Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Miami Herald Article on Raul Martinez vs. Lincoln Diaz Balart: Cuba "14", United States "0". By Geniusofdespair

My Cuban-American friends that came out against my illustration yesterday: Read the Miami Herald today. I did a word check. Cuba was mentioned 14 times, the United States was mentioned zero times and Florida 4 times. Pathetic, considering they are not running for office in Cuba.

And, it only took them one day to mount their negative campaigns and to start fighting about the Cuban Embargo. Do you really think I shouldn't make fun of these guys? Do you think they are caricatures, perverting public service which insult us all? Please ask for more of your candidates.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Attacks must be answered, otherwise they may be assumed true, regardless of how little importance some voters may place on the subject.

If a candidate doesn't fight these allegations aggressively, some voters will be less likely to listen to anything they have to say. And in what could be a close race, a candidate can't afford to have voters dismissing them and their ideas this early.

Anonymous said...

answers to your questions:

NO

YES

Another question:

Doesn't anyone inside Miami-Dade realize that people outside of Miami-Dade think our elected officials are silly when they go this route?

lunkhead said...

It's a shame that this is the best Florida voters have to choose from. Don't get me wrong, it's an important issue to a lot of folks, including my parents, but dammit, I'm an American. Serve your constituents and find a way to bring affordable housing to South Florida, drive out the moneychangers from the temple and send the illegals home!

Geniusofdespair said...

Yes lunk head it is an important issue. But, as you said, it is not the only issue.

Anonymous said...

I Read the article and thought about why there were not more issues. Yes, we can fault the Herald for writing too many "Cuba's" but that was a lot of Cuba's for one article any you look at it.

Anonymous said...

In Iowa you talk ethanol and corn subsidies, in Hialeah you talk Castro and the Cuban Embargo. In the huge retirement complexes in Broward, Diaz-Balart and Martinez will talk Social Security and prescription drugs. Its the interests of the voters that drive the political rhetoric. How is this suprising to anybody?

Anonymous said...

Please remember that among the exile community there is only ONE ISSUE and that is Cuba. I have been very dissatisfied with the 3 elected officers from Cuba because they have not attacked the issues as Americans and not just Cubans. But as long as that what it takes for them to get and keep their office there will be no change. Even our own politicians pander to a large voting bloc.

Geniusofdespair said...

Mensa

what do you mean "Our Own Politicians". I don't claim ownership of any of them.

I understand pandering, but give me a break. What about sucking up with more than one issue.

Anonymous said...

Genius,

You conflate the Herald with the candidates. Yes, Lincoln brought up the embargo and Martinez responded. But you are not reading speeches either of them have given; you are reading the Herald's accounts of some statements issued yesterday. it is unfair to pin the use of Cuba on the candidates. It was the Herald that chose to write the story as it did.

Second, Cuba is an important issue in this community; and not just in pandering for votes. Cuba affects our immigration and our economy, not to mention U.S. foreign policy. Remember, these guys are running to be U.S. representatives; not for mayor. Cuba issues will be on their plate as Representatives, so it is not as if they are discussing immaterial issues.

Anonymous said...

Yes Cuba is an issue. So why do the Republicans from S Fla keep believing in their party as the party who is going to do something about Castro? Have they yet? no. Have the Cuban republicans been played like fools? YES.

Anonymous said...

We should do with Cuba what we did with Iraq...Would'nt that be a hoot. Go kick some Castro ass.

Anonymous said...

To be honest, I am tired hearing about Cuba. When we look at the state of Haitian affairs and the other countries in the region, I think Cuba is not anywhere as bad as some.

I was born in Miami and golly gee, I would like to hear, see and experience more than Cuba here.

Cuba is a non-issue for me in the election. I don't care about whose grandpa had more money in Cuba. I will ignore any politican spewing rhetoric that drags Cuba into politics. I want to know about our US economics and our war policies. I want to know about how we are going to keep Americans working and our life savings protected.

Anonymous said...

What about the economy, foreign policy in other countries in this region and the world, taxes, the environment, et cetera? All important topics. They should stop exploiting hot button issues and focus on the things that are of concern to the electorate more generally.

Geniusofdespair said...

Yes, the media is partly to blame for the Cuba word cluster...but the candidates fuel it. The newspaper prints what they think we want to see. I agree with last anon....there are very important issues out their a person running for congress should be addressing. I hate one trick ponies...

Anonymous said...

To be honest with you, I didn't vote for Giuliani because he appeared ONLY interested in serving the Cubans in this community. Most other candidates went to other areas where important issues, besides Fidel and Raul Castro and the Cuban embargo, could be presented and raise the interest of the AMERICAN voters. When I became a U.S. citizen, I swore allegiance to the USA and renounced allegiance to any other country. I expect the same from our representatives in Congress and, most of all, from a candidate for President of the USA.

Giuliani seemed ignorant that in Miami thousands of immigrants from other countries are part of this community. Ignoring us also alienated our votes.

Geniusofdespair said...

Giuliani tried to court the environmentalists -- oh sorry, Republican environmentalists call themselves "conservationists" -- by touring the Everglades with a man who is a developer and a rock miner. I think he takes bad advice.