New chairman meets party members informally

It was a pleasure to meet our new Miami-Dade County chairman, Richard Lydecker, and hear his aims for moving ahead. We are a group that needs moving ahead, if only from the unfortunate reputation of being dysfunctional. I’ll grant that meetings of our Democratic Executive Committee can be tiresome, but we are the people who made a big contribution last year to electing Barack Obama president and this year we have helped Democrats gain local office. This is a lot more than dysfunctional, and before Richard Lydecker was named to chair the DEC, there was considerable agitation to fire up the nucleus of the highly effective campaign arms of 2008.


Your blogger is not going to retell the individual stories that led to the decision by state party Chair Karen Thurman to replace BJ Chiszar as county chairman. It happened. By the luck of my surgeon’s schedule, I was under anesthesia when BJ was ousted and for most of the next week I was on my back with icepacks on the incision where my hernia was repaired, and so the temptation to mix it up, blogwise, was lost on me and my pain pills. Just as well. I have not wanted this blog to dwell on personal matters but rather on issues. On local matters, especially, I try to avoid gossip. The blog is open to Democratic candidates at any level, but I hope those who take up the offer will not attack Democratic primary opponents on these electrons. For the general election, all gloves may be taken off.

That said, it was a pretty happy group that got together Monday evening in the ground-floor restaurants where Lydecker has his law offices on Brickell Avenue in downtown Miami. The Steering Committee was the vehicle for the meeting but close to 40 people attended, as many activists had also been invited. No formal meeting ever happened; instead, people talked in groups, ate, drank, acted like Democrats and introduced themselves and their hobbyhorse issues to Lydecker individually. Finally, someone convinced him to talk to the group.

His main job, he said, was to develop a plan to go forward. He wants to help Democratic candidates gain office, to elect Florida’s first woman governor (Alex Sink), to elect the state’s first African-American US senator (Kendrick Meek), to elect a Democratic attorney general and thus control the state cabinet. And he wants to have good DEC meetings to draw out the membership and let them see leading Democratic candidates. His official message can be found on the DEC Website.

On the topic of more functional, Lydecker said the DEC office would be moved to Miami Beach to be a neighbor of the national Democratic campaign arm, Organizing for America, and the party should be able to provide tools like buses and polls to make things happen.

First up is the mid-December gala, Florida Blue Celebration, in a little more than two weeks. Let’s get up a big turnout for this event and launch ourselves to the election year of 2010. As first vice chair Daisy Black said, “I want to go into 2010 on a united front.”

One place for this to start is at the gala: Firefighters Memorial Building, 800 NW 21st Street, Doral FL 33122, 7 pm Friday Dec. 18. Sign up here.

UPDATE: From the content of this little blog post, it seems as if the elusive Blue in Miami blogger was at the same event I attended with Lydecker.

New members piling in to Miami-Dade Democratic Party

Here's a quick few seconds of video from the Monday night meeting of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. Late in the agenda new members came forward to be sworn in, and there were almost two dozen! Great work by our recruiters and the credentials committee that made sure the applications were in order.

Chairman BJ Chiszar said there were about 70 people still in the pipeline now to be awarded membership in the Democratic Executive Committee, as the official body is known. We're heading for a membership close to 400.

Health Care Forum on Monday June 1

This is a time probably like no other in our lives to have an impact on policy regarding health care. We know there will be something new coming out of the federal government in the coming months, and the question is, will it be any good?

As one who’s on Medicare now for three years, may I say that this is not government health care like our pioneer and buffalo-hunter ancestors would have despised if they had known what the future would bring to those lifeless European socialist countries. Medicare is just like what I had before, though the copays and premiums are higher now. I get the doctors and pills that I choose and need. I don’t try for more doctor appointments – already there are way too many – and I fact I try to cut back and consolidate: my cardiologist also is my primary care doctor, so one appointment kills two birds in one bush, I like to think.

This is medical care to treat my ailments and also checkups to make sure I’m not coming down with something new – what tens of millions of our fellow citizens (and many mere resident taxpayers) need to keep their chins up and shoulders to the grindstones.

Yes, this is single-payer, or sort of. We all pay premiums throughout our working life and into retirement, and the system should provide checkups at appropriate intervals as well as treatment when we’re sick. (Let’s not forget dental! There’s an area that needs better care.)

