🔍 Montenegro's Political Moves: Education Debate and Border Security on Wake Up Tucson

Steve Montenegro's controversial stance on education and border policies during his latest radio appearance.

Three Sonorans

Feb 13, 2025

🙊 Memorable Quotes:

Steve Montenegro Quotes:

"We want to make sure every family has the opportunity to have the best education for their children"
On the budget: Claimed Katie Hobbs' team couldn't understand "basic accounting principles"

David Schweikert Quotes:

"Single biggest spend in America... it's obesity"
Discussing national debt potentially reaching 560% of GDP

Chad Kasmar Quotes:

"We can only do so much as local government and police officers"
On police arrests: "We're arresting 50 to 60 prohibited possessors a month"
Brutally honest moment: "I failed to do that [tell our story] the last four years"

People Mentioned:

Political Figures:

Steve Montenegro
- Arizona Speaker of the House
- Salvadoran-American conservative politician
- Notable for harsh immigration stance
- Memorable description: "vendido immigrant" (sell-out)
Katie Hobbs
- Arizona Governor
- Criticized by Montenegro for budget management
- Described as having staff that doesn't understand budgeting
David Schweikert
- U.S. Congressman
- Focused on federal budget and healthcare costs
- Discusses national debt and government spending
Dan Shearer
- Mentioned in a contentious interview with Andy Biggs
- Described as having "lost his cool" during an interview
Andy Biggs
- Conservative politician
- Involved in a heated exchange with Dan Shearer
- Discussed in context of a political confrontation

Local Tucson Figures:

6. Chad Kasmar

Tucson Police Chief
Discusses city policing, Prop 414, and local crime issues
Provides detailed insights into police department challenges

Chris DeSimone
- Radio show host
- Interviewer for Wake Up Tucson
- Provides commentary and asks probing questions
Emily Carnell
- Tucson Rodeo Committee member
- Discusses 100th anniversary of the rodeo
- Represents younger generation in traditional event management
Tom Homan
- Mentioned by Montenegro in context of border security
- Likely a federal immigration enforcement official
Mike (caller)
- Made a comment about Associated Press coverage

Other Mentions:

Forrest Keys (mentioned as a victim of gang violence)
Karen Taylor Robson (running for governor)
Vince Leach (mentioned as upcoming show guest)
Shaun McClusky (mentioned as upcoming show guest)

Local Color Commentary: This lineup reads like a who's who of Tucson's political and cultural landscape – part rodeo, part radio drama, and 100% pure Tucson spice! 🌶️🤠

😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾

📅 On February 13, 2025, Tucson's vibrant media scene featured a 📻 dynamic radio show where Steve Montenegro talked about education in 🤔 confusing ways, David Schweikert discussed 💸 financial worries, and Emily Carnell shared about 🐴 keeping rodeo traditions alive. The show also highlighted challenges the city faces, like managing 🚓 local safety and debates about 📈 tax increases.

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🗝️ Takeaways

🎓 Education Irony: Steve Montenegro claims to prioritize education but backs policies undermining public schools.
📉 Debt Dread: David Schweikert warns of national debt reaching 560% of GDP, focusing on fiscal cuts over human welfare.
👮 Limited Power: Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar admits local government's limits on crime control and safety.
🐎 Cultural Commitment: Emily Carnell celebrates Tucson Rodeo's legacy, blending tradition with modern perspectives.
🚫 Tax Concerns: Proposition 414's tax increase faces criticism for potentially burdening marginalized communities without guaranteed results.

Wake Up Tucson: A Morning of Political Machinations and Municipal Musings

February 13, 2025 was a quintessential morning in Tucson's media landscape, where conservative talk radio once again attempted to unravel the complex tapestry of local and state politics.

Buckle up, fellow truth-seekers, as we dive deep into the morning's conversations with Speaker Steve Montenegro, Congressman David Schweikert, Rodeo Committee member Emily Carnell, and Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar on Wake Up with Chris DeSimone.

🐍 Steve Montenegro: The Immigrant Who Forgot Where He Came From

Let's talk about Steve Montenegro – a walking, talking cautionary tale of political opportunism that would make even the most cynical political observers shake their heads.

Another day, another immigrant politician selling out his own community for a seat at the white supremacist table, I thought to myself while listening to his performative legislative grandstanding.

But we weren’t talking about Senator Ruben Gallego this time.

A Salvadoran-American who's seemingly forgotten the struggles of immigrant families, Montenegro paraded his legislative "priorities" like a peacock with something to prove. His entire persona screams internalized oppression meets political ambition.

When he talks about "preserving the American dream," what he really means is preserving a narrow, exclusionary vision that systematically marginalizes the very communities he once belonged to.

Key legislative priorities that scream "I've got mine, tough luck for everyone else":

Border "security" – a dog whistle so loud it could shatter windows
Attacking public education under the guise of "parental rights"
Critiquing Governor Katie Hobbs' budget with the precision of a toddler wielding a sledgehammer

Montenegro's most insidious moment came when he proudly proclaimed his legislative agenda focuses on "preserving the American dream" and "protecting individual rights." Oh, the irony, I muttered. This is coming from a man who supports policies that:

Restrict voting access
Limit reproductive rights
Criminalize immigrant communities
Undermine public education

His statement that "We want to make sure every family has the opportunity to have the best education for their children" is particularly rich, considering his party's relentless assault on public education. Best education, Steve? You mean the one you're actively trying to dismantle?

