Well, this is ironic.
The political monopolists who have kept Tucson poor and dependent on government table scraps for decades are celebrating another federal handout. This time, it is $11.5 million to rehabilitate mobile homes and provide mobile home residents with legal assistance—this in a city that has twice the percentage of mobile homes as other cities in the West.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, who grew up in a mobile home, is a celebrant and one of the monopolists.
The Arizona Daily Star covered the story, which can be found here.
To his credit, reporter Charles Borla lists in the penultimate paragraph of the story all of the agencies and NGOs that had a hand in this and probably took a cut. If they didn’t take a cut in this case, then it’s almost a certainty that they did in other cases.
It’s a form of trickle-down economics. By the time everyone at the top of the social-justice pyramid takes a cut, $2.99 is left for the intended beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, even more ironically, the US version of Circus Maximus just took place in Washington, in the theater of the absurd, in a dramatic play called passing a budget, a play in which Trumpers and anti-Trumpers, Democrats and Republicans, left wingers and right wingers, play their respective roles and blame each other, while the crackerjack national media, whether legacy or not, critique the play instead of the $35 trillion pig named Deficit that is ravaging the Republic.
In keeping with his porcine ways, Deficit has not only devoured the nation’s seed corn but the seed corn of future generations. Iowa farmers love the insatiable pig.
Democracy is broken, our constitutional republic is broken, and Congress is broken. When 72% of spending is on automatic pilot and heading for a fiscal cliff—and taking the dollar as the world’s reserve currency over the cliff with it—our elected representatives have handed over 72% of their power and decision-making to unaccountable agencies and the Federal Reserve.
Speaking of the Fed, do an internet search on how its balance sheet has ballooned over recent years. This has been the top cause of inflation. The connection between money printing and inflation is something that previous generations understood, although few Americans had college degrees back then. Now, the more college education, the less understanding.
To that point, Mayor Romero is reported to have choked up when discussing what it was like to grow up in a mobile home in the heat of summer. Not to play one-upmanship or who suffered the most, but I grew up in a tiny, poorly-insulated brick home in St. Louis that wasn’t air-conditioned until I was in my teens. The house was like an oven in the summer days of 90 degrees and 90% humidity. I still remember the bed sheets sticking to me.
Sweat was abundant, and so was sweat equity. Conversely, federal housing handouts were nonexistent. My dad would come home sweaty from a day of laying tile and get sweatier by working on the dilapidated house to make it more livable. Dust and live electric wires hanging about were ubiquitous in my childhood.
I’m not whining. A compelling case can be made that Italians and other ethnic/racial minorities of yesteryear assimilated and climbed the socioeconomic ladder faster in the absence of federal largess and paternalism. Likewise, housing was more affordable and available before HUD was given the mission to make it more affordable and available.
Sure, we should try to understand the perspective of Mayor Romero and other Mexican Americans, but a little reciprocity would be nice. She should try to understand what life was like in other parts of country for other minorities and how they overcame their disadvantages.
Yes, the others were minorities in spite of their whitish complexion. Some of them, especially Italians, weren’t seen as white until the latter half of the twentieth century.
This history doesn’t appear to be taught at the University of Arizona and certainly not understood by the DEI regime there and elsewhere.
Again, the more education, the less understanding.
Mr. Cantoni can be reached at craigcantoni@gmail.com.
I grw up in the 70-80’s. I got good grades and applied for scolarships and grants. The college program I wanted to attend cost $48,000 for the 4 yr degree program. I applied for every financial assistance program and was only awarded $6,000 for the entire 4 yrs. Even working full-time I couldn’t afford tuition and sustenance.
Yet my classmates were just like me. They’re children of recent Immigrant Arrivals of Hispanic and Asian decent (some were kids of Illegal Aliens) and got almost immediate Carte Blanc scholarships and full rides to some of the best U.S Colleges just because they could “Check the Right Boxes”.
My fault; I was the first generation U.S. born Son of an Immigrant…but our Ethnic Origin was considered Non- Hispanic, but White.
Why? We’re a Family of Italian Immigrants, but the System discriminated against us because we couldn’t check the “Right” Box. Looking back I should of lied, as I had Olive Skin and was frequently mistaken for being Mexican.
But that only gave me the internal drive to succeed and claw my way up the ladder. I entered Gov’t Service, Traveled the World, exposed my Children to different Cultures and my job was keeping Ameicans Safe.
Thank you to all the Racist College Programs and “Un-Checked Boxes” that gave me the DRIVE and made me a successful and proud first Son of an Italian Immigrant.
For the life of me, I don’t understand why the author is criticizing the City and County for the simple act of accepting money from the Feds.
FOLKS, THEY PRINT THE MONEY. If you are so inclined as to deny a neighbor a chance to improve their property because you disagree with the decisions of elected officials, then please feel free to run for office and change it.
Reading this article was a real drag…I can’t handle sour grapes in the morning…
“You always get more of what you incentivize”…Milton Friedman. Tucson’s doom loop is guaranteed because of what they [perversely] incentivize; the only question being at what point will AZ taxpayers stop contributing, and stop funding?
Another great article by Mr. Cantoni. I especially liked the bit about “trickle-down economics”. He’s exactly right. Illiberals tried – and to a fair degree succeeded – to brand fundamental economic concepts with the derogatory term, “trickle-down economics”, and then go on to exercise exactly what they say they object to. I just don’t understand why the general public buys into their marketing and forgives their malfeasance.
Why do the taxpayers need to give money to owners of mobile homes to maintain their own properties? Of course, as the story reports, most of the money won’t actually go to the mobile home owners. So, why should taxpayer dollars go to those who will receive it? Our government at work.
waaa waaa waaaaaaaaaaa waaaa waaaa – and mommy liked you best ! Get over it… your right! Rigina Rigina Rigina – poor baby with a UA degree in what? my time – mom (hairstylist beautician in those days) worked, every day and at home. Bought a ‘small brick house’ $5,600.00 just west of Randolph Park – I’m sure many of you are of the same hood 🙂 No sidewalks, sewers (septic) yards, paved streets, porch, landscape.. one swap cooler- one wall heater between living room & bath – open the oven for kitchen heat. Hundreds and hundreds of kids grew up on “every block” of that neighborhood… It was GREAT ! Cleveland Indian baseball in the spring – lots of street teams on every block – yeah they finally built sidewalks and paved the streets – put in sewers etc. I left that house at 17 for the Army. Great memories of that area – families – people – a mix of races and things to do.. what’s changed? The People and their ethic. End of story.
Good read. So true.
Ditto, Patrice. Cantonis tale is replicated by millions in every American city.
Just goes to prove that you can’t fix stupid when it comes to the government. Whoever refurbishes those mobile homes will do it as cheaply as possible barely passing any federal inspections
On a similar note, please tell me all the Covid $ is completely done and the COT has to start REALLY considering how to manage a realistic budget. These a__holes are just like the rest of the Dems! Don’t worry it’s not your money!!! 🤬