In the Miami Herald today there’s a story about a new health plan coming in Miami-Dade County, said to be a model of affordable health insurance, perhaps a model for the nation. Wow, it says a healthy 35-year-old man could get coverage for $100 a month. What a deal for the insurer. A healthy 35-year-old probably needs one checkup every five years, costing about $100. Meanwhile, he’s paid $6,000 in premiums, and when he gets old and sick his premiums probably will skyrocket like one of those balloon mortgages.

This may be a deal for some people who are desperate, but for a society struggling with extremely high costs for health care and drugs, it seems here that the public option and single-payer are superior for this nation.

Here’s a commercial for our forum on health care. Y’all do come. You can say what you want, hear from experts some telling detail about our situation in Miami-Dade, and plan action.




When: Monday June 1, 7 p.m.
Where: American Legion Hall, 6445 NE 7th Ave., Miami (on 64th Street just east of Biscayne Boulevard).

Footnote: Single-payer is a big fat misnomer in the present state of health care in this country. I pay a monthly premium to Medicare (and did for decades while working), I pay a monthly premium to Aetna for my supplemental insurance, yet there are still copays and annual minimums for office visits, and out-of-pocket costs for medications rise more steeply than anything else, though I have insurance for pills.

Single payer? More like quintuple payer.

Welcome new members to Miami-Dade Democratic Party

The swearing in:



More loyal Democrats came on board the Miami-Dade Democratic Party Monday as they were sworn in to membership in the Democratic Executive Committee.

Gotta say that some were on the verge of leaving a meeting repeatedly made dreary by objections to the agenda. Is this a way to enliven the party?

DEC elections Wednesday

Time for a reminder:

We Miami-Dade Democrats are electing new officers to four-year terms.

• When: Wednesday Dec. 3, 6 p.m. for sign-in, 7 p.m. to start.
• Bring a photo ID, especially if you're a newly elected member.
  
• Where: Miami Association of Firefighters Local 587, 2980 NW South River Drive in Miami
• Google Maps link: 2980 nw s river drive miami fl - Google Search
• What: Elect officers of our Democratic Executive Committee, the Miami-Dade party leadership.

This blog is remaining neutral and will only list the offices and names of those who have said they are contending. Since the first post on this last week, several names have emerged as candidates, and this may not be the final list. Nominations are open until the last minute, and someone who loses an early contest can be nominated for a later contest.

Several offices have more than two people planning to run, so there may be runoffs. Be prepared for a long and lively night with your Democratic friends.

Here are the positions and candidates as known to this blog Monday afternoon:

For Chair:

--BJ Chiszar

--Eric Copeland

--Dave Patlak

For First Vice Chair

--Daisy Black

--Bess McElroy

For State Committeeman

--Bret Berlin

--Brad Brown

--Dr. Thomas Pinder

For State Committeewoman

--Ann-Lynn Denker

--Verna Lewis Edington

--Teresa Gevalda

--Millie Herrera

Secretary

--Charlotte Klieman

--Fanny Olmo

Treasurer

--Paul Barthole

For Program Vice Chair

--Elizabeth Collins

For Outreach Vice Chair

--Henry Crespo Sr.

A resource for the rules: The Bylaws, on MiamiDadeDemocrats.com.

This may be risky but I’m going to suggest also that candidates can post platform info by adding a comment to this blog post. To get started on a comment, click on the hotlink at the end of the post where it says "0 comment" or "1 comment," etc. The editor reserves the power to remove and stop comments.

Good luck to all!

Candidates’ forum for Miami-Dade Democrats’ elections

UPDATE: An updated post on this topic went up on Monday Dec. 1, at this link.

Dec. 3 is the date of our elections for officers in the Miami-Dade Democratic Party. The location is the Miami Association of Firefighters Local 587 at 2980 NW South River Drive in Miami, a balmy location on the lovely Miami River. Here's a Google Maps link to the address: 2980 nw s river drive miami fl - Google Search

Be there at 6 p.m. on Wednesday Dec. 3 for a careful sign-in procedure to make sure you’re a voting member of the DEC, our Democratic Executive Committee, and to receive ballots.

At stake are all the officers’ slots for the next four years: the chairman (only men are running this year), the first vice chair (who must be opposite gender of the chair, and thus only women are running), the state committeeman and state committeewoman, the vice chair for programs, the vice chair for outreach, the secretary and the treasurer.

