🎙️ Naked Swimming, National Debt, and Baby Chinos: A Wild Ride Through Tucson's Morning Podcast | WAKE UP LIVE

From Chinese truck schemes to pharmaceutical conspiracies, one morning show captures the chaos of conservative politics in the desert

This is based on Wake Up Live with Chris DeSimone, a MAGA-conservative podcast hosted by a mayoral candidate for Oro Valley, podcasting from Marana, perpetually hating on Tucson, brought to you by Live The Dream Media on 5/29/25.

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

☀️🎙️ A morning radio show in Tucson featured a congressman who makes ☕️✨ for his kid while talking about how the government spends way too much 💸. A really nice guy from the YMCA explained how they help 👫 learn to 📚 and swim safely 🏊‍♂️, which is super important in Arizona 🌵 where lots of people have pools. There was also drama 🎭 about a 🚛 company that took money from Tucson but then shared secrets with China 🇨🇳, which isn't cool 😟. The weirdest part was when a bunch of older listeners 📞 called in to talk about how they used to swim naked 🏊‍♂️ at the YMCA decades ago because swimsuits back then clogged up the pool filters.

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🗝️ Takeaways

• 💰 Congressman Schweikert revealed that federal spending will reach $68 trillion over 10 years while proposed cuts amount to just 2%

• 📚 YMCA's STARS program showed 77% of kids maintained literacy benchmarks over summer, with 64% actually improving

• 🚛 TuSimple, which received Tucson tax incentives, allegedly shared sensitive technology with Chinese partners before moving operations to China

• 💊 75% of evening news advertising revenue reportedly comes from pharmaceutical companies, raising media independence concerns

• 🏊‍♂️ Multiple listeners confirmed nude swimming was standard at YMCAs through the 1970s due to fabric filter concerns

• 💧 Water safety remains critical in desert communities where drowning is the #1 cause of accidental death for ages 1-4

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🎙️ Wake Up and Smell the MAGA: When Naked Swimming Meets National Debt

Another morning in the desert delivers a delicious dose of political potpourri, complete with baby chinos and bare-bottom nostalgia

Picture this: It's 7 AM in Tucson, and while most of us are still deciding whether our coffee needs more coffee, Chris DeSimone is serving up a steaming hot blend of fiscal policy, pharmaceutical conspiracies, and—I kid you not—extensive listener testimonials about nude swimming at YMCAs decades past. Welcome to "Wake Up Live with Chris DeSimone," where the political temperature runs hotter than our June sidewalks and the tangents are wilder than a javelina in a swimming pool.

Because nothing says "serious political discourse" quite like a deep dive into the golden age of communal nudity at the local Y.

The Congressman and His Coffee: David Schweikert's Multitasking Masterclass

U.S. Congressman David Schweikert joined the show while literally parenting in real-time, whipping up what he called a "baby chino" for his toddler—essentially fancy foam milk with vanilla. It was perhaps the most relatable moment from any politician I've witnessed this year, watching him balance fiscal policy discussion with toddler beverage prep.

"You do foam milk with a splash of vanilla," Schweikert explained, demonstrating that some politicians actually know their way around a kitchen. Finally, a skill set that might actually help with budget negotiations.

But once the coffee-making concluded, Schweikert dove into the meat of federal spending with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely understands spreadsheets. He painted a sobering picture: "We're going to spend $68 trillion over the next 10 years. And we were trying to cut 2%."

Let that sink in for a moment. Sixty-eight trillion dollars. That's roughly equivalent to buying Twitter 2,720 times, if Elon Musk were somehow cloned and each version decided to impulse-purchase social media platforms.

Schweikert's frustration with his colleagues was palpable as he described being "the only idiot who showed up" to try to influence the recent reconciliation bill, staying awake for 36 hours while attempting to add amendments. "I offered almost $2 trillion in savings," he said, though he notably didn't specify what programs would face the chopping block.

Here's where the MAGA math gets particularly creative.

Schweikert complained that extending tax cuts while increasing defense and border spending represents fiscal irresponsibility, which is technically correct; however, it conveniently glosses over the fact that those tax cuts primarily benefit wealthy Americans and corporations.

