I’m a Democrat, and I don’t approve of their politics. But I approve 100% of the way they’ve conducted themselves, which is to say they’ve behaved like gentlemen throughout, and that’s a whole lot more than I can say for the Bruce Ashes, Frank Antenoris and Jon Justices of the world.

It’s not much of a secret anymore that the Tea Party is a phenomenon of right-wing political amateurs getting used by the familiar crop of disgraced, right-wing political pros. But they, unlike those on the tall end of their leash, at least have some manners. I say we give ‘em credit for that, and not give them too hard of a time right now. They screwed up completely and they know it.

A couple of weeks ago, there was a full page ad in the paper asking for volunteers to “take back Tucson” on that Sautrday. They were going to start the petition drive and they needed 500 people. With what you hear in the local news these days, and with the trolls in the newspaper’s online comment section, you’d think there would be so many people that they would end up having to turn people away. Unfortunately for the recall backers, this turned out not to be the case. They had 50-60 people turn out, and this count has been described as being generous. What’s more, there are a lot of reports that at many doors, people refused to sign the petition.

As for the petitions themselves: The recall backers said that they just needed 200 people to turn in 100 signatures each and the recall would be on the ballot. Anyone who has had to go out and collect petition signatures knows that it just isn’t that easy. It’s much harder work that going to people and saying “sign this.” I’ve seen candidates armed with walk lists from the county recorder go for signatures, and it can take them months of going door-to-door to get their petitions filled out.

The Saturday scheduled for the recall kickoff turned out to be a bitterly cold and wet day during the most powerful winter storm we’ve seen in ages. Regardless, had this been a truly grassroots groundswell, the organizers would have been able to keep in contact with their supporters and volunteers and would have easily been able to organize other events. I can’t help but think that Mr. Lopez looked at the support that failed to materialize. (Or should I say did materialize, but it turned out the Tea Party had vastly overstated their strength.) He realized that he would be spending a lot of money (full page ads in the paper are very expensive), effort, and political capital on a recall that was going nowhere. Now he’s going ahead with the exit strategy.

Meanwhile, the Tea Party is being exposed for what they really are: A very small but very loud group that was good copy for the media. Had they had the clout that they claimed, these signatures would have been mostly collected by now.

By, Steven Montes

I understand that our Mayor, and Council members that were going to be recalled, have reached an agreement with Humberto Lopez. I am saddened that this recall did not happen. I have proof that in 2002 a department of the City of Tucson changed their name from Solid Waste, to City of Tucson Neighborhood Services/Code Enforcement Department. At this same time in a fraudulent scheme, by Mayor, and Council, decided to cut back our trash pick-up from twice a week, to once a week. This move was well throughout, and designed to trap the public into not being able to handle their debris in the home, or their yard. They are faced with doing one or the other. As part of this well throughout scheme, the City’s Code Enforcement Division, together with the Mayor, and Council had concocted a fraudulent remedy to this problem. The answer was to intimidated the poor, disabled, and the elderly on medication, by herding them into City Court, in order to fine the public up to $ 2500 per day for Code Violations, or face having to do Public Service work, or both, as part of their sentence for their crimes. I know only so well, because my parents that are elderly, handicapped, disabled, and on medication had to do community service work in the rain during an event held by the Arthritis Foundation while serving out their sentences for this very Fraudulent act committed by a very corrupt Mayor, and City Council members. If this doesn’t send a message to everyone who lives here, that we need to take back Tucson, then I fear, that if we as Citizens of Tucson, can not tell what is destroying Tucson, then I fear that our judgements as Citizens are beyond repair.

Humberto S. Lopez has repeatedly embarrassed himself and his company since launching his “Take Back Tucson” campaign; first by having his employees “volunteer” alongside the Tea Party, then by attempting to use “threat of recall” leverage to extract commitments from council members, and now working with Arizona Daily Star republi-porter Rob O’Dell on an exit strategy; namely, saying he’s so impressed with the Mayor’s “State of the City” speech that he now wants to back down. (Ah, yes, Humberto and Rob. Thanks for clearing everything up.)

I don’t agree with Trent Humphries and Robert Mayer about much when it comes to politics, but they’re nice guys and certainly deserve better than to be made asses of by a greedy and foolish developer hungry for more political power and disinterested, as usual, in who gets hurt by his actions.

The Tea Party got used, and now they’re probably not thrilled about it.

Though they may be a little short on both, the Tea Party has more sense than money. HSL has had the opposite problem, at least for the last few weeks. A smart lobbyist who works for the development industry recently told me “Tucson needs to heal,” and while his industry ain’t exactly in the healing business, it was smart to steer clear of this.

I’m sure HSL would rather be remembered as a self-made zillionaire, philanthropist, and American success story (all of which he is) than a self-made fool, which is what he risked in this poor political adventure that appears to be finally drawing to a close.

The Tea Party would be wise to chock this one up to experience, learn the lesson, and move forward.

Tucson, indeed, needs to heal.