Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

This blogger attended the CD 7 candidate forum. This blogger’s observations follow.

Raúl Grijalva did well. Yes, I am horribly biased. He did the job that is called for of an incumbent: he presented his positions and record. I don’t think he scored a “knockout” punch, but he really didn’t have to. Actually, I must also say that Libertarian Joseph Cobb did a great job of presenting his positions, and he also did so with humor.

Of course, my job is to pound on the Republican. Ron Drake did plenty to help me in that department. First of all, Drake’s opening statement repeated his tired claim that somehow Grijalva is responsible for high drop-out rates in the CD 7. I’m not sure exactly how a congressman is responsible for this. Drake had a little bit of a chance to elaborate on his answer since an early question was on the topic.

Except he didn’t really answer the question. The question was about high school drop-out rates, and Drake instead talked about Pell Grants. Interestingly, he neglected to address what his party has been doing in congress with them. Recent cuts, for example, have rendered 90,000 students ineligible for the grants. Nope, not congress’s fault. Apparently, according to him, the problem is students fraudulently spending Pell Grant money.

Oddly for a Republican, he suggested that the IRS should get involved in investigating students for this sort of fraud. That’s right folks, a Republican was suggesting expanding the IRS’s power. And they wonder why their base is unexcited.

On another education question, Drake suggested more money for vocational education for non-college bound students. He praised Pima County’s Prop. 400 that will help smaller communities develop such programs. I have to give him some props for understanding the importance of that issue. I just wish he would talk to his fellow Republicans in the legislature so they will quit cutting such programs.

Drake also had an allegation that he just made up. In one swoop, he blamed Grijalva for wanting to close the Brush-Wellman Plant and a plannned refinery near Yuma. Drake talked about the beryllium leaking from the plant like its safe to put the stuff in your morning coffee. Interestingly, Eva Dong, who until recently was the board president of the Sunnyside School District (more about why she ain’t anymore in another post), was in the audience. She had had to deal with the issue close up, since a school was contaminated. She wasn’t pleased with Drake’s answer.

As far as the refinery issue goes, Grijalva has had nothing to do with the fact that the refinery isn’t up and running. The group who is backing the refinery has been unable to find financing. Grijalva tersely noted that he is not responsible to find financing for a private enterprise. Drake then claimed that some non-existent vote blocked the refinery. Nice try.

Drake also claimed that Grijalva was for “open borders.” Despite the fact that Grijalva said he was a supporter of the McCain-Kennedy bill, Drake stated that “it doesn’t say that on your website.” Well, I checked the website, and I found numerous examples, such as this one, of Grijalva’s support for McCain-Kennedy. I couldn’t find any endorsement of an “open borders” bill, and I doubt that such a creature exists.

There were two other things that really bugged me about Drake though. There was a sort of “you people” attitude in a couple of his statements. One reporter I spoke to even told me that he had used that very phrase before when speaking about Tucsonans. Word of advice to candidates from the Valley: I know you guys think we all live in Podunk and our names are Ma and Pa Kettle, but when you campaign down here, pretend you actually respect us.

“You people in Tucson have had poor leadership in this district for 30 years.” Interesting, because technically the district was only created in 2002. But, let’s say we ignore that. For most of that 30 years, Mo Udall was representing the area. Yeah, we don’t know how to pick good leaders. Please, Maricopans, save us from ourselves.

One panelist asked one of those questions that I hate in debates: he asked the candidates to give the strengths of their oponents. Cobb and Grijalva gave gracious answers, the way politicians do in these situations. Drake’s response?

Cobb is from Avondale. Grijalva is an incumbent.

Way to be classy there, fella.