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EMIL FRANZI

TOM DANEHY

Picks for the Aug. 24 primary

NOTE:  The day after this was printed, Buz Mills dropped out. Unlike Dean Martin who did so graciously, Buz showed no class and continued to attack Governor Brewer. Someone might explain to him the old cowboy adage "Ride for the brand". EF

"Don't much care who does the electin' long as I do the nominatin'"

— William Marcy "Boss" Tweed

Six months ago, Gov. Jan Brewer looked like toast. She was losing the GOP primary to State Treasurer Dean Martin, running even with millionaire businessman Buz Mills and Tucson attorney John Munger was gaining. She avoided public appearances and dithered about decisions. Then came SB1070 and the voters acceptance of a 1 percent hike in the state sales tax.

Mrs. Dithers morphed into Joan of Arc. Martin and Munger dropped out, leaving Mills and newly minted ASU PhD Matt Jette. Mills spent millions and still trails badly with six weeks to go. Jette is wandering around the barren wastes of Republican "moderation" like Diogenes seeking a constituency. This one's over.
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Can welcoming bags of grain solve the U.S.-Mexico border dilemma?

Mi suegra vive en Douglas ... so we go down to visit her whenever we can.

As mothers-in-law go, she's about average. To be sure, way back when, she wasn't all that fired up about her precious daughter marrying a gavacho. (I've always wondered why that "¡Ask a Mexican!" guy spells gabacho with a "b," because every time I've heard it—and I've heard it plenty!—it's damn sure pronounced with a "v.") She appears to like at least one of the two grandchildren we gave her, but as for the marriage itself, she's reserving judgment. After all, it's only been 32 years.

When I was down in Douglas a couple of weeks ago, the town was abuzz over two things: Their softball team won the district championship for the first time ever, beating Benson in the finals. In the semifinal game, Douglas got the victory when both Rio Rico coaches got kicked out of the game by the umpire. The rules state that at least one coach has to be in the dugout at all times. (I've seen a whole lot of games where the team would probably play better without their coaches, but rules are rules.)

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Voices of the West

Be sure to go to the Voices of the West website 

(http://www.voicesofthewest.net)

Celebrating Voices of the West's first broadcast 4 years ago, a repeat performance by our first guest, the legendary Bob Shelton, the man who put Old Tucson Studios on the map!
                  

Unemployment Benefits

A good friend asked me why Republicans were opposing the extension of unemployment benefits.

Actually nothing could be further from reality.  Republicans and most Americans favor helping newly unemployed but not for over two years and not if doing so further balloons the deficit.

The President has promised jobs, jobs, jobs but all the American worker has received from his rhetoric are higher taxes, banks that won’t loan money to small business, Cap & Trade as well as card check.  Now, since stimulus worked so well the President promises more pork but hardly any new private sector jobs while African American and Hispanic unemployment is over 3 times the national rate of unemployment some help the stimulus.
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