Guests - Janet Wittenbraker, Holly Swenson, Charles Heller
Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of America: A Call to Restore National Pride
J.L. Wittenbraker on Patriotism and Running for Tucson City Council
As we approach the 4th of July and the beginning of America's 250th anniversary celebration, it's time to restore our sense of national pride. This Friday, Tucson residents are invited to gather at Udall Park for a special event featuring a reading of the Declaration of Independence, followed by a flag wave and barbecue with city council candidates.
"We need to restore our sense of pride in our country," says J.L. Wittenbraker, candidate for Tucson City Council in Ward 3 and member at large with Pima County Republican Party. "When I think about the 4th of July and next year's 250th anniversary of America, I think how very blessed we are to live in this country and we need to cherish that."
Recent polls show American patriotism has reached concerning lows. A Gallup poll conducted June 2-19 found only 58% of Americans said they were proud to be American—a record low. Patriotism has collapsed among Democrats in the first year of President Trump's second term, dragging down the national figure despite increased patriotism among Republicans.
"I think we are still dealing with the aftermath of failed policies," notes Kathleen Winn, host of Winn Tucson. "American pride was real and tangible when we were growing up. We had so much respect for our Olympians, our athletes, and our politicians. It was just a different time."
Wittenbraker shares a powerful personal experience that shaped her patriotism: "In 1984, I was an exchange student in Germany. During that stay, we traveled to East Berlin. I'll never forget what I saw—it was like traveling from color to black and white. It was an entire people, an entire section of a country imprisoned by their own government. It struck me how very lucky I was to be an American citizen."
The celebration of American freedom stands in stark contrast to growing concerns about antisemitism and the declining quality of life in Tucson. "I'm concerned for the United States. I'm concerned about this push for pure hatred of Jewish people. And I'm concerned about our city and what we see every day," Wittenbraker explains. "I believe all this is fixed through national pride and community pride."
Tackling Tucson's Challenges
Wittenbraker is running for City Council to address Tucson's significant challenges after years of one-party governance. "If we look at Tucson over the last 12 years, which has been under total control by Democrat elected officials, we have seen the quality of life deteriorate. Crime has gone up. Homelessness has absolutely exploded. The visible use of drugs on our streets is commonplace now."
She believes the city government has failed to meet its responsibilities while expecting "law-abiding, tax-paying citizens to just deal with it." Her platform focuses on accountability, rebuilding the police department, fixing roads, and making parks safe for children again.
The demographics of Tucson are more balanced than many realize—approximately one-third Democrats, one-third independents, and one-third Republicans. Wittenbraker has observed a shift among independents toward more conservative positions, and even moderate Democrats are approaching her to hear her ideas.
"We're seeing a shift of independents moving to the more conservative party, which is the Republican party. Personal experience shows moderate Democrats looking around saying 'What is going on?' and coming to meet with me as a candidate."
The failure of Proposition 414 demonstrated that residents have had enough of tax increases without proper representation. "It really showed that people have had enough of being overtaxed without proper representation. Communities stood up and said, 'No more. You have enough money in your bucket. Figure it out.'"
Despite the city doubling its budget from $1.2 billion to $2.4 billion over the last four years, quality of life issues like homelessness, crime, and deteriorating infrastructure have worsened. "They have a spending problem," Wittenbraker asserts. "There's no direct correlate to what money's being spent and the quality of life."
City Council Salary and Work Ethic
In 2023, Tucson passed a proposition that raised council members' salaries from $24,000 to $97,000 annually, while the mayor now makes $125,000. Yet some council members, including Wittenbraker's potential opponent Kevin Dahl, maintain limited office hours of just 9am to 1pm, with some offices closed on Fridays.
"Do you really want a city council person who's getting paid almost $100,000 a year and is only working part-time? The problems are full-time," Wittenbraker points out.
If elected, Wittenbraker promises to propose a new proposition to lower council and mayoral salaries to match the median income in Tucson. She also commits to working full-time hours: "I will be available to constituents Monday through Friday and will actually have Saturday hours as well because I recognize that it would be my job to govern at the consent of the governed, not the other way around."
Homeless Crisis and Environmental Concerns
The homeless crisis in Tucson has reached alarming levels, with encampments appearing in washes and parks throughout the city. While the council recently voted 5-1 to prohibit camping in washes, enforcement has been lacking.
