Read this in Miami Today, week of Jan. 25th (said by Commissioner Moss):
"This strong mayor system marginalizes the minority vote," Mr. Moss said. "That's a very real concern. We have to make sure minority voices are not diluted."
Can someone please tell me how? I just do not get it. Does having a male president or mayor dilute the female voice?
Does having a nit wit as a president marginalize the voice of the intelligent? Hmmm...
2 comments:
This is a real concern and you are right about alot of things but not this. This is a long running debate in urban-power anaylsis. What is for sure, without a coalition of like minded groups blacks/African-Americans interests are not considered. Looking at the vote for strong-mayor one can see that the inclusion of others outside of hispanics are not really needed to carry an election in Miami and thus blacks/african-americans are marginal.
Anonymous 2 --
And anglos too for that matter are marginal. Their vote was almost split down the middle. However, are not homosexuals marginal? Are not the Jewish marginal? Isn't everyone different from Hispanic marginal then under your definition. So what do we do... I think a Hispanic-- especially with the character of Alvarez -- can represent me and I am not Hispanic. I have no doubt that a black could represent me, and I am not black. I have no doubt that a homosexual could represent me and I am not homosexual. It is the character of the person we elect that matters.
If the black/African Americans in District 2 can let a Commissioner like Dorrin Rolle stay in office it is hard to sympathize with a community. I don't have answers but the system is broken. Dorrin Rolle throws crumbs to the community. CRUMBS!! Two words: Scott Housing. What a mess!
Is it better to keep an incompetent in office just because he or she is the right color, the right sex, the right religion? We have to demand more than "like" looking or "like" ethnic. Somehow we got a good mayor. I didn't vote for him. But I like him. I didn't vote for Crist but he is looking good too. We should open up our mind that some people will surprise us in a postive way.
The outcome of the strong mayor vote is going to pretty much be a disaster because I can seel already the commission, it appears, are not going to make amends. They will fight and restructure and pass laws until they are blue in the face to get back at the Mayor and the voters. They are a vindictive lot. I predicted GRIDLOCK and I prefer gridlock to bad action.
If Rolle didn't get re-elected I might not have supported the strong mayor. Rolle's re-election solidified my resolve to do something drastic. And now I will work for term limits. DRASTIC times call for drastic measures.
I am going to post this as my blog too.
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