When Congressman Schweikert talks about "bedwetters" and people "addicted to spending," he's often referring to programs like Social Security and Medicare that working Americans have paid into their entire careers.

It's like complaining that your neighbor keeps cashing the checks you owe them while simultaneously arguing you shouldn't have to pay your debts. The audacity is almost impressive.

The congressman did offer one genuinely concerning insight about his interactions with former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas: "He looked me in the eyes, told me things, and then three weeks later in their own reports, he'd lied to me." Whether this reflects deliberate deception or an administration struggling with information flow, it's troubling either way.

Curtis Dawson: The Real MVP Making Real Difference

If Schweikert represents the political class wrestling with massive systemic issues, Curtis Dawson from the YMCA of Southern Arizona embodies the kind of grassroots community work that actually changes lives. Dawson arrived bearing homemade birria sandwiches on sourdough bread made by his wife, because apparently some people still believe in practicing what they preach about community building.

Note to politicians everywhere: This is how you win hearts and minds. Forget the policy papers—show up with sandwiches.

Dawson's discussion of the YMCA's STARS literacy program revealed the kind of data-driven community intervention that should prompt every elected official to take note. "Of the 199 kids who took both pre- and post-tests, 77% at least maintained their benchmark and 64% increased their score," he explained, describing their summer learning loss prevention efforts.

But here's the kicker—and the reason this matters to every parent and taxpayer reading this: The YMCA is essentially filling gaps left by inadequate public education funding. When Dawson mentioned that "DES funding gets tighter and tighter," he was describing the slow strangulation of public services that forces nonprofits to pick up the slack.

So let me get this straight: We complain about government spending while systematically defunding the programs that work, then rely on charitable organizations to bridge the gaps? It's like refusing to pay for car maintenance, then wondering why your mechanic keeps asking for donations.

The conversation about water safety hit particularly close to home for desert dwellers. Dawson explained their "Go Green" program, where kids earn colored bands based on swimming ability: "For those red and yellow band swimmers, we take all of them through swim lessons instead of just keeping them off to the side."

This isn't just about preventing drowning, though, in a region where backyard pools are as common as cacti, that's crucial enough. It's about ensuring no child gets labeled as "different" or "less than" because they lack a skill their family couldn't afford to teach them.

The TuSimple Debacle: When Corporate Welfare Meets National Security

DeSimone's deep dive into TuSimple, the autonomous truck company that received local tax incentives before allegedly sharing sensitive technology with Chinese partners, represents both legitimate concern and classic MAGA oversimplification.

The facts are genuinely troubling: According to the Wall Street Journal report DeSimone cited, TuSimple "transferred a trove of data to a Beijing-owned firm" just a week after promising the U.S. government it would stop sharing sensitive technology with Chinese partners. The company then "shut down its US operations, auctioned off all of its trucks and delisted from NASDAQ" while "moving hundreds of millions of dollars from the company's accounts to China."

If you're keeping score at home, that's: Promise not to share secrets with China → Immediately share secrets with China → Take American investor money and run. It's like a masterclass in "How to Commit Economic Espionage While Making Taxpayers Pay for It."

But DeSimone's characterization—"the people from the city of Tucson who are socialists, slash communists, gave tax breaks to a communist socialist company"—reveals the kind of reductive thinking that makes actual policy solutions impossible. This isn't about ideology; it's about corporate accountability and due diligence in economic development.

The real question for Tucson residents: How do we ensure our economic development incentives include clawback provisions and ongoing oversight? Revolutionary idea: Maybe companies should actually follow through on their promises before we hand them taxpayer-funded goodies.

RFK Jr. and the Pharmaceutical Advertising Rabbit Hole

The show featured clips of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discussing the influence of pharmaceutical advertising on media content, and—credit where due—he raised some genuinely concerning points about regulatory capture and editorial independence.

"Seventy-five percent of his advertising revenues on the evening news divisions were pharmaceutical ads," Kennedy claimed, referring to former Fox News chief Roger Ailes. The statistic about America and New Zealand being the only countries allowing direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising should give us pause.

