Conexión Miami / It is time for Jaime Suchlicki’s departure

Progreso Weekly recommends that our readers contact University of Miami president Julio Frenk and suggest that it is time to retire (or fire) UM professor Jaime Suchlicki. President Frenk’s email address is president@miami.edu. Of course, you can always call his office at 305-284-5155. Last week Progreso Weekly editor Alvaro Fernandez wrote a column suggesting Suchlicki be fired for fabricating false information as director of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban American Studies (ICCAS). Trying to drive a wedge between the American and Cuban governments, ICCAS released an uncorroborated release they described as analysis, claiming that Cuban military personnel would be deployed in Syria in support of Assad and the Russians. Of course, Suchlicki might also want to do the right thing and quit.

Marco the savior

‘The Republican Savior,’ read the 2013 Time magazine cover. Slowly but surely Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign is starting to make some into believers. Still not leading the pack and not even in second place, Florida’s Senator Rubio is looking more and more like someone Republicans can stand behind and hope to take on the Hillary Clinton juggernaut. Jeb Bush, who many thought would be the one next year, seems to have peaked politically as governor of Florida almost a decade ago. Campaigning cautiously while allowing the Trump riff faff and the Ben Carson phenomena to slowly burn out, it seems that Rubio is waiting for the right opportunity to pounce. And as The Washington Post recently reported: “He is trying not to peak now. Rubio’s strategy is to become the momentum candidate at just the right moment: Not in October, not in November, but right around New Year’s, before Republicans start caucusing and voting on Feb. 1.” Only time will tell.

Latinos a major force in Florida

The growing political influence of Puerto Ricans and other Hispanic groups (not counting Cuban Americans) in Florida is obvious. If one needs further proof just turn to the 2012 presidential election in Florida and study the results. Further proof is the fact that not one, but three national groups have set up headquarters in Orlando readying for next year’s presidential election. Opening offices are Latino Justice PRLDEF, an organization that works to protect the rights of Latinos throughout the country and in Puerto Rico; also here is Hispanic Federation and the Latino Leadership Institute.

Expensive Miami Beach land

One acre of land is a bit more than 43,000 square feet of dirt, rocks, weeds and whatever scraps of junk you might find on it. But they say that the value of real estate has everything to do with location. The Miami Herald recently reported that a Chinese developer paid $38.5 million for a

.98-acre Miami Beach lot. The previous owner had paid $4.06 million for the same piece of dirt in 2010. The land, by the way, is beachfront property. Still, think of it this way, the Chinese paid almost 1,000 dollars for every square foot they purchased.

A one percenter’s wonderland

And while we’re on the subject of Miami Beach. The city seems to be projecting itself as a place where only the one percenters, in other words, the rich, can come and enjoy this wonderland by the Atlantic Ocean. Almost 40 million for one acre of land, a penthouse that recently sold for $60 million. And now we understand that parking rates in the city will soon be raised. Parking in South Beach will soon be raised to $4 an hour for a parking meter on the street. Word is they want to raise tickets for the meters to $95. They are currently at $18. In other words, city leaders seem to want to keep out those who can’t afford the ‘their’ beach…

Bush flailing for votes

Jeb Bush believes in privatizing most everything. It’s a family thing, we feel. It allows them (when running governments) to then pass on rich contracts to family and family friends. Attempting to instill some life to a dying campaign, Jeb this past week tried selling his plan to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s health care law with one that would increase tax credits for individuals, allowing them to buy coverage protection against “high-cost medical events.” According to the Associated Press, “experts say any plan to repeal the federal mandates and reduce insurance subsidies under the current law would increase the number of uninsured. The number of people without health insurance coverage declined to 33 million in 2014, down from 42 million in 2013, according to the latest Census figures.”

Debbie being Debbie

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Cuba-hating Democrat friend of Mario Diaz-Balart and Mauricio Claver-Carone from Broward County and also the Democratic National Committee chairwoman, continues to be a distracting force behind and not so behind the scenes in Democratic Party politics. A couple of weeks back, after the first Democratic debate held in Las Vegas, it appears that Debbie got into a tiff with vice chair of the Committee, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. It was reported that the party rescinded Rep. Gabbard’s debate invitation after she spoke out about rules limiting the number of debates and punishing candidates if they agree to participate in unsanctioned events. Hillary Clinton’s challengers have complained limiting the number of debates to six benefits the well-known former secretary of state.

Florida olive oil

Some Florida farmers seem to be interested in growing olive trees. There’s money to be made when you find oil. But in this case, it’s planted and the fruit produces the kind of oil we sprinkle on our salads and other foods. The Orlando Sentinel reported this week that in recent years as the number of citrus groves in Florida has declined, researchers have found success with alternative crops — such as grapes, blueberries, peaches and now olive trees — that do well in the sandy citrus soil. In Florida, we found out, it takes 45 to 55 pounds of olives to produce a gallon of quality olive oil. It might be difficult to beat out the Spaniards and Italians who have been producing oil for centuries.