Caramba

Thank you for the emails folks. One of them contained an interesting that inspired me to kick my monitor.

FL-25: Oy vey. Sometimes I just don't understand why things like this happen. Businesswoman Annette Taddeo-Goldstein, whom you'll remember from her run against GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in FL-18 in 2008 (minus the "-Goldstein" back then), is accusing state Rep. Luis Garcia of falsely claiming she'd endorsed his bid for Congress against troubled GOP freshman David Rivera. Garcia of course denies the charge, but seriously, wtf?

Well, if you have a particularly good memory (like ndrwmls10), you may recall that last June, Dave Catanese reported that Taddeo-Goldstein was going to launch a her own campaign against Rivera "in the next 30 to 60 days." Obviously that never came to pass, but it also explains why Garcia was so interested in claiming Taddeo-Goldstein's endorsement, and why—if she's still contemplating the race—she wouldn't want to give it. Nevertheless, this is an ugly, unnecessary mess, but it also makes me wonder: Whatever happened to Taddeo-Goldstein's planned bid?"

This story has two points that stick in my throat. 1) Why the heck is Louis Garcia using Annette's name? I'm not in fantasy land, all these politicians use everyone else's information from prior races against their opponents. The difference is not all of them outright say the name of the last candidates in the area. From talking to people I hear he's done the same with Joe Garcia. MEMO: STOP USING THEIR NAMES. If you're so incompetent you can't raise money against a guy with federal investigations over his head and tremendous disapproval ratings who hasn't done shit for the district, then give up and let someone else take over. Which is why I hear he's being dissuaded from continuing and is being pushed to switch over to city or county commission depending on who you ask. Good riddance. But this just shows how useless the DCCC is that they backed the wrong horse on this.

2) Taddeo-Goldstein needs to be brought down a peg or 17. She might be brilliant as a businesswoman but let's be clear about this, she's not a political figure. Here she is busting someone's chops who's actually won and done something. I'm not Garcia's biggest fan, but he's in a hard as nails district and still wins. He's liked. He's been effective in positions before. Taddeo got her ass kicked by a well known political foe and then got steamrolled because she gave 40% effort on a small race she should have dominated. I've heard plenty of excuses for her behavior from friends. You don't put this out publicly. How does she expect to be treated seriously?

Annette; you seem to think Florida House or Senate is beneath you. Your hot shot friends have backed you and you can fundraise way too well for such a small race. I just want to point out you'll never get to Congress without being there and that representing Floridians and testing your legislative skills is an honor and a challenge to see if you'd be good. So far you are an egotist who thinks something is owed to her. You are owed nothing. You make your own headway in politics. If you want to be a sideline player keep doing what your doing. But if you want to get on the field, make some sacrifices and go help your state. That's if your ego doesn't get in the way. Also, stop doing stupid things like this which just cause resentment among the ground troops in the party.

It's been a long time

Your favorite blue blogger is back on a supremely inconsistent basis. Since my last post I've gone through marriage, the birth of my first child and the purchasing of my first property. So I my time is limited by waking up at 5 AM because my son decides he wants attention or that he couldn't sleep. Don't expect blogging masterpieces.

Having said that expect slow news drips. For those of you not familiar with this blog; read it.

I break news on the Democratic Party and make fun of the Republican party. If you're wondering what inspired my return it's having heard this was coming down two days ago.

I'd also like to send a special message to Senator Steinberg: You're an ass. Thank God it's a safely Democratic seat. I'm sure Democrats across the county will appreciate this stupidity.

The dozens of messages, sent over the course of more than three months last fall, were sent from a phone that used software to disguise the number.

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2012/02/under-federal-inquiry-dem-rep-steinberg-admits-sending-sexxxy-stalker-type-emails-to-federal-prosecu.html#storylink=cpy

Nice job. Just resign ASAP before you do progressives actual harm moron.

Democracy gets kicked in the face

I have very little to add to this post as it communicates overwhelmingly my thoughts as to what happened in District 112. I have to say Rep. Luis Garcia has not always been my favorite Democrats but he has nailed this spot on.

Sandra Ruiz (Democrat-Doral) is now facing an uphill battle thanks to Johnny Farias (Douchebag) and Jeanette Nunez (Opportunist Republican). With the information I've received showing that Ruiz was leading the Republican in the race, she manipulated the neophyte that is Farias into joining her in a lawsuit that removed her from the ballot.

If I were...say Ana Rivas Logan, I'd be crapping my pants now.

