I don't agree with Norman Braman's current strategy to seek qualified candidates for the County Commission although I hope it works for Barbara Jordan and Bruno Barreiro and I applaud him for his efforts. I would not want to remove Dennis Moss who is a pillar in Holding the Line. With that disaster, Lynda Bell, we need Moss more than ever to show some leadership on growth management issues. I wish Mr. Braman would look at Lynda as a whole, not in one category.
The retroactive term limits would have passed. That would have rid us of almost all commissioners in 4 years. We could wait 4 years. And, Braman could have looked for good candidates at the same time to run against the current crop. Braman is facing an uphill battle getting his candidates in. It is next to impossible to unseat those in office. The petition drive for retroactive term limits would have been costly but it would have had guaranteed results. If I were a billionaire I would have invested in a petition drive for a retroactive term-limit amendment to our charter. He will have to invest at least $100,000 per candidate on his slate. Zapata is already in the race for Martinez's seat and there is no incumbent. He has the best chance for his candidate to prevail in District 11.
The big question is, that no one will talk about, will the Black churches speak kindly of Braman's slate or will they take to the pulpit and torpedo his efforts to improve the county?
15 comments:
Targeting 3 of the 4 black commissioners will create a backlash in that community.
Your estimate of half a million ($100,000 per candidate) is woefully short. Try a couple of million. The charter change would have cost the same.
Edmunson does have to go too! Jordan should be long gone. She says one thing, than votes another way. She's probably the most inconsistent plus she has the Sandy Walker/Otis Wallace issues and has never recused herself from the Florida City votes and has consistently supported the UDB moves.
Anyone at ground zero within County politics knows Bell is a vindictive, low IQ, GOPer who puts politics before the people of her Dist. If he's hoodwinked by her, he loses my confidence. She's spending our tax dollars to consistently campaign - indirectly - using her "office" funds.
I'm still trying to figure out Bell's rags to riches story of her purchase of the Redland Hotel (which throughout the years has rec'd plenty of grants!). During her BCC campaign, she was a retired (by the people) Mayor and her husband was (maybe still is) a plumber. How could they afford this purchase? I guess her brood now has permanent employment! That's an upside.
What is his problem with Moss? He's been pretty decent in recent history and was a good Chair of the BCC. If he doesn't support the lift of the incorporation moratorium, I may re think this one though.
Bovo is "safe"? He's a VNS clone......As to Zapata, he's also pretty decent but also pretty close to US Century & the LBA. His votes didn't affect us much when he was in Tallahassee, however, they will at the BCC level.`I will take a wait & see on this one.
I love Brito's quote in the Herald: "this may be a faster and cheaper way to get change on the commission."
Wow! Encouraging qualified candidates to run is now just "cheaper" than trying to force retroactive term limits for commissioners.
I thought it was the actual democratic process - hold elections and the person with the most votes gets to represent. Silly me.
Of course, a level playing field would allow the contest to really be about the ideas, but we all know it is money versus money. Usually, the money is lopsided because only the incumbents can raise campaign cash because people bet on a sure thing.
Now it looks like it will be one billionaire versus a couple dozen millionaires.
Luis Garcia should not be the candidate against Bruno. He will lose. Put the Harvard lawyer against barreiro.
I agree get bell out!!! Put in Rodriguez against barreiro (he has raised lots of cash) and get rid of the rest. Rivera needs to go!!! Stay in the race luieeeeee. Your not a quitter, screw Penelas.
Braman needs to really be educated how bad Bell is. Someone call him up.
I don't think he is much of a listener
What makes Braman any different than other interest groups pulling the strings? He is turning the Commission into the City of Hialeah where everyone votes the same way. The Commission has its problems but at least they are individuals.
I'm over Braman being the savior. Run for office and be held accountable for your choices whether they are good or bad.
Our problem is the lack of involved and educated voters. Spend your millions educating the community. Our schools can use your help. Dual language programs for our kids.
Why don't we have a special election where the followers of this blog crown this guy king of miami dade county.
Petition drives, recall and charter change amendments are one thing.... hand picking sock puppets so Mr. B can run the theatre and a mediocre political operative can cash in, this stinks to high heaven.
Now that Missy Bell drives a cadillac car--just maybe she purchased her new cadillac from Branman Cadillac. As for the Redland Hotel maybe she did not need any money. In my opinion maybe she received money for a good deed or a future good deed as District 8 representative.
Norman I am hoping you will not be fooled by Missy Bell. If you support her you will lose respect and with all the good deeds you have achieved in this community it would be sad. I suggest you let the people decide in 2014.
To: Cato for MD Emperor - Couldn't have said it better. While the Dim One & Jordan MUST go, I don't like ANYONE hand picking THEIR candidates, which may or may not be in the interests of the Community as a whole.
In fact, this whole thing may backfire, at least among the educated voters (which I guess doesn't matter since it's the absentee's votes that really count).
I appreciate everything Braman has done so far, but I don't support this Cherry picking. And if GoD is right, Braman doesn't listen to anyone, which means you & me in these commission districts. This also means he's supporting bad commissioners, like Bovo & Bell for example. They do not represent the people, they are both puppets on the strings of Seijas, who ironically Brito charged the recall of on the strings of Braman.
What a twisted plot going on here!
My God, the readers of this blog are a cranky lot. If you're all so critical of the jobs the present commissioners are doing, here's an idea. Unplug yourselves from your laptops and run for office yourself. If you don't have the fortitude to put yourself out there, find a candidate you like and start working hard for him or her. Love her or hate her, you have to give props to Vanessa Brito. She stepped up. How many of the readers here will do the same this election year? Or will the same set of malcontents be moaning about how bad candidates somehow "snuck" into office via election?
Qualified candidate" for the County Commission means people who will agree with his agenda. Norman Braman should be investigated for corruption, using his money to buy local organizations like the Dade Heritage Trust Inc. to support his stand against developing the property that currently houses the Miami Herald. The Dade Heritage Trust tried to have the Miami Herald building declared a historic landmark to stall the development of the site for a world-class resort and casino. Norman Braman and the Dade Heritage Trust board members are JOB KILLERS. They're stopping progress and preventing opportunities for long-term employment.
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