A candidates’ forum was held Tuesday night at the American Legion hall in Miami, with some 50 people attending to hear candidates state their platforms and respond to written questions moderated by Wendy Sejour, president of Democracy for America Miami-Dade.

The forum will happen again on election night, so if you missed the first one, it’ll be on again, sort of like the presidential debates but with no ending time ordained by TV schedules. Bring a snack.

Your blogger is remaining neutral in this contest, so I’ll just name the candidates in alphabetical order and not try to avoid misquoting their campaign speeches by not quoting them at all.

FOR CHAIRMAN:

--BJ Chiszar

--Eric Copeland

For First Vice Chair

--Daisy Black

--Bess McElroy

For State Committeeman

--Bret Berlin

--Dr. Thomas Pinder

For State Committeewoman

--Ann-Lynn Denker

--Teresa Gevalda

--Millie Herrera

Secretary

--Charlotte Klieman

--Fanny Olmo

For Program Vice Chair

--Elizabeth Collins

For Outreach Vice Chair

--Henry Crespo Sr.

--Dave Patlak

Nominations remain open until the voting, so this list is not complete. No one spoke up for treasurer, for instance. The election process is fluid and someone who loses an early contest can run for an office contested later on election night. This is your hint to read the Bylaws, which are on the MiamiDadeDemocrats.com website.

Voting members of the DEC are hearing from some of the candidates by phone, mail and email. Those who weren’t at the candidates’ forum and don’t know the candidates may email this blog, and I’ll try to put them in touch with the candidates directly.

This may be risky but I’m going to suggest also that candidates can post platform info by adding a comment to this blog post. Please limit comments to 250 words. To get started on a comment, click on the hotlink at the end of the post where it says "0 comment" or "1 comment," etc. The editor reserves the power to remove and stop comments.

Good luck to all!

New Executive Committee members to hold orientation meeting

The eager Democrats who will form the core of activists for the next four years meet tonight for orientation. It’s at the American Legion, 6:30-8:30 p.m, 6445 NW 7th Ave., Miami 33137. That's the official street address, and to get there drive on Biscayne Boulevard to 64th Street, and turn east until you reach the Legion.

They were elected (or were unopposed) in the Aug. 26 primary to membership in the Democratic Executive Committee, or DEC, the leadership body of the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party. The term is four years.

Now we have a big victory under our belts, and it’s time to expand into the more difficult local tasks. My #1 nomination is to tackle gerrymandering. Why does Florida have more Democrats than Republicans but still has a state legislature almost two-thirds Republican? Our electoral districts are crazily formed to favor the incumbents who drew the district lines. This must be curbed, and I won’t be surprised to see people handing out petitions to end gerrymandering.

UPDATE: Mark your calendars for Wednesday Dec. 3: the date of the first meeting of the newly elected Executive Committee. This is our election day, to choose officers and set the course for a more Democratic future. (DEC Chairman Bret Berlin announced this date in a newsletter sent on Nov. 23.)

Those running for office are encouraged to send platform/profile information to this blog and it will be published.

A candidates forum will be held on Tuesday Nov. 25 at the American Legion. 

Look at these Democrats! YouTube stars!

What could we do with a fancy studio and some camera skills? There's talent aplenty in our ranks.

Orientation for new members of Miami-Dade Democrats

Your blogger was at one of a series of orientation meetings for new members of the Democratic Executive Committee, or DEC. Remember? There was an election Aug. 29 along with the primary, and Miami-Dade Democrats have a new roster of precinct committeemen and committeewomen, and quite a few are new to party activism and leadership.

This event on Monday was at Betty's Burgers on US 1 at 104th Street, so we all had something to eat while learning about the draft slate, the rules for early and absentee voting, who's up for election, what the Florida Secretary of State says about ID at the polls, where all the campaign offices are, and WHAT TO DO!

Chairman Bret Berlin packed a lot of info into a one-cheeseburger meeting, and everybody went home chanting www.my.barackobama.com.

About 35 were in attendance, and they all had a minute or so to say what had caused them to get up off the couch and volunteer for election. "I got an email," said one person, then another, and another, and another, and down the line. It was quite a testimony to the power of the email ask.

