🎓 Education or Elimination? Unpacking ESA Defense from the Right

Explore how conservative policies like Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) are pitched as solutions while raising questions about equity and funding for public education.

Feb 06, 2025

🎤 Spicy Soundbites: The Most Eye-Rolling Quotes of the Day

Buckle up, desert dwellers! Your favorite media watchdog has been digging through today's conservative radio sand trap to bring you the most revealing (and sometimes revolting) quotes from our morning entertainment. Let's dive into what the right is saying when they think only their friends are listening...

🌵 The Quote Garden

"We don't want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories. And we don't want to waste the listeners and readers time on stories that are just pure distractions"
- NPR's explanation for not covering the Hunter Biden laptop story (as quoted by DeSimone with evident glee) Because apparently investigative journalism is only worthwhile when it targets the other side...
"If you want to be ideologically consistent and just say hey we don't think that the state should support students’ education whatsoever or pass a certain income, that's potentially a consistent argument"
- Matt Beinberg, Goldwater Institute, defending wealthy families receiving ESA funds Nothing says "fiscal responsibility" like giving education money to those who need it least!
"Look how expensive the ESA program it costs all this money... but when we talk about the public schools, all we hear about is funding."
- Matt Beinberg, revealing the conservative double standard on education spending Spending on private schools? Investment! Spending on public schools? Waste!
"20 big cities, plus Aspen, Martha's Vineyard. That's what's left of the Democrat party"
- Adam Frisch, quoted on the show about Democratic Party challenges Because apparently the rest of America's cities and towns just... disappeared?
"Instead of proposing to entirely eliminate the program I think she's finally starting to understand families want this Arizona wants this"
- Beinberg on Governor Hobbs' ESA stance Translation: She's learning to accept our dismantling of public education

🎭 Cast of Characters (The Players in Today's Drama)

The Political Players

Katie Hobbs (Arizona Governor)
- Criticized heavily for budget management
- Portrayed as enemy of ESAs
- Quote about her from Beinberg: "Has been consistently wrong" about education policy Our governor living rent-free in conservative heads
Steve Kozachik
- New PACC director
- Former city councilman
- Described by DeSimone: "I don't know. He leaves his job as a city councilman, which is fine because he didn't do anything over there worth a crap" Tell us how you really feel, Chris!
Jesse Lugo
- Running for Ward 5 city council seat
- Supported by F. Anne Rodriguez, Sixto Molina, Fred Fitzpatrick
- Conservative favorite for upcoming election Another hope for the right's local political dreams

The Media Mavens

Catherine Rampell
- Washington Post writer
- Criticized for attempting "revisionist history" about Trump's border deals Apparently fact-checking is now "revision"

The Policy People

Matt Beinberg
- VP of Educational Policy at Goldwater Institute
- Primary defender of ESAs
- Provided most controversial quotes about education funding The day's MVP of conservative education rhetoric

The Local Business Scene

Ron Arenas
- Owner of Picture Rocks Heating, Cooling and Plumbing
- 24 years in business
- More focused on community building than political drama
- Quote: "Tucson is a relationship town. It really is, you know, and it could be good or bad. So you got to make sure that you do good." Finally, some actual local wisdom!

🎯 Most Memorable Moments

The description of ASU offering counseling services for those struggling with Trump policies
- DeSimone: "I can't believe ASU's the first one. This feels like an ASU and a U move" Because apparently caring about student mental health is worthy of mockery
The discussion of TUSD's reading levels
- DeSimone: "7,000 kids can read, which means the other there's 28,000 kids at TUSD that can't read at level" A rare moment when conservative criticism hits a real issue, even if for the wrong reasons
The border security celebration
- About Mexico and Canada committing troops: "Just ducky, ducky and beautiful as we like to say" Because militarizing borders is apparently cause for celebration

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

The article 📄 examines the conservative narratives 📢 shared on "Wake Up with Chris DeSimone," highlighting eye-roll-worthy quotes 🤦‍♀️ and exposing double standards ⚖️ in education funding 💰, media criticism 📰, and local politics 🏛️. It questions the prioritization of ESA funds for wealthy families 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 and critiques border policies 🚧 from a human rights perspective 🌍, all while pointing out the tone and context of the right's media strategies 🎯.