Even more concerning are reports of improper cleanup methods that could threaten Tucson's groundwater. "I was talking to my friend Gary Olsen, great patriot. He was telling me he was riding his bike on the Rillito and was watching Pima County cleaning up a homeless encampment. Do you know what they were doing with the debris? They were digging holes in the wash, putting the debris in there and covering it," Wittenbraker reports.
This practice raises serious environmental concerns, especially regarding groundwater contamination. "All of that feces and all of that waste and drug paraphernalia all goes down to the groundwater," she warns.
Wittenbraker rejects the notion that allowing people to live in these conditions is humane: "I just don't understand this idea that it's humane to allow people to suffer alone in our washes, to suffer from substance abuse without any kind of repercussion. It is not humane. And it also prevents us from helping those people who are just down on their luck."
Upcoming Elections and Voter Engagement
The political calendar in Tucson is packed with critical elections. Currently, residents in Congressional District 7 have ballots that must be returned by July 15th. On July 9th, city election ballots will be distributed. Some voters will need to handle both ballots simultaneously.
The city election process can be confusing—primaries are ward-only, but the general election is citywide. This means that in the general election, all Tucson residents can vote for candidates in Wards 3, 5, and 6, regardless of where they live in the city.
Republican candidates are running in Wards 3 and 6, but unfortunately, no candidate emerged for Ward 5 despite efforts to recruit one. "I'm disappointed in myself. I am so sad that we couldn't find somebody in Ward 5 because three new faces on the city council would be a good start," Winn laments.
Voter turnout is a critical issue, especially in off-year elections. "Our problem is low voter turnout," Wittenbraker emphasizes. She encourages listeners to help spread the word about the upcoming election and reach out to her through her website, JanetForTucson.com, to arrange meetings with neighbors.
"If you want Tucson to change, you need to elect candidates that are willing to make tough decisions," she urges. "My concern is the next four years, not reelection."
4th of July Celebration: A Call to Action
The 4th of July celebration at Udall Park (7200 East Tanque Verde) will begin at 8:30am with Charles Heller's annual reading of the Declaration of Independence—a tradition now in its 27th year. A flag wave will follow at 9:30am, and at 10:30am, city council candidates J.L. Wittenbraker and J. Tolkoff will host a barbecue, providing an opportunity for residents to learn more about their campaigns and share their concerns.
"We want you to join us," Winn invites. "This is not that far from where the people were hatcheted at a bus stop. That's in our city and that shouldn't be. We shouldn't have to worry about that."
The event also welcomes anyone considering running for office in the future. "If any of your listeners live in Wards 1, 2, 4, or are even considering a run for mayor, they may be interested in coming as well to find out what the process is for running for election," Wittenbraker suggests.
As the 250th anniversary of America approaches, this 4th of July represents the beginning of a crucial period for restoring both national and local pride. Through civic engagement and informed voting, Tucson residents have the opportunity to change their city's trajectory and address the serious challenges they face.
Stop, Drop, Grow, and Glow: Forming Deeper Connections with Your Children
Holly Swenson on Summer Parenting and Screen Time Management
As summer heats up in Arizona, parents face the challenge of keeping children engaged without relying too heavily on screens. Holly Swenson, author of "Stop, Drop, Grow and Glow: Forming Deeper and More Joyful Connections with Yourself and Your Children," offers valuable insights on navigating this balancing act.
"Screens are without a doubt some of the most significant stressors and challenges that parents face in this day and age," Swenson explains. "Especially during summer, when there's excess downtime, there can be an overreliance on screens."
Parents need to establish healthy boundaries around screen time while intentionally creating device-free opportunities. "Kids need to learn how to navigate this world without screens as well," Swenson emphasizes. The consequences of excessive screen use are concerning, particularly regarding social development.
"When kids are interacting with screens, they're not really interacting with people," notes Winn. Swenson agrees: "Children aren't learning how to make eye contact or communicate with the world around them." Even everyday moments like mealtimes and grocery shopping provide valuable opportunities for children to develop social skills.
"Even if it's slightly inconvenient, it's really teaching your kids how to connect as a human being," Swenson says. "Really pulling your children into the real world is the greatest gift you can give your family and your children as they grow into adulthood."
Traditional Activities and Unstructured Play
Reading remains a crucial activity for children's development. "Fostering that love of learning, being able to engage and actually listen to a story from start to end can be really powerful," Swenson explains. This is especially important in an era of short-form content like social media reels that last only seconds.
For children who don't naturally gravitate toward reading, alternatives like audiobooks can provide similar benefits. "They can passively listen to these stories but still be receiving the benefit," Swenson suggests.
