The midnight deal to convert environmentally sensitive lands in the Bird Drive Basin to the Dade County Youth Fair appears to be DOA thanks to the intervention of Miami Dade mayor Carlos Gimenez. But before racing to a conclusion, understand that nothing related to development that harms the environment and our communities is ever DOA in Miami-Dade unless the coroner puts the toe tag on the corpse or the electronic bolt clicks on the jail cell.
This is the best filter to consider the report that former Miami-Dade mayor Alex Penelas is "considering" a run for Congress against one of the least popular, most ethically challenged members of Congress, David Rivera.
Penelas has big problems. Time hasn't washed the stains, clean. Penelas would have to run as a Republican or in the middle of the night as an Independent, because he can never escape the shadow cast of the botched 2000 presidential election recount in Miami-Dade. Instead of manning his post, Penelas was "away on business" in Spain; giving the finger to Al Gore and to the nation. Penelas has no future in politics if Eyeonmiami has anything to say about it. We have long memories.
R. Allen Stanford is also in the news. Stanford was convicted in a Houston courtroom yesterday of multiple counts of fraud related to one of the greatest Ponzi schemes in US financial history. The Miami Herald dedicates a single sentence in today's story in glossing over the most important fact: that Stanford secured protection in Tallahassee during the Jeb Bush years. I support a reduced sentence for Stanford if he rats out the graft that allowed him to turn his "posh" Miami office into a legal, offshore banking operation under a state license.
These stories tell us that Miami and Florida are fertile soil beds for the Great Destroyers. They speak in tongues and cover themselves in blessings of self-righteousness.
PS. “A brutish future stands before us,” with Republicans and Democrats “enmeshed in a death struggle to protect the benefits and goods that flow to their respective bases” — a “dog-eat-dog political competition over diminishing resources.” That's from the new book by political scientist Thomas Byrne Edsall: "The Age of Austerity: How Scarcity Will Remake American Politics". I'm down with the premise and it's on my list to read. Don't forget: Bill Press at Coral Gables Books and Books 8 PM tonite. See you there.
13 comments:
gim----
I will vote for Penelas and I will campaign for him. I really think that I trust him better than the other 2 bozos.....
Presidential politics suck and to be honest, as a dem I don't even trust the party that you seem to believe to walks on water.
With Rivera as my elected official,I feel like I am led by a mafioso --- a feeling that I never felt with Penelas.
"These temple-destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar. Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man." — John Muir, "The Yosemite," 1912
Penelas or Rivera? Penelas is a thousand times better and I don't even like him.
I didn't get that from your 'blog'
I don't mean to be a curmudgeon, my apologies, but the correct spelling is "tonight". This blog ain't no beer ad.
The land in question is covered by maleluca. If not turned over to the Fair it will be sold to developers for more cookie-cutter houses and two-car garages.
Even if there are exotic trees, pythons, or even a skunk ape or two on those Everglades wetlands, as long as the land is not "developed" there can be ecological restoration.
I think Penelas would bring strong representation to Miami Dade and help the Dems take back the house from the extremist wing of the Rep party. Blaming him for non support of the democratic candidate some 12 years ago is foolish.
Thank you Penelas fans! Now, get off the podium. Thank you.
Let's rethink this need for a Youth Fair at all.
What started out as a celebration of agriculture and
Livestock is now just a cheesy carnival. It's has gotten
Out of control. Bring back an ag festival and
Relocate the 4H exhibitions to the homestead where it makes sense.
Sorry to the Penelas supporters. Your memory of his destruction is very short. Rivera is basically a lame duck in Congress. He can't hurt us any worse. Penelas can - HABDI will never be erased from my memory, nor his appointment of Steve Shiver & his group of village idiots to County Hall. We are feeling his damage, though probably not as bad as Alvarez/Burgess & their golden parachutes!
I am not sure they are Penelas fans as much as they are pragmatic and being realistic about the district.
Praise all you want Gimenez involvement but I wonder why he had his staff in the negotiations the last 8 months and now changed his mind.. is it his re-election?
Penelas I think has more of our interests in mind than Rivera who is a TRUE crook... As it is, when was the last time our representatives in Congress did something for us other than keep reminding us of how bad the Castro brothers are,
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