It is clear enough now, in retrospect of the dismal performance of county elections in Florida's most populous counties. The Midwest and Ohio were the Obama firewall for the Democrats. Florida was the firewall for the GOP.
The way the GOP firewall was meant to work was this: 1) voter suppression by shortening voting hours and 2) a 10 page ballot stuffed with ridiculous measures by right wing majority dominating the Florida legislature (many, from Miami-Dade County).
As Karl Rove demonstrated in his own election eve ether on Fox News, it was necessary for Ohio to remain in dispute in order to throw the chaos to Florida, just like what happened in 2000 -- the election through which Rovian vanity was cemented into GOP politics. The nation suffered the consequences, and so have GOP billionaires ever since.
It is classic disinformation strategy to claim as the GOP is claiming today that Florida's election processing delays were inadvertent.
County election officials assign blame to the volume of paperwork. Mayor Carlos Gimenez convenes a blue-ribbon panel of "fair and balanced" county commissioners. Nonsense.
Chaos in Florida in the recount was a GOP strategy, not a mistake.
There is further proof in yesterday's attack by Rove, accusing the Obama campaign of "voter suppression": if you want to know the heaviest tool in the Rove electioneering box, it as attacking at exactly his opponent's point of strength. (ie. 2004 Swiftboat and John Kerry) It is not going to work this time.
I would not want to be a billionaire investor in GOP candidates and causes these days.
The Obama election highlights how enervating GOP campaigns through fear and loathing of 'the other' points to a shrinking white voter base. But John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, the GOP standard bearers in Congress, don't have the willpower or guts to tell their donors the bad news. Rove is too invested in the politics and psy-ops based on the Bush model.
Today's news from Florida will be anticlimactic, of course. The Florida Firewall will be mothballed by the GOP who now need to figure out how to keep Florida from turning to a blue state. Meanwhile the blue ribbon panels to fix Florida voting (once and for all!) and dissembling by state officials will go into high gear, throwing out a smokescreen like clouds of DDT to wave off West Nile mosquitoes.
There are a couple of local races that EOM will pay more attention to, once the final campaign finance reports are filed.
First of all, Jose Javier Rodriguez defeated Alex Diaz de la Portilla for the state house. Rodriguez, a Democrat, is exactly the profile -- well educated, reasonable, and committed to public service -- that is needed to repel the radical right.
Ross Hancock, a political newcomer, very nearly defeated GOP leader Erik Fresen for state senate. In the evening's most interesting outcome, Hancock ran with the support of Sierra Club and civic activists who were deeply opposed to Fresen's leadership on the pro-casino issue and embrace of every other right-wing scheme that energizes Tallahassee. Hancock's effort should send shivers through the status quo in Tallahassee. We'll look closely at those campaign finance reports.
There are two main conclusions to draw from the elections in Miami-Dade with deep implications for Florida. First, the tyranny of the old Cuban American guard -- that has weakened over successive election cycles -- is finally finished. Credit to Sergio Bendixen who, for twenty years, has predicted this outcome.
This is bad news for the GOP and its local funders from the Growth Machine. As we have documented on EOM, the GOP political model that worked in the past was based on contributions organized through the Latin Builders Association and funneled toward organizing districts based on hatred against Castro. The Miami-Dade GOP has a problem: anti-Castro vitriol (that was, by the way, the content of the anti-Obama ad that fell flat on its face in the last weekend of the campaign) is boring and tiresome to non-Cuban Hispanics. The opportunity is for Democrats to find clear and compelling messages to organize non-Cuban Hispanic voters.
The second conclusion from the election: Gov. Rick Scott is finished.
Who will defeat Scott in 2014? I certainly hope it is NOT from the north Florida / Bill Nelson wing of the state Democrats. They have let down Democrats ever since Buddy McKay. My vote would be for Dan Gelber who remains the only reliable, articulate Democrat in the state of Florida.
The way the GOP firewall was meant to work was this: 1) voter suppression by shortening voting hours and 2) a 10 page ballot stuffed with ridiculous measures by right wing majority dominating the Florida legislature (many, from Miami-Dade County).