Because nothing says "healthy democracy" quite like having your news content potentially influenced by companies that profit from keeping you sick enough to need their products but healthy enough to keep buying them.

Kennedy's observation that "you can watch Anderson Cooper or Lester Holt or Jake Tapper, their salaries are actually coming from pharmaceutical companies and they know that" touches on a real media independence issue that deserves serious discussion.

But then—because this is 2025 and we can't have nice things—the conversation veered into dangerous territory with claims about COVID vaccines "destroying cells that fight cancer." DeSimone displayed a VAERS data chart showing a spike in reported adverse effects during 2021, conveniently ignoring that correlation isn't causation and that increased reporting during a period of intense vaccine scrutiny doesn't prove the vaccines caused the reported effects.

It's like claiming that umbrellas cause rain because more people carry umbrellas when it's raining. The logic is so backwards it makes my brain hurt.

The Great Naked Swimming Exposition of 2025

I genuinely don't know how to process the extended listener testimonials about nude swimming at YMCAs in decades past, except to say it somehow became the most humanizing part of the entire show. Multiple listeners called in to share their experiences:

• Bob from Flint, Michigan: "Learned to swim naked at the YMCA in the 40s"

• Tom from Erie, Pennsylvania: "Naked swimmer in 1972"

• Bruce from Catalina High School: Swimming team went nude from "65 to 68"

The explanation, according to listener input, was practical: "The reason for swimming sun suits was to reduce the load on the pool filters. In those days, suits were wool or cotton, not the modern reduced oil based fibers."

And there you have it, folks. Sometimes the most innocent explanation is the correct one. Though I suspect our modern pearl-clutching society would have a collective aneurysm if someone suggested this solution to pool maintenance today.

The Deficit Reality Check: Numbers That Should Scare Everyone

Let's pause the snark for a moment and grapple with Schweikert's sobering fiscal reality. When he mentioned that "170 billion in savings" represents "like 25 days of borrowing," he's highlighting a mathematical crisis that transcends partisan politics.

The congressman explained that "the next 10 years of debt is almost all interest and Medicare," which represents the kind of demographic and fiscal reality that demands serious solutions rather than political theater.

Here's the thing about math: It doesn't care about your political affiliation. When the interest on your debt starts consuming your entire budget, you're in serious trouble, regardless of whether you're a Democrat, Republican, or whatever political entity emerges from the primordial soup of Arizona politics.

But when Schweikert talks about making "really hard work and redesigning the programs," what he's often describing is cutting benefits for working Americans while protecting tax advantages for the wealthy.

The fundamental question remains: Are we willing to ask those who've benefited most from our economic system to contribute proportionally to its maintenance?

Local Impact: What This Means for Desert Dwellers

For Tucson residents, this morning's show highlighted several crucial local realities:

• Economic Development Accountability: The TuSimple saga highlights the need for stronger oversight of corporate incentives. When companies take our tax breaks and run, we're left holding the bag while they profit elsewhere.

• Community Organizations Under Pressure: The YMCA's work filling educational gaps while dealing with reduced public funding reflects a broader pattern of privatizing public goods. When Dawson mentions that scholarship programs are becoming harder to maintain, it means local families are losing access to these services.

• Water Safety Reality: In a desert city where backyard pools are commonplace, the YMCA's emphasis on swimming instruction isn't just nice—it's essential public safety infrastructure.

Because nothing says "quality of life" quite like knowing your kid won't drown in the neighbor's pool because we invested in proper swim instruction.

Progressive Path Forward: Building Beyond the Noise

The most depressing aspect of contemporary conservative politics isn't the policy disagreements—it's the way legitimate concerns are wrapped in conspiracy theories and cultural grievances, making productive conversation impossible.

Schweikert's fiscal concerns are mathematically valid, even if his solutions are politically unpalatable. The pharmaceutical industry's influence on media deserves examination, even if we can't let it slide into anti-vaccine conspiracies. Economic development accountability matters, even if we shouldn't blame every corporate failure on an ideological boogeyman.

