I am amazed that we keep writing the same thing: "This or that is not fair", "These politicians are scum", "Developers suck", etc. It is either me writing it or you writing it in your comments. Outrage over and over...and over. There is some sort of saying that defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Or as I like to say to myself, why do I keep walking into a brick wall, when I can just walk around it?Well, maybe the people of the community need to start doing things differently, maybe we need to walk around that brick wall.
Here are two suggestions on how to actually do things differently, instead of sitting at your computer shaking your head with disgust or wasting your time writing pithy letters to the Miami Herald.
1. If you live in The City of Miami and don’t like a Commissioner consider giving to the campaign of the opponent:
Mike Suarez (Guest Blog). He might not be in your district but that vote is very important to ALL the districts. If this guy had another $50,000 he might be able to be a contender for that City seat. He could be another long shot like Sarnoff. Ask your friends to contribute $14.85 each (don't worry they won't have change you will get a $20). You should strategically give at least $500 a year to campaigns. If you don't have the money drag 10 people out to vote on election day. If you don't do either of these things why are you reading this blog?
2. Everyone should make an appointment to see their County Commissioner. Make a list of what is important to you and discuss those things. Bring a couple of neighbors. Granted my Commissioner ended up screaming at me, but at the very least I gave my Commissioner a bad day. There was some satisfaction in that. If you are more diplomatic you might be able to make some headway. If 100 people started calling for appointments, they would start panicking over there at county hall.
I have run out of ideas so I expect readers to comment and give us some more. And, although a rifle might seem like a good idea I don’t think it really is, you would just get in trouble, unless you have a lexus you can lend out for a year.
I want to hear your ideas on how we can break out of this box we are in — where developers call the shots. How can we get control of Miami Dade? I am going back to "YouTube" while you think.
15 comments:
I understand that a certain fatigue sets in. But it remains important to continue to observe and to provide a forum for observations that aren't filtered by paid-for media.
Imagine if enough people who care about Miami, tuned in to the dialogue? In the meantime, it's good to know this forum exists.
Damn. You say you have nothing to say and then you say the most important things that have been said in quite a while. Now push those ideas and we will end up with better government and really not have to say much.
Keep up the great work.
Many of us find interesting stories in the Herald, Daily Business Review, SunPost and New Times. Your blog often gives people a chance to see the back story.
Ideas? On a Sunday? I am going back to Youtube too.
i think the complaining is important. where else can we vent our frustrations.
No one has ideas? FIVE!! Come on we need solutions.
My father started a group called "Consortium to save Hidden Lake" and began emailing and writing letters a few weeks ago. He was upset that a lake in West Kendall that had been used as a recreation area(albeit illegally, I'm sure) for decades was going to be overbuilt. Truth is, the neighborhood has bad traffic as it is. Here is the most recent write
up in the Miami Herald:
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http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/west_kendall/story/230129.html
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He's gotten people to go out to commission meetings and it's been really positive. People just need to try.
A funny thing occured to me as I watched the 1st County Budget Meeting last Thursday.
99% of the of the public who spoke at the meeting were against budget cuts. They all wanted their programs to continue to be funded (whether the program worked, or not).
Only 2 or 3 people spoke about how the tax burden created by the County spending was hurting them. On top of that, Commissioner Sorenson blasted people who complained about the high taxes on rental, or commercial, property they owned. Her response was "how dare they complain if they had enough money to own multiple properties".
Well Ms. Katy, who the hell do you think provides housing for those people who cannot afford to buy. As evidence by the recent collapse in the mortgage market, not every can, or should, be buying homes.
I like to think that Katy occaisionally means well. But her rationale as to why you shouldn't be able to complain if you own multiple properties reveals her true socialist/communist self.
How's Pinecrest Katy? Get off your high horse.
Back to my original thought. Who do you think the commissioners are going try and accomodate, the 200 people who said give me, give me, give me, or the two (2) guys that said cut the budget further?
g.o.d. - yes I am
first of all -step away from the tube.yes -you!
second how about putting one of those paypal buttons on your sidebar?
It's high time you two get some thanks for your work here.
?“paypal” is that a variation of Papal? I don’t think g.o.d is on the right side of the pope.
Ideas: isn’t it time Joseph Cooper did a Topical Currents episode on local bloggers? You have links to some to some others, the Herald is obviously responding in indirect ways. Call in would be a different format than send a comment. There would probably have to be a voice disguising machine and g.o.d. would have a heck of a time in the phone booth, with the tights in this humidity and even finding one, what with everyone on cells.
S
Hmmm I think I support the paypal idea...see if us readers will put our $ where our mouth is and you can disburse the funds for relevant campaign contributions.
Money that sure does sound good. Paypal?....hmmm. You're right Anon- I am not on the right side of the pope....but I could be on the right side of paypal..
You are not a moderate:
I happen to agree with you on the rentals. That is a way people make money like a job...they need to get a return. If a commissioner doesn't pick on a person who owns a company why the owner of rental property? Same thing.
The reason only two or three people complained about the tax burden was because people usually think that it is a lost cause showing up, and they probably had to work as well. The non-profits know how to milk the system...and most of those that were there probably were getting paid to be there.
myamuhnative
I can't step away from youtube...I can't help myself. Too much good music on it.
Many S. Fla. issues are the same or similar in different neighborhoods, but because of the diffuse structure of government here it's difficult to focus on a particular power locus. One way to overcome this problem is to form small groups (neighborhood-sized) that can focus on issues that are specific to the community. When there are several groups all interested in the same issues, then they can come together to form a more powerful voice. Not glamorous, but then most effective organizing isn't. My suggestion for this blog would be to publicize more local-level get-togethers, as a kind of clearing-house.
Your two suggestions are excellent....Support good candidates and hold their feet to the fire when elected......Be persistent with writing them and if one can find the time, make an appoint with your elected representatives.....Realistically, I expect my representatives
to meet with established neighborhood groups, more then just before elections.....Or wouldn't it be refreshing to have a representative set aside 3-4 hours twice a month (one in the evening) where people could just drop by a location and have a five minute conversation with no
appointment necessary? Steve Hagen
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