse. The show casually dropped a bombshell: 218,000 registered voters face "citizenship documentation issues." Sound familiar? It should. This is nothing but a rehash of the racist SB 1070 "show me your papers" law that terrorized our communities. They claim it's just a "paperwork problem," but we know better. This is a calculated move to disenfranchise Latino voters and other communities of color.
The Border Industrial Complex
Moving on to the border, where the injustices never seem to end. Since June, the CBP is bragging about a 55% drop in border encounters. But at what cost, amigos? How many families have been torn apart? How many asylum seekers, fleeing violence and poverty—conditions often created by U.S. foreign policy, mind you—have been turned away to face certain danger?
And let's talk about the war on drugs, shall we? Paul Ingram dropped this truth bomb:
"Most smuggling is done by US citizens, especially fentanyl. US citizens are the ones who are driving across, who have the drugs in their vehicles."
Yet, who bears the brunt of border militarization and racial profiling? Our communities, of course. The hypocrisy is staggering.
Political Circus
The parade of politicians descending on Arizona—Trump, Harris, Obama—is nothing but a circus. They come, they see, they conquer... our airwaves, that is. But where are the real solutions? Where's the comprehensive immigration reform? The climate action? The investment in our crumbling schools and infrastructure? Nowhere to be found, amigos.
¡Ya Basta! A Call to Action
Hermanos y hermanas, the time for passive observation is over. We must act, and act now. Here's what we demand:
An immediate halt to any voter registration purges under the guise of "citizenship verification."
A complete overhaul of our border policies, prioritizing human rights over militarization.
Decriminalization of drug possession and a focus on treatment over incarceration.
Massive investment in green infrastructure, particularly in low-income communities.
A Green New Deal that creates jobs while combating climate change.
Remember, mi gente, they may have the money, but we have the people. Our power lies in our unity, our voices, and our votes. Let's make Arizona a beacon of progressive values, a true reflection of its diverse, vibrant communities.
¡Sí se puede! The struggle continues, but together, we will prevail.
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👯 People Mentioned
Dylan Smith (TucsonSentinel.com host): "I'm old school. I really like to vote on election day."
Jen Fifield (VoteBeat reporter): Provided detailed insights on Arizona's election system
Paul Ingram (Tucson Sentinel senior reporter): Reported on border issues and political visits
Troy Miller (Acting CBP Commissioner): Discussed border security efforts
Donald Trump (Former President): Visited the Arizona border
Kamala Harris (Vice President): Visited Douglas, Arizona
Barack Obama (Former President): Reportedly planning to visit Tucson
Ken Carr (101.7 The Drive): Discussed local events
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