As Karl Rove demonstrated in his own election eve ether on Fox News, it was necessary for Ohio to remain in dispute in order to throw the chaos to Florida, just like what happened in 2000 -- the election through which Rovian vanity was cemented into GOP politics. The nation suffered the consequences, and so have GOP billionaires ever since.
It is classic disinformation strategy to claim as the GOP is claiming today that Florida's election processing delays were inadvertent.
County election officials assign blame to the volume of paperwork. Mayor Carlos Gimenez convenes a blue-ribbon panel of "fair and balanced" county commissioners. Nonsense.
Chaos in Florida in the recount was a GOP strategy, not a mistake.
There is further proof in yesterday's attack by Rove, accusing the Obama campaign of "voter suppression": if you want to know the heaviest tool in the Rove electioneering box, it as attacking at exactly his opponent's point of strength. (ie. 2004 Swiftboat and John Kerry) It is not going to work this time.
I would not want to be a billionaire investor in GOP candidates and causes these days.
The Obama election highlights how enervating GOP campaigns through fear and loathing of 'the other' points to a shrinking white voter base. But John Boehner and Mitch McConnell, the GOP standard bearers in Congress, don't have the willpower or guts to tell their donors the bad news. Rove is too invested in the politics and psy-ops based on the Bush model.
Today's news from Florida will be anticlimactic, of course. The Florida Firewall will be mothballed by the GOP who now need to figure out how to keep Florida from turning to a blue state. Meanwhile the blue ribbon panels to fix Florida voting (once and for all!) and dissembling by state officials will go into high gear, throwing out a smokescreen like clouds of DDT to wave off West Nile mosquitoes.
There are a couple of local races that EOM will pay more attention to, once the final campaign finance reports are filed.
First of all, Jose Javier Rodriguez defeated Alex Diaz de la Portilla for the state house. Rodriguez, a Democrat, is exactly the profile -- well educated, reasonable, and committed to public service -- that is needed to repel the radical right.
Ross Hancock, a political newcomer, very nearly defeated GOP leader Erik Fresen for state senate. In the evening's most interesting outcome, Hancock ran with the support of Sierra Club and civic activists who were deeply opposed to Fresen's leadership on the pro-casino issue and embrace of every other right-wing scheme that energizes Tallahassee. Hancock's effort should send shivers through the status quo in Tallahassee. We'll look closely at those campaign finance reports.
There are two main conclusions to draw from the elections in Miami-Dade with deep implications for Florida. First, the tyranny of the old Cuban American guard -- that has weakened over successive election cycles -- is finally finished. Credit to Sergio Bendixen who, for twenty years, has predicted this outcome.
This is bad news for the GOP and its local funders from the Growth Machine. As we have documented on EOM, the GOP political model that worked in the past was based on contributions organized through the Latin Builders Association and funneled toward organizing districts based on hatred against Castro. The Miami-Dade GOP has a problem: anti-Castro vitriol (that was, by the way, the content of the anti-Obama ad that fell flat on its face in the last weekend of the campaign) is boring and tiresome to non-Cuban Hispanics. The opportunity is for Democrats to find clear and compelling messages to organize non-Cuban Hispanic voters.
The second conclusion from the election: Gov. Rick Scott is finished.
Who will defeat Scott in 2014? I certainly hope it is NOT from the north Florida / Bill Nelson wing of the state Democrats. They have let down Democrats ever since Buddy McKay. My vote would be for Dan Gelber who remains the only reliable, articulate Democrat in the state of Florida.
17 comments:
Don't count the old guard out, they have a new generation of Miami-Dade GOP operatives willing to do ANYTHING to get and hold onto power and privilege. In South Florida, the best defense is good offense to reach out to new coalition of youth, non-Cuban Hispanics, progressive Cubans and African Americans working for good government initiatives that truly benefit communities.
