History, repeating itself in Miami Dade politics through Hialeah? by gimleteye

What do Hialeah voters really know about their elected officials and what interests they represent? The question bears repeating, in context of G.O.D.’s photo of former Seijas chief of staffer Terry Murphy huddled with former Hialeah mayor and candidate for US Congress, Raul Martinez. Both formers are plotting their way back to power since none of the currents have the brass knuckle instincts of Natacha Seijas who obsessively ruled Miami-Dade County, pulling levers for campaign contributors through county agencies and a compliant county manager, George Burgess.

Seijas was turned out by Hialeah and Miami Lakes voters disgusted with the economy. But those voters understand only a little ... (please click 'read more')
... how the economy ties back to a political system that virtually guaranteed county government would serve the purposes of speculation first and foremost: speculation related to infrastructure like roadways, sewer, and water on which development and construction depends. Seijas was turned out because voters sought accountability for unwanted tax increases, but those voters understand very little of the scope of hidden deficits – on the order of $7 billion at least—that accumulated throughout the time that Seijas was the populist minister of pothole politics in Hialeah.

That the story of how the $7 billion accumulated never made it into the newspapers verges on the criminal. In so far as the mismanagement of the county budget and priorities is concerned, long-timers like Javier Souto might properly say; “What is the big deal? We always do things, this way.” And so, it is no wonder that there is—on the county commission dais at this particular time, a sense of the surreal. How much, the unreformable majority is wondering, do we really change the roles we are accustomed to play?

They know that the same wave of populist anger licks their heels, but it can only reach them if the billionaire financier, Norman Braham, invests to recall them the way he did Alvarez and Seijas. (Ordinary voters don't have that muscle.) Meanwhile, managing their roles through the Depression requires adjustment to the play-by-numbers structure of governance, through which lobbyists representing campaign cash bundlers guarantee that scripts and agenda items on the county commission calendar are orchestrated neat as a freshly starched, pressed guayabera.

Terry Murphy was turned out of power, along with Seijas who he served as chief of staff. There would be little surprise if he latched onto the next county commissioner from Hialeah. Murphy is the institutional memory for a political order made vastly wealthy through the biggest bubble in Florida real estate history. He can take credit for much of the staging of the Kabuki drama that presents itself as representative democracy in Miami-Dade. Murphy was Larry Hawkins' mastermind, too, before Hawkins faced sexual misconduct charges as commissioner in the South Dade district and subsequently defeated by then newcomer, Katy Sorenson. His principal achievement was to consign the wrecked Homestead Air Force Base to a group of board members of the Latin Builders Association reconstituted as that private corporation, HABDI. In doing so, Murphy paved the way for county government to misdirect tens of millions in taxpayer money, deforming the purpose of county agencies, and diverting at last in 2000 the political fortunes of a presidential candidate—Al Gore—persuaded by local lobbyists (Chris Korge, Mitchell Berger) to keep his hands off the Homestead Air Force Base while Ralph Nader siphoned off enough votes to throw the presidency to George W. Bush. Not conspiracy theory. Fact.

Do Hialeah voters, contemplating their role in pushing George Bush forward have any idea what their former mayor, Raul Martinez, also represents? Do voters have an inkling that Karl Rove, who brought Bush to national politics, is behind Rubio and the mechanics of the Tea Party? County commissioners, I suspect, know perfectly well the financial wherewithal of those who supported the likes of Seijas, Alex Penelas (county mayor – and Democrat-- at the time who managed to be in Spain on important private business during the 2000 recount halted in Miami Dade) and Rubio. Along such lines, one can also interpret the meaning of the recent political fundraiser hosted by US Century Bank insiders like Ramon Rasco for US Senator Bill Nelson; a Democratic paying respect to Republicans who manage county politics like a syndicate or limited liability corporation. Rasco was the lead organizer of the Homestead Air Force Base fiasco, HABDI.

That the local piggy bank, US Century, a Republican stronghold would not even be open for business but for the largesse of US taxpayers (through TARP money anchoring its balance sheet, supported by Democrats) does not occur to Hialeah voters. Raul Martinez would be their man, and Terry Murphy would be back as major domo, consigliere, or calderon as the case may be.