But that's a separate issue. The issue at hand is that Johnny Farias, who has been running one of the dirtiest, behind the scenes campaigns one could imagine for over a year now, has finally found a way to beat Sandra Ruiz. Not at the ballot box where he'd have his ass handed to him.

I have to say that this win at any cost mentality may be good for Johnny's short term political legacy. It's bad for democracy, it's bad for the voters and I hope this sticks in the minds of local Democrats for a long time yet. When one of your own takes away your best opportunity at picking up a house seat and when they do it through these means...says volumes.

I think this matter is pathetic, and if through the stay, Mrs. Ruiz is allowed to be on the ballot and ultimately wins on appeal. I hope she crushes him. I'm glad that the underhanded tactics aren't working with Rep. Garcia or other high level Democrats. Former State Representative and now PSC commissioner Ron Brise pulled his endorsement from Farias after taking so many calls against Farias. When devoted Democrats like Joe Geller and Annette Taddeo stand up for you, it says plenty to me.

Johnny Farias may win the battle, but he'll lose the war, and inadvertently, he'll cost his wife the chance to win her seat as well.

Farias states:

"That's not a chance I am willing to take. We have to be unselfish. Did we want a democrat in the general election, yes or no? If she had been removed we would have had no democrat in the race. Whats better to have a Democrat or no Democrat?"

So let me ask him, when the David Rivera-esque charges about domestic violence come out against him in the general, is he ready for that? Hey, I'm just being unselfish and asking some questions that will be put to him.

Let me tell ya'll something else; to have a Democrat like that, I'd rather not have a Democrat in the race.

Is supporting Kendrick Meek viable?

I don't want folks to get me wrong here, I usually support the most progressive candidate in a race and usually in Miami it's our Democratic Party nominee. The reality though is that Kendrick Meek's half assed campaign, now about 18 months old, has failed the Democratic Party of Florida. He hasn't expanded his coalition, his field organizers are rarely seen and heard from. I see very few supporters that are non-establishment types. When Jeff Green, a former Republican with a whole resume that is bad for political purposes is picking up large numbers with his unprecedented and daunting $40 million its pretty telling. The primary is interesting. Check out this story from the Miami Herald. I don't like Green, but he's stronger than Meek for the general.

The latest poll from the Chamber of Commerce (who's polling I don't even remotely trust) is weird. I'm wondering if they're unsure of whom they are supporting so far. It's shows a blowout win for Charlie Crist but like every other poll shows about 15 points for Meek. What's sad here is that the reality is that Kendrick isn't even close to competitive. Crist is winning over Democrats. Every teacher in the state is going for him.

So I think the question I'll pose to my readers is this: Is it time to hedge our bets and support Sun Tan Charlie?

Critics "don't know the facts"

Just a quick blog post on President Obama's press conference today. As Politico headlines he actually said:

“Those who think that we were either slow in our responses or lacked urgency don’t know the facts. This has been our highest priority since this crisis occurred,” Obama said during a rare news conference in the White House East Room. “We understood from day one the potential enormity of this crisis and acted accordingly.”

I'm a supporter of the President. But his I'm smarter than you act is wearing thin on me. It was his Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel saying that those progressives who don't sit idly and go after Blanche Lincoln type Democrats were "fucking stupid". There are other examples but I'm too lazy to go google things for you, my dear reader.

Yes, the President is privy to information that we don't. That doesn't make him our intellectual superior or the average citizen an idiot. It makes him able to make judgements and come to a conclusion better than we can. But the country, already frustrated with the federal governments' slow response and terrible lack of following through on existing laws, doesn't need to be looked down on by our leader. It needs an efficient and good Commander in Chief who doesn't allow for hundreds of gallons of oil to spill and is to worried about not stepping on the neck of British Petroleum. Who cares about them? The damage they've caused has already altered our environment for decades.

Is anyone surprised by this?

A Gallup Poll released Thursday found that 53 percent of Americans rate Obama’s performance on the oil spill as “poor” or “very poor.” The federal government came out worse at 60 percent. And worse still was BP, at 73 percent “poor” or “very poor.”

As that article goes on to say:

No less a Democratic ally than James Carville, now living in his native Louisiana, bashed Obama Wednesday for what he called the “political stupidity” of his response to the Gulf crisis. “I have no idea of why their attitude was so hands off here,” Mr. Carville said Wednesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

I'd say Carville knows a thing or two and isn't "stupid." What's more, he has nothing to gain by attacking or defending this administration.

Sometimes Mr. President, the public can see the Emperor's robes. We know when a mistake has been made, and this time it's your fault.