Calling all Veterans

Miami-Dade Democrats have a new sub-organization, the veterans committee. It had its organizational meeting a few weeks ago, and last night a core group met again to discuss next steps. The chair is Lettie J. Bien, a retired Army Reserve colonel and Iraq War veteran, and she’d like to hear from you, especially if you’re a veteran and member of the Democratic Executive Committee. Those who aren’t veterans but want to be active in veterans’ affairs are also welcome to join the committee. Send your contact info to her at ljbesq-at-aol.com.

We are meeting on second Mondays. Notice I said we there. I’m a veteran, too – 40 years ago I was a recently mustered-out veteran of a year in Vietnam as a rifle platoon leader’s radio operator.

Committee mission: to represent the Democratic Party to veterans, and to represent veterans to the Democratic Party.

While thinking veterans: In Tuesday’s Miami Herald the op-ed page has a reminder that Sen. McWar – I mean John McCain – hasn’t had time to decide whether to support the bipartisan new GI Bill. Authors Wesley K. Clark and Jon Solz of VoteVets.org point out that McCain, for all the power he gets from his military service, is far from a leader in taking care of veterans.

I’m guessing that he has drunk the White House Kool-Aid, which is summarized in this op-ed as follows:

The White House has voiced concern about the bill, arguing that if returning troops are offered a good education, they will choose college over extending their service. This is as offensive as it is absurd.

Well said.

Bret Berlin new county Democratic chair; Solidarity the issue

Candidates Daisy Black, Bret Berlin and Kevin Burns before the vote.

Miami-Dade Democrats have a new chairman, Bret Berlin, our hard-charging state committeeman, and a new determination to face up to an issue of solidarity.

The Democratic Executive Committee elected Berlin Monday night on the first ballot over two challengers, Kevin Burns, the mayor of North Miami, and Daisy Black, the former mayor of El Portal. Berlin had 88 votes, to 37 for Burns and 8 for Black.

The meeting took place in an atmosphere of concern over a P. 1 report in the Sunday Miami Herald that laid out the distance between our two elected Democratic members of Congress, Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) and Kendrick Meek (FL-17), and the three Democrats challenging the three Republican incumbent members of Congress in the county.

This blog covered this in depth Sunday, and the topic was the talk of the lobby before the special election meeting began. The Executive Committee had to have the election to replace Joe Garcia, who resigned in February to run for Congress in District 25.

Kevin Burns brought up the issue during his campaign speech before the vote, saying, “I cannot believe two elected congresspeople have the nerve to stand up and say they’re not going to support their fellow Democrats.” This won strong applause from some 200 people in the American Legion hall. He proposed to “reach out and work together” to deal with the issue.

After the vote was announced, Berlin said in his acceptance remarks that he would use the next meeting in April to make sure that the county party strongly supports the three Democrats running against the incumbent Republicans.

“I too was appalled when I read in the Miami Herald that certain elected officials think that they have the right to anoint who can run and not run. That’s not their right. That’s our right,’ he said.

Berlin is taking up most of the last year of a four-year term as chair of the county party. Joe Garcia had held it for a year after Jimmy Morales resigned in early 2007, saying he did not have the time required to run the party in a crucial election cycle.

In the meantime, three strong candidates have emerged to run against Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, in Districts 21, 25 and 18, respectively. In addition to Joe Garcia, who’s taking on Mario Diaz-Balart, businesswoman Annette Taddeo is running against Ros-Lehtinen, and former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez is taking on Lincoln Diaz-Balart.

Berlin announced that the party raised over $35,000 at a fund-raiser last month, giving some seed money to get rolling in a busy election year.

On March 10 elect one of the 3 B's

This post originally declared the election would be held on Feb. 27, but it has been set back to March 10.

Mark your calendars, please. We will elect a new chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party next Wednesday to replace Joe Garcia, who resigned to run for Congress.

The candidates, in alphabetical order, are:

--Bret Berlin, state committeeman

--Daisy Black, former mayor of the Village of El Portal

--Kevin Burns, mayor of North Miami.

Others may declare their candidacy up to the election meeting. The winner will complete the last part of the four-year term that Joe Garcia took on a year ago.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Monday March 10 -- the regular monthly meeting -- in the usual place, the American Legion just east of Biscayne Boulevard on 64th Street.

Candidates may feel free to post their platforms in the comments section.

