I like Rebecca Wakefield and have followed her career for the past 10 years. She has often been quoted in this Blog when she was a reporter for the Sun Post. After the Sun Post closed down, she worked for Mayor Matti Bower of Miami Beach, she also worked for SEIU Local 1991 and tried her hand at Political Consulting in 2009.
I do like Wakefield's humor (she wrote this about a Trump Building in 2008):
“Every time I drive through Sunny Isles Beach, I see an advertisement wrapped around the front of the Trump Towers project. It is a glossy black and white photo of four smug developers marring a perfectly good chain-link fence for about half a block. The men are the decidedly un-photogenic Dezers (Michael and toadlike son Gil) as well as the follically challenged Donald Trump and Jorge Perez.”She wrote this about encouraging people to vote in 2007:
“Year in and year out, it’s the same story. A handful of the usual suspects (plus one or two grass-roots candidates who usually don’t have a shot) hires someone from the small group of political consultants who run nearly every local election.” She goes on to describe our broken system of why we get shitty people in office over and over, her reason why:She says 10% to 15% vote in most elections. Her goal is to get the people out to vote with fun events:
“It works because most of the rest of the populace doesn’t vote.”
“Take a Politician Bowling” night and “Beach Ballot Bingo.” We’ll also be doing limo rides to the polls and red carpet exit polling, among other nutty stunts. The idea in general is simply to have fun, connect with people and get them thinking about local politics.”Rebecca: In 2007 that was a good idea.
Now, when it comes to voting, I am for NO ONE FROM THE RUST BELT VOTING and NO ONE FROM THE MIDDLE STATES. Actually, voting is no way to pick anyone anymore, it is an obsolete exercise. We just do a piss poor job. UNLESS, we can vote in primaries of both parties. That would weed out extremists.
Back to Rebecca, good luck at your new post with Commissioner Ken Russell.
8 comments:
Maybe she can get Russell to vote in midterm elections.
I like Rebecca. It takes a great sense of humor and poise to serve. I remember working with her on stories for the SunPost. I don't remember writing being "cheeky" but she came across as a professional. I look forward to having her charm rub off on the office she is to lead.
Of all the things to wine about Ken Russell, his personal voting record is not one of them. I always knew it'd take him at least a year to get his real team together.
We want things done in Miami Ken!! Good pick with Rebecca!
Well, as we get ready to face the possibility of war and more bloodshed, those who voted for Trump, didn't vote, or didn't bother to register to vote, will soon have the blood of warfare on their hands. This is an add-on to the many thousands of Americans who will die from lack of medical care from the destruction of ACA. Voting is real life. Now more than ever, make good choices as your life will depend on it.
Ken Russell's staff has unusually high turnover. Too bad none have serious experience in Miami. One staffer even got arrested.
Sorry, but I consider a person's voting record a testament to his or her character. People died for our right to vote. Women and People of Color were denied the vote. Not voting is not an option. Russell did not vote in the last two elections for governor and look where he and all the other non-voters have gotten us today.
A few of us here in Hialeah will forever be grateful to Rebecca Wakefield and the photographer who worked with her for The Sun Post ten years ago. Rebecca was the first journalist to do a comprehensive and truthful story on humble efforts to help save the historic, Hialeah Park and Race Track (which I still believe is on public land). Rebecca's article on Hialeah Park led the way for other media outlets to cover the story on the park and attracted certain, influential people whose help can never be compensated. We never really got all that we wanted from elected officials regarding this beautiful park. It has become a casino with on-going plans for a large scale development of hotels and shopping. The historic, tree-lined "Sunny Fitzsimmons Path", that was also featured in the Sun Post article, no longer exists.
Rebecca is correct in her thoughts, and more good citizens should run for public office, but just a glimpse inside makes one realize how difficult and corrupt the entire system can be . . . and once inside, can you trust anyone not to sell their soul?
Good Luck to Rebecca in her new job!
Pay attention to staffers... they are the ones who shield the elected and spin information... this one sounds like a win. We need to encourage more innovative thinkers, and less people concerned with profiling politics...
I hope she and Ken can work together to strengthen democracy by increasing turnout and strengthening the people's voice...
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