Unstructured outdoor play represents another vital yet increasingly rare activity for today's children. "The average American child spends as few as four to seven minutes per day in unstructured outdoor play while they're spending about seven hours on screens," Swenson reveals. "That to me is such a heartbreaking statistic."
Unstructured play differs from adult-directed activities; it's "a form of play that's not directed or led by adults. It's where the kid is initiating and controlling the play—when to play, how to play, and when to stop." Activities like fort building, imaginative play, climbing trees, or searching for shells on the beach foster independence and creativity.
For summer activities, Swenson recommends planning a mix of structured and unstructured activities: "Try to plan activities to help fill the day and break up screen time—outdoor play, hiking, biking, sports. Also, arts and crafts, family outings or game nights can help weave into your summer schedule."
Creating device-free zones in the home can also help establish healthy boundaries: "Maybe designate parts of the house where it's like, 'Hey, we just don't have screens in here.' Maybe it's during meal time or something like that."
The "Stop, Drop, Grow, and Glow" Framework
Swenson developed a four-part framework to help parents navigate the challenges of raising children while maintaining their own well-being.
Stop: "Learn how to stop and practice some self-awareness. You're invited to do some internal gazing on what's going well as well as anything that might not be going well. It's an opportunity to pause, do some reflection on how you're doing as a parent, but also how you're doing as an individual."
Drop: "Learn to drop any drama, trauma, any personal past lived experiences that are keeping you from living in the now. When you're distracted, it makes it really hard to be present with the people you love, with your children."
Grow: "Learn to lean on habits—diet, sleep, maybe taking your hormones. In this section, I also talk about thanking your children for all that they teach you because as much as you teach your children, they're teaching you just as much if not more."
Glow: "Learn to activate that inner light. By the time you get to glow, you're learning to live that in the world. A big component of this is daily self-care. Practicing that daily care is something that's going to help you continue to glow."
Self-Care for Parents
Many parents neglect self-care, viewing it as selfish rather than necessary. "If you take care of yourself every day, you're going to meet your loved ones with more love, with more joy, and more appreciation of what it means to be a parent," Swenson explains.
Self-care doesn't require large time commitments—even five minutes can make a difference. Swenson advocates "micro-dosing self-care" through simple practices: "It can be something as simple as your morning coffee or tea, making it more of a ritual, or putting on soft music, or even adding aromatherapy. It can be meeting a friend for lunch for half an hour or getting out for a walk or a jog during midday."
The key is connecting with activities that bring personal joy: "The biggest thing is just to make connection with whatever lights you up."
For working parents or single parents, finding this time can be particularly challenging. "I have such a special place in my heart for single parents. I was raised by a single father, which was not common in that day and age. Making sure you have time to reset and leaning on people so that you can get breathers is very important."
Parenting and Boundaries
While nurturing positive relationships with children is essential, Swenson firmly believes in maintaining appropriate parent-child boundaries. "I firmly believe in boundaries. You can be respectful and be collaborative with your child on certain things, but you ultimately need to be the parent. They're going to find their friends in their peer group."
These boundaries provide a crucial framework for children's development: "They need that safety net to know how to operate, what's okay, what's not, what's expected. It's going to help them find more success in their life. It's going to be healthier for them. It's going to teach them how to set boundaries as they grow."
As children enter their teenage years, parents need to balance oversight with growing independence. "Teach your kids to tune into their intuition. Your kids know what kids are getting in trouble or what kids are making good choices," Swenson advises. "As they hit those teenage years, they're going to be hanging out with kids that you don't always know. Teaching your kids that they have to learn how to hone some of those leadership skills in their own life so that they can find success and not go down the wrong road."
Summer Learning Balance
While academic continuity matters, Swenson takes a balanced approach to summer learning: "I might be a little unconventional here, but I think kids work so hard during the school year that I really love giving them a downshift in the summer."
She recommends allowing teens to sleep longer and providing more unstructured time, while still incorporating light educational activities: "You can make trips to the library. You could have them do journaling if you want to keep them more sharp—nature journaling or having them read three books throughout the summer."
Creative play—building forts, pretending, and using imagination—contributes significantly to children's development without the directed messaging often found in screen-based activities. "Some of the most fun kids have is when they're pretending," Winn observes. "That's where we hear the most giggles and have the most fun."
Swenson concludes with her core message: "Just learn to take care of yourself. That's the biggest gift you can give yourself. It starts there. And then everything else is going to just take root. If you've learned nothing else, that self-care piece is one of the biggest pieces to happiness and joy in your life."