The tragedy isn't that conservatives ask hard questions—it's that they're so invested in their grievance narrative that they can't see their own contradictions. You can't simultaneously demand massive spending cuts and tax reductions while complaining that communities lack resources for education and social services.

The real work happens at Curtis Dawson's level—in community organizations doing the patient work of literacy instruction, water safety training, and providing positive adult role models for kids who need them. That's where democracy actually functions, where evidence-based solutions meet human need without a partisan filter.

Hope in the Desert: Where We Go From Here

Despite the political chaos swirling around us like a summer dust storm, there are still people like Curtis Dawson and the YMCA staff doing the real work of building stronger communities. There are still public servants who are seriously grappling with complex policy challenges, even when their proposed solutions fall short.

The path forward isn't through more division and conspiracy theories. It's through supporting evidence-based community programs, demanding corporate accountability from our economic development incentives, and remembering that we're all neighbors trying to make our communities better places to live.

Even if some of us have weird stories about swimming naked at the Y back in the day. Because apparently, that's just how we roll in the desert.

• Support the organizations doing the work: The YMCA of Southern Arizona accepts donations through TucsonYMCA.org and offers Arizona tax credit opportunities for supporting their childcare and scholarship programs.

• Stay engaged locally: Economic development decisions happen at city council meetings and county supervisor sessions. Show up, ask questions, and demand accountability for corporate incentives.

• Support independent media: Whether it's Three Sonorans or other local outlets committed to fact-based reporting, democracy depends on journalists willing to dig deeper than partisan talking points.

The desert blooms brightest after storms, and our community's resilience comes from people willing to do the unglamorous work of building bridges rather than burning them. Keep fighting the good fight, Tucson.

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What Do You Think?

How do we balance legitimate fiscal concerns with the need to maintain essential community services? Should pharmaceutical companies be allowed to advertise directly to consumers, and how does media funding influence news coverage? What accountability measures should local governments require before handing out economic development incentives?

Share your thoughts below—and if you have your own stories about the evolution of community institutions like the YMCA, we'd love to hear them (clothing optional in your memories, required in your comments).

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Quotes:

• David Schweikert (Congressman): "I offered almost $2 trillion in savings. Now, obviously, they're not going to approve that because, well, that would require doing something hard."

• David Schweikert: "He [Mayorkas] looked me in the eyes, told me things and then three weeks later in their own reports, he'd lied to me."

• Chris DeSimone (Host): "The people from the city of Tucson who are socialists, slash communists, gave tax breaks to a communist socialist company."

• RFK Jr. (via audio clip): "75% of his advertising revenues on the evening news divisions were pharmaceutical ads... they're not giving us the real news."

• Curtis Dawson (YMCA): "Of the 199 that did the pre and the post, 77% at least maintained their benchmark and 64% increased their score."

• David Schweikert: "You only get a couple of these reconciliation budgets where it can go through the Senate with just 51 votes... did not use it to reduce spending. Instead, this bill increases spending."

• Listener Bob: "Back in the 40s, I learned to swim at the YMCA... They were all naked."

People Mentioned with Context:

• David Schweikert - U.S. Congressman from Arizona, discussed federal spending while making coffee for his toddler

• Curtis Dawson - YMCA of Southern Arizona representative, brought homemade birria sandwiches and discussed literacy programs

• Ron Arenas - Southwest Flavor host, scheduled to eat Carolina Reaper cheeseballs on air

• Chris DeSimone - Radio show host, running for mayor of Oro Valley

• RFK Jr. - Featured in audio clips discussing pharmaceutical advertising influence on media

• Alejandro Mayorkas - Former DHS Secretary, accused by Schweikert of lying to him

• Rex Scott - Mentioned as part of Pima County Board of Supervisors

• Jennifer Allen - Called "a communist" and "socialist slash communist" by DeSimone

• Mark Daniels - Cochise County Sheriff, previously interviewed by DeSimone

• Elon Musk - Referenced regarding DOGE spending cuts and Tesla/Twitter

• Donald Trump - Mentioned regarding current presidency and policy positions

• Multiple Listeners (Bob, Tom, Bruce, etc.) - Shared memories of nude swimming at YMCAs in past decades

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