Non-voters may help elect Rivera and Rolle in Miami
Al’s Loupe
Non-voters may help elect Rivera and Rolle in Miami
By Alvaro F. Fernandez
alvaro@progresoweekly.com
“Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.” – Andrew Lack
I find it hard to believe that voters, no matter how stupid, would vote for a proven liar and someone who as a Florida state legislator cost taxpayers millions of dollars because of ideology. I also marvel at voters who put their trust on a county commissioner whose record indicates he may be the most ethically challenged elected official (not yet indicted) in Miami-Dade County. The fact is, though, that both State Rep. David Rivera and County Commissioner Dorrin Rolle may end up celebrating victories on Election Day, Tuesday Nov. 2.
Yes, midterm elections are less than two weeks away. And in Miami we have some important decisions to make. Sadly, pundits tell us that a great majority of the people eligible to vote, including those already registered, will not visit the polls on that day. And that, my friends, is a travesty.
Floridians should be enthused with a hotly contested governor’s race, a senate campaign that may elect a Tea Partier, descendent of Cuban parents, and tight congressional and local races. Yet, we are expecting a turnout of 30-something percent. Considered good.
Those sad turnout numbers may ultimately be the reason that Rivera beats Joe Garcia and Rolle stands a chance against Jean Monestine. And neither Rivera nor Rolle deserves to win their respective elections. Both are poster bad boys for almost everything that’s wrong with politicians today; they are liars, corrupt, both have held powerful posts and used them for all the wrong reasons while thumbing their noses at their constituents.
By now, if you live in Miami, you know what’s at stake with these races. In Rivera we may get a serial liar elected to congressional District 25. In Rivera we have a person who has denied knowing one of his best friends. Who ran someone off a dangerous interstate highway because he was afraid the mail-outs the truck carried would hurt his chances of getting elected. A person who refuses to tell voters who pays him. And most glaring, I believe, and ignored to date… I find it odd that I’ve never seen David Rivera’s family, or at least mention of his family. Imagine that, a member of the party of family values, and I ask you: Have you ever seen David Rivera refer to his parents? A photo with his mother? Does he have a brother, a sister? Check out his website, not a word.
Thinking back, the only time you ever heard Rivera’s mother mentioned was a Miami Herald report where it states she received money from a contractor Rivera now claims was a sub-contractor. Money that came from someone David refuses to name…
David Rivera is mysterious – and dangerous.
As for Dorrin Rolle, why isn’t this guy in jail? As county commissioner in District 2, he has voted in favor of funding a social services agency (JESCA) he headed and then drove bankrupt. All the while making sure he got paid his $200,000 a year salary in spite of the fact he couldn’t pay employees and produce the services he was being given money for. Running against Rolle is Jean Monestine, a Haitian American who once served as council member in North Miami. Any way you slice it the county needs a Haitian American point of view on the commission. And the truth is this guy can’t be worse than Rolle.
But, and it’s a big but… if voters don’t go out to vote, both Rivera and Rolle may come out victorious on November 2nd. And that would not serve Miami well.
So I ask you to inform me I’m wrong. I want you to write to me on the 3rd of November to tell me that turnout on Election Day was so large that sensible people in this county got rid of two of the most horrible politicians we’ve had around here in a while.
In the meantime, get ready for Senator Marco Rubio. But that’s another story.
Please vote on Tuesday, November 2.