The numbers tell a brutal story. Montenegro represents a brand of political self-hatred that would make historical collaborators blush. He's not just a conservative – he's a walking embodiment of political trauma, using his platform to punish the very communities that share his heritage.

Vendido doesn't even begin to cover it. Montenegro is what happens when ambition completely divorces itself from community, when political climbing becomes a blood sport against one's own people.

💸 David Schweikert: Counting Dollars, Missing Humanity

Congressman David Schweikert waltzed into the studio with the emotional warmth of an Excel spreadsheet, treating human lives like line items in a budget report. Another day, another conservative trying to reduce human suffering to fiscal mathematics, I thought.

Schweikert's economic fear-mongering reached new heights, painting a dystopian future where:

National debt could potentially reach a staggering 560% of GDP
Budget cuts become a macabre game of political chicken
Human health is reduced to a line-item expense

His most tone-deaf moment? Declaring obesity the "Single biggest spend in America" – a statement that simultaneously reveals the GOP's complete disconnection from systemic health issues and their perpetual refusal to address root causes.

Let me translate that conservative spreadsheet speak: Instead of supporting comprehensive healthcare, nutrition assistance, or addressing food deserts, Schweikert would rather count the cost of human suffering than actually solve the problem.

The real economic violence lies not in the numbers, but in the complete dehumanization of public health. Schweikert represents a political approach that sees citizens as potential expenses rather than human beings deserving of care, support, and dignity.

A few brutally honest observations:

His obsession with cutting government spending always seems to target the most vulnerable
The "fiscal responsibility" narrative conveniently ignores corporate welfare
Healthcare is treated as a privilege, not a human right

Imagine caring more about a spreadsheet than human lives, I thought, shaking my head at the clinical detachment of yet another out-of-touch conservative politician.

🤠 Rodeo Revelations: Emily Carnell's Western Wonderland

Emily Carnell brought a breath of fresh air with her passionate discussion of the Tucson Rodeo's 100th anniversary. Beyond the yeehaw aesthetics, Carnell represented a nuanced view of preserving cultural traditions while making space for new perspectives.

Highlights included:

The rodeo's commitment to animal welfare
Efforts to bring younger generations into traditional events
A remarkable commitment to community storytelling

Her most poignant statement: "I always tell people, if my name is never tied to the Tucson rodeo in the future, that's not upsetting for me. Just to know that the legacy and tradition continues" – a refreshingly humble approach to community service.

👮 Policing the Narrative: Chief Chad Kazmar's Tightrope Walk

Perhaps the most complex segment featured Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar, who navigated a minefield of local public safety concerns with diplomatic precision. Discussing everything from crime statistics to immigration policies, Kasmar presented a nuanced view of law enforcement's challenges.

Key discussions included:

Department staffing challenges
Proposition 414's potential impact
The complex relationship between local law enforcement and federal immigration policies

Kasmar's most revealing moment came when he acknowledged the department's limitations: "We can only do so much as local government and police officers" – a rare moment of institutional humility.

🚫 Prop 414: The Taxman Cometh (And He Looks Suspiciously like City Mismanagement)

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: Proposition 414, a tax increase that's being sold as a municipal miracle cure but smells more like political malpractice.

Deep breath. The proposed $80 million sales tax increase is nothing short of a desperate cash grab by a city administration that has consistently mismanaged our resources. The math is brutal:

An additional $87 per year for households earning $50,000
Disproportionate impact on working-class and marginalized communities
Zero guarantee of meaningful improvements

Chief Chad Kasmar's tepid defense reveals the systemic rot. This is what happens when decades of defunding create a self-fulfilling prophecy of municipal failure, I thought. The city cuts police resources, creates infrastructure nightmares, and then asks taxpayers to bail them out.

Key WTF moments:

Comparing Tucson's police funding to other cities reveals a stark reality
Mesa spends 53% of its budget on police, while Tucson limps along at 30%
Infrastructure failures like 445,000 linear feet of stolen copper wire from street lights

This isn't a solution. It's extortion.

🌵 Tucson's Ongoing Saga: Between Rodeo Nostalgia and Urban Decay

The show painted a vivid picture of a city caught between traditional spectacles like the rodeo and the harsh realities of urban neglect. Emily Carnell's passionate rodeo discussion felt like a beautiful distraction from the systemic issues plaguing our community.

🤔 Your Turn, Tucsonenses!

Now, we need YOUR voice. This isn't just about listening – it's about fighting back.

Critical questions for our community:

How do we hold city leadership accountable BEYOND this tax proposal?
What real, transformative solutions can we create that don't burden working families?
How can we support community-driven initiatives that actually solve our infrastructure and public safety challenges?

Drop your revolutionary thoughts in the comments. Remember, la lucha continúa – the struggle continues!