Obama has had his hands full for the last four years with Republican-dominated legislatures intent on putting up roadblocks and making his a one-term presidency. Perhaps his focus should have been on jobs before he pushed for health care but Americans need both — jobs to pay their bills and medical insurance so that they can stay as healthy as possible. We believe that Obama has done particularly well in foreign affairs and has proven that he cares about the status of women in the U.S. and abroad. Some Blacks criticize him for not being our “Black President.” We do not concur. We see him working to be the president of all U.S. citizens. Let’s be straight — many don’t want Obama back in office because he’s Black. We want him in office because he’s the best candidate for the job. And unlike his opponent, he is not one to change his stripes and his message just to satisfy the audience of the day.
This has been a dog fight from the beginning of the race but we believe that Garcia can get the job done and represent his District well in Washington, D.C. There are too many questions about the ethics of his opponent that remain unanswered for our liking.
Rundle continues to lead the way in prosecuting criminals, working behind the scenes for the greater good of all of Miami-Dade’s residents and pushing against a Republican-dominated task force that has done little to show voters that they are serious about making changes to the current ‘stand your ground’ laws that are currently the law of the our State. In her position she does not have the opportunity to make many friends but she has been saving some lives — while getting dangerous criminals off of our streets.
We support Margolis but with one caveat — it is still unclear exactly what she has done of significance for the Black community. That being said, we believe that given her experience in office, she could and should be doing a lot more to mentor young political hopefuls from the Democratic Party that are energetic and have fresh ideas. Her seat is an important one. We hope that she is preparing the way for the next generation.
Unlike other politicians that have ridden on the coattails of their parents or other family members, Bullard has taken on the issues of south Miami-Dade County, particularly education, and proven that he is a force with which to be reckoned. He is honest, bright and articulate. But more than that, he is accessible to his constituents. We need a person like Dwight Bullard fighting for us in Tallahassee.
We supported Pritchett in the primary and are happy to endorse her again. She has the ability to both talk about the issues and to present solutions. She also has the experience of being a former member of the Miami Gardens City Council which is a plus, since her District includes that City as well as North Miami-Dade County, Pembroke Pines and Miramar. She will get the job done.
Watson is like a breath of fresh air and is one who is always ready to speak her mind, to assess what’s best for her District and to take on anyone who would oppose legislation that benefits her community. Her opponent in the primary suggested that there had been tampering with absentee ballots but nothing more has come to light. As for now, we don’t believe that Watson would cheat her way to the top. She’s shown that hard work is the foundation of her commitment to public service.
After losing in his first effort against Bullard in 2010 for his House seat, McGhee used the next two years to firm up support and to get a better read on the issues of the District. He is one of those candidates that has something to say of relevance. He has new ideas — some even controversial — but given the antics of the Republicans in Tallahassee over the past two years, someone needs to challenge the status quo and offer other solutions. McGhee is just the man for the job.
Lewis Pariente QuinceThese three justices must be retained. Why? Because if not, we open the door for Gov. Rick Scott to appoint Republicans to the State Supreme Court. Given their obvious agenda, that would not bode well for Blacks, college students, the unemployed, ex-felons or senior citizens in Florida. After watching Scott fill other committees and seats with Republicans, we don’t want him to be the deciding factor in who sits on the Bench. We therefore endorse retaining the following three candidates for Justice of the Supreme Court.
This is a race that pits two competent candidates. However, in the primary election we recommended Wallace over her opponent, Andrea Wolfson — a decision that we have made again. This is one of those races where we hate to see anyone lose but based on Wallace making herself a little more accessible to the Black community and showing up in places where it matters most, we give the nod to her.
Edmonson is the current vice chairwoman and has shown that she knows how to maneuver her way within Miami-Dade County government. There are many crucial decisions that must be made in the next four years, no matter who takes the White House. Therefore, we must go with the seasoned veteran who can cut through the red tape and bring tangible results to the District. As for Hardemon, we like his passion and his obvious commitment to his community. He just needs someone to mentor him in order to bring out his full potential.
Barreiro was on Norman Bramen’s “hit list” and survived for a runoff against Luis Garcia. As we recall, he voted for the Mayor’s budget so that more jobs would not be lost in Miami-Dade County and he has positioned himself to work with the Black community. An even-keeled politician, we believe he is the best choice for District 5.
Zapata almost pulled it off in the primary but was a few votes shy, thus a runoff election. We hear that he has shown a willingness to work across the District to help Blacks gain a more equitable footing in economic development. He tends to be rather conservative on social issues but we can live with that.
Constitutional Amendments 1 – 12
If you read each amendment carefully, you’ll notice that one similarity — they all tend to give greater voice to Tallahassee while ignoring the needs of local government and its citizens. We even wonder why the Republicans bothered to shape some of the amendments that are now on the ballot. Complicated language and if/then clauses tend to hide the truth and the real objective. That’s what we see on the ballot from the first amendment to the last. So, let’s make it simple and vote ‘NO’ on all of them. Careful analysis of each shows they are not of benefit to the citizens of Miami-Dade County.
School Board Question
Funding modernization and construction of public school facilities through issuance of General Obligation Bonds ($1.2B)
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has spoken to anyone willing to listen about why this bond is so important to the future of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Some Blacks want him to give something in writing so that we don’t get the kind of broken promises that happened the last time there was a school bond on the ballot. Carvalho says he has kept his promises to the Black community since taking over the helm four years ago. But now our schools are falling down, putting our children at risk while technology is way behind other Districts. Carvalho has said, “a promise made is a promise kept.” We’ll hold him to that.
1) Home Rule Charter Amendment Relating to Term Limits of County Commissioners YES
2) Charter Amendment Requiring Extraordinary Vote to Include
Additional Land within the Urban Development Boundary YES
3) Charter Amendment Regarding Penalties and Enforcement of Citizens’ Bill of Rights YES
4) Charter Amendment Related to Option for Filling Mayoral
or County Commissioner Vacancy YES
5) Charter Amendment Regarding Mayoral Conflicts in
County Procurement YES
6) Referendum Regarding Structures and Modification of Existing Agreements for the Tennis Center at Crandon Park NO
7) Non-Binding Straw Ballot on Funding Improved Animal Services Programs NO
8 ) Non-Binding Straw Ballot on Contracting with Companies
Doing Business with State Sponsors of Terrorism YES
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