Congrats to all the new wave of Democrats I met this year in the recent elections. I hope all of you stay in local politics! They are Ross Hancock, Doc Solomon, Alex Dominguez, and Jose Javier ( way to go !) . It's about time that a fresh group of democrats challenged the so called unbeatables (Fresen, Bileca, and Alex Diaz de la Portila. ) good luck and please run again!
Grove Dem.
How bout Hancock for Coral Gables Commissioner??
To the first anon above: yes we've seen the new generation of GOP operatives, based on the Penelas/ Fresen/ Rubio model: attractive, well groomed, and easily holds a sound bite in Spanish and English. But the non-Cuban Hispanics don't buy the cool-aid. What's the new line going to be?
Alex Dominguez has already filed in his district to run against Frank Carollo. Hopefully he will crush Carollo who is rumored to be making a run for Miami Mayor.
Carollo for Mayor?? My god Regalado, Francis Suarez, and maybe 2 Carollos as brother Joe might throw his name in there. What a circus it's going to be. where is Ferre?..so we can make this old school. Lol
Concerned Banana Republic survivor
EOM is going to have lots of material! Alex Diaz de la Portlla also might jump into Mayors derby. He has nowhere else to run as the seat he was eyeing (Rivera) has gone to Joe Garcia and he lost his race in little Havana.
Elaine
A third firewall of the GOP strategy was to provide unacceptable voting infrastructure in both early voting and election day operations. And the fourth was to not have the data ready to report on election night holding the nation hostage and giving them time to manipulate the results.
As we look at reforms, begin from the desired end, and work backwards. Start with having our results counted and available by 11:00 pm election night. Everything else in your plan should fall in line with this desired goal. There is professional talent all over the US that can be brought in to help them think it through if they are incapable of figuring it out. They have four years to get it right. In the mean time the Department of Justice needs to begin its investigation, Scott needs to be cleaned out, and Gimenez needs to be put to task, then cleaned out.
Gimenez thinks he can skate through the controversy. He's hoping that the docile Miami Herald will back him up the way they did Manny Diaz.
Oh you are so right and many of the anons have it perfect. If we can only get you bright people to be very, very much engaged in the next major election. Only because the dems did not put up a very good candidate and did not try very hard did Scott get in. He is the worse Governor in the history of the entire United States. Yes, even worse than Jeb Bush.
We have got to begin looking for real talent and people with real visions for our future in Miami-Dade County not just people with giant egos who want to be important, in power, and get money in their pockets. If we want to be a world-class community, we need to begin looking for world-class leadership.
I agree. It's time new dems start running for local seats such as councilman and commissioner so that they have more name recognition in state wide elections going forward. I agree , Ross Hancock should keep his name out there and serve on the gables commission for at least one term! Republicans are better at grooming their candidates for higher office. I agree Dan Gelber should run for governor. What other Dem has a chance???
Either Carollo for Mayor would be a nightmare! Can someone confirm their interest in running? Say it ain't so Joe"......
Carvalho will be next Miami Dade Mayor . Hands down. Goodbye Gimenez.
Rick
That would be good because we need a real educational leader over the school system. Without a Ph.D he can't even read the literature in the field. We have had a difficult time understanding what it takes to lead a community of scholars. We think just put our guy in and everything is all right. And it has been one failure after another. It is the most important job in this town.
Scott couldn't manipulate the numbers by himself. He would have to have that done at the county level. This was to occur as the nation was held hostage. Gimenez showed his hand when he would not request Scott to extend early voting. I am sure once the questioning begins, many will be giving up information and people to save their own necks.
We need further discussions of where we go from here. Maybe some guests articles on what can be done with Gov. Scott by lawyers who are familiar with FL law: impeachment, recall, or wait for two years? We need to begin identifying and cleaning out the legislators who led and voted to reduce early voting days, and who loaded up the ballot. We also need sworn testimony on the record of exactly what happened, and why it happened. In Miami-Dade County, we need to begin the discussion of recalling the Mayor. Once we are rid of the culprits, we can begin getting ready for the next presidential election.
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