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🗝️ Takeaways

🎤 Conservatives celebrate quotes that reveal double standards in media and politics.
📚 ESA funding is under scrutiny, raising questions about educational equity and justice.
🌍 Local elections spotlight conservative narratives around law and order vs. real community needs.
💬 NPR and USAID become targets, illustrating the broader conservative agenda against progressive narratives.

Tucson Tales: A Progressive's Journey Through Conservative Radio Land

¡Órale, raza! Another day, another deep dive into the conservative consciousness of the Old Pueblo. Today, we're unpacking "Wake Up with Chris DeSimone" for February 4th, 2025, on the Live the Dream Media Network - though whose dream we're living might be up for debate.

While our morning coffee companion typically serves up a steady stream of right-wing rhetoric, today's show offered a veritable feast of topics worthy of our progressive parsing.

🌵 Setting the Scene

Before we dive into the guests, let's acknowledge the elephant (or should I say Republican mascot?) in the room: the show's coverage of national and local issues reads like a conservative wish list. But as your friendly neighborhood progressive blogger, I'm here to help separate the saguaro from the cholla, if you catch my drift.

🎓 The Education Elimination Game: Matt Beinberg's Blueprint

First up was Matt Beinberg from the Goldwater Institute, whose presence on the show coincided perfectly with news about Trump's plans to potentially dismantle the Department of Education.

¡Qué casualidad! Beinberg, defending ESAs while attacking Governor Hobbs' budget, demonstrated the classic conservative two-step: criticize public institutions while advocating for their privatization.

His defense of wealthy families receiving ESA funds would be comical if it weren't so tragic: "If you want to be ideologically consistent..." he began, before essentially arguing that rich families deserve public education dollars too.

Ay, Dios mío - nothing says equity like giving more resources to those who already have plenty, ¿verdad?

🏗️ Border Games and Political Frames

The show devoted considerable airtime to celebrating Trump's latest border theatrics - a 30-day tariff threat that supposedly prompted Mexico and Canada to commit resources to border security. DeSimone gleefully reported that "both countries are committing 20,000 troops slash personnel between both countries to help the United States control borders, fentanyl and fight cartels."

Let's pause for some real talk: While the fentanyl crisis demands serious attention, using it as a cudgel for xenophobic policies ignores both its complex causes and potential solutions. The designation of cartels as terrorist organizations might sound tough, but without addressing root causes like poverty and US drug demand, it's just another performance for the conservative base.

📻 NPR in the Crosshairs

In what can only be described as peak conservative projection, the show celebrated attacks on NPR and PBS funding. The irony of complaining about "taxpayer-funded propaganda" while essentially serving as a megaphone for right-wing talking points was apparently lost on our morning hosts.

💰 USAID Under Attack

Speaking of taxpayer dollars, the show's coverage of USAID spending controversies revealed more about conservative priorities than actual waste.

They mockingly highlighted programs supporting LGBTQ+ rights and DEI initiatives abroad, because apparently promoting equality is a waste but military spending is sacred. ¡Qué mundo tan loco!

🏛️ Local Politics: The Real Tea

Now, let's talk about something closer to home - our local political landscape. The show covered upcoming city council races, including Jesse Lugo's announcement for Ward 5. While the conservative framing predictably emphasized "law and order" narratives, let's remember what's really at stake: affordable housing, environmental justice, and community investment.

The discussion of TUSD's challenges was particularly telling. Rather than addressing systemic underfunding and segregation, the conversation focused on attacking progressive educators and programs. When DeSimone criticized the Grijalvas, he conveniently ignored how conservative policies have contributed to educational inequity in our community.

🤔 Final Thoughts and Future Questions

As we wrap up our journey through today's conservative radio landscape, let's consider some questions:

How can we ensure educational equity while conservatives push for privatization?
What would real border solutions look like if we centered human rights instead of militarization?
How can we support local businesses while ensuring economic justice for all?

¿Qué piensan ustedes? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. Remember, understanding conservative narratives helps us better advocate for progressive change in our beloved Tucson.