GRIJALVA V. FLAKE V. A TANK

posted by Christopher Conover

Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-Arizona) says Congressman Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) is costing Arizona jobs. But Flake’s office says Grijalva has it wrong.

Grijalva is heading to the Charles E. Gillman military manufacturing plant in Rio Rico for a tour at the end of the week. In a press release, Grijalva’s office says while the Congressman is at the facility he will discuss Congressman Flake’s request for a three-year freeze on the construction of Abrams tanks.

Congressman Grijalva says that proposal will cost Arizona jobs. The news release is of particular note because Flake is the front-runner in the race for the US Senate seat being vacated by Senator Jon Kyl (R).

It is also worth noting that Flake’s office says Grijalva has his facts wrong. An email from a Flake spokesperson says, “There has been no legislative effort by Congressman Flake to single out funding for the Abrams tank. Given the federal government’s fiscal crisis, spending is going to have to be cut, including the defense budget. However, there’s been no focus by Congressman Flake on funding for the Abrams tank.”

WON THAT ONE; NOW BACK TO WORK

posted by Michael Chihak

Democrat Jonathan Rothschild, candidate for mayor of Tucson, was ensconced in his law office downtown first thing this morning, even after a celebration of his victory in Tuesday night's virtually uncontested primary election.

Rothschild's car was in its usual spot in the parking lot of Mesch, Clark & Rothschild before 7 a.m. It's not uncommon to see him at work that early. But the morning after the primary election seemed a bit of a surprise.

Rothschild will face Republican Rick Grinnell in the general election in November. Grinnell won his spot on the ballot the hard way, by collecting more than 5,700 write-in votes. He needed 1,060 to make the ballot.

Rothschild has said he already is stepping away from his position as the law firm's business manager to focus on his campaign and that he will resign the firm altogether if elected.

YAWN! IT'S ELECTION DAY IN TUCSON

posted by Michael Chihak

We can blame government, or we can blame the candidates.

In either instance, it would be like motorists blaming the automakers or the auto dealers for providing Hummers and other gas-guzzling road beasts.

We're the customers. When we insist on economical vehicles, we get them.

As customers of government, we can get what we want. But we must insist. And that means making ourselves heard first and foremost at the ballot box.

We're the customers -- customers of government.

If we think about it that way, rather than thinking of ourselves as citizens or voters, we might begin creating a new mindset that allows us to re-engage in the democratic system.

If a merchant does poorly by us -- sells us inferior goods or provides lousy service or maybe even charges us too much or gives the wrong change -- we complain. We let the cashier or a customer service representative or even the manager or the owner know.

We do it even with the monopoly businesses that we are customers of -- the electric and gas utilities, the cable TV company. We complain when service is bad, and we get results more often than not.

Those consumer actions push change in the businesses. Dry cleaners knock a button off your best suit? Make a complaint; they'll fix it and improve the service. Store clerk not thank you after taking your hard-earned money (a pet peeve of mine, by the way)? Point it out to the clerk and the manager. You'll get an apology and a thanks.

If it experiences enough complaints, a business will change.

What about government? We want change, we insist on change, we rant and rave for change. What we don't do is vote for change. What we do is we don't vote; we walk away.

That's not working, is it?

We should behave like customers of government, asking to get what we pay for and complaining if we don't. Just walking away isn't working for us.

If you're eligible, vote today. If you're not, get eligible for the general election coming in November.

Yes, the choices this time out are pretty meager. That's the customers' fault for not insisting on better.

Start insisting; we customers of government have to start somewhere.

NEW CANDIDATE IN CD8 RACE

posted by Andrea Kelly

Anthony Prowell is the new entry into Congressional District 8 race.

He filed paperwork to run as a Democrat, which would pit him against U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords if she decides to run for her seat again.

But Prowell said the party has given him the cold shoulder, and he may change to run as a Green, instead.

He's an elementary special education teacher who says people want Congress to create jobs and protect Social Security and Medicare.

GOV. BREWER COMING TO TUCSON; WHAT SHOULD WE ASK HER?

posted by Michael Chihak

Gov. Jan Brewer has made publicized visits to Tucson a rarity this year.

Granted, it's not her turf. She was outdueled in Pima County voting last year by the non-effervescent Terry Goddard in a predictable, yet closer than expected outcome for the Democratic leaning area. Goddard had 50.1 percent of the votes to Brewer's 47.1 percent.

Still, Tucson is part of Arizona -- those dreamers in the Baja Arizona movement notwithstanding -- and it would be nice to see our governor a bit more often.

Now, the lure of hundreds of officials from Arizona's cities and towns has captured her attention. Brewer has accepted an invitation to speak Thursday at the League of Arizona Cities and Towns annual conference at Tucson's J.W. Marriott resort at Starr Pass.

My colleague Christopher Conover will be there to cover her speech for Arizona Illustrated, and the governor will sit down with me and a video crew for an interview afterward, also for Arizona Illustrated.

We have a healthy list of questions for Brewer, but we can always use more. Submit your questions in the Comments section below, then watch Arizona Illustrated at 6:30 p.m. Friday on PBS-HD-6 for the interview. We will plan to ask some of your questions as well as our own.

INTERVIEW SHEDS MORE LIGHT ON FACTORS IN ANTENORI CONGRESSIONAL DECISION

posted by Andrea Kelly

Since announcing his Congressional exploratory committee last week, State Sen. Frank Antenori has said he won't be seeking the seat if U.S. Rep. Giffords decides to run again.

In comments today in one of "The Hill" newspaper's blogs, he gives a more detailed explanation about how redistricting could shape his decision.

"The Hill" quotes Antenori: "If the maps are drawn and I end up in a district that has a four- or five-point Democratic registration advantage I'm not going to run. ... But if I'm in a district with Ms. Giffords and it's an eight- or nine-point Republican registration advantage that will be a hard decision."