That’s it for Joe Garcia at head of Miami-Dade Democratic Party

Due to his campaign for Congress, Joe Garcia stepped down Monday as chairman of the Miami-Dade Democrats. A new election was scheduled for Wednesday Feb. 27.

Candidates may wait until a special meeting of the Democratic Executive Committee on that date to announce themselves, but this blog will gladly post the names of any who wish to run.

Joe Garcia was chairman for an eventful year in which our profile in South Florida was heightened. He’s one of three strong candidates stepping forward for the U.S. House of representatives – along with former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez and businesswoman Annette Taddeo – and this corner hopes that the next chair will be ready for progress and success.

Thanks, Joe!

No to Jan. 29 property tax referendum

Miami-Dade Democrats are against the property tax referendum that will be part of the Jan. 29 voting exercise. Explanation will follow, but first:

YES! Do vote on Jan. 29. DO NOT swallow any of the negative commentary trying to make you think that your vote for the presidential nominee will be worthless, just because of the fuss over primary dates.

As Nancy Pelosi and others have said: The person who emerges in the lead after the caucuses and primaries will become the party leader and will surely rule in favor of seating the Florida delegation at the Denver convention. Who would be so insane as to snub Florida at that point? Who would snub 27 electoral votes?

With that out of the way, we have to consider what else will be on the ballot, and the biggest item is the lightly considered proposal to amend the state constitution to change property tax rules. I confess that the full details escape me. Those who’ve looked at the verbiage that emerged from the legislature say it may be page after page on the voting screen. I’ll provide a link below to the full text. Here comes the news:

The December meeting of the Democratic Executive Committee voted to oppose Amendment #1 on “Property tax exemptions; Limitations on property tax assessments.” The DEC vote was largely on grounds that the result would be budgetary hardship for public education, first responders and public officials and services. And that most property tax-payers would save so little money that their financial burden would not be eased.

Chairman Joe Garcia said more thoughtful work needed to be done by the tax and budget reform committee in Tallahassee.

The decision to oppose the measure was made by a voice vote of over 100 people attending the Dec. 10 meeting.

Here, thanks to DEC Secretary Charlotte Klieman, who made the motion, is official information on the referendum proposal:

PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS; LIMITATIONS ON PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENTS

Reference: ARTICLE VII, SECTIONS 3, 4, AND 6; ARTICLE XII, SECTION 27 Summary: Link to full text This revision proposes changes to the State Constitution relating to property taxation. With respect to homestead property, this revision: (1) increases the homestead exemption except for school district taxes and (2) allows homestead property owners to transfer up to $500,000 of their Save-Our-Homes benefits to their next homestead. With respect to nonhomestead property, this revision (3) provides a $25,000 exemption for tangible personal property and (4) limits assessment increases for specified nonhomestead real property except for school district taxes. In more detail, this revision: (1) Increases the homestead exemption by exempting the assessed value between $50,000 and $75,000. This exemption does not apply to school district taxes. (2) Provides for the transfer of accumulated Save-Our-Homes benefits. Homestead property owners will be able to transfer their Save-Our-Homes benefit to a new homestead within 1 year and not more than 2 years after relinquishing their previous homestead; except, if this revision is approved by the electors in January of 2008 and if the new homestead is established on January 1, 2008, the previous homestead must have been relinquished in 2007. If the new homestead has a higher just value than the previous one, the accumulated benefit can be transferred; if the new homestead has a lower just value, the amount of benefit transferred will be reduced. The transferred benefit may not exceed $500,000. This provision applies to all taxes. (3) Authorizes an exemption from property taxes of $25,000 of assessed value of tangible personal property. This provision applies to all taxes. (4) Limits the assessment increases for specified nonhomestead real property to 10 percent each year. Property will be assessed at just value following an improvement, as defined by general law, and may be assessed at just value following a change of ownership or control if provided by general law. This limitation does not apply to school district taxes. This limitation is repealed effective January 1, 2019, unless renewed by a vote of the electors in the general election held in 2018. Further, this revision: a. Repeals obsolete language on the homestead exemption when it was less than $25,000 and did not apply uniformly to property taxes levied by all local governments. b. Provides for homestead exemptions to be repealed if a future constitutional amendment provides for assessment of homesteads "at less than just value" rather than as currently provided "at a specified percentage" of just value. c. Schedules the changes to take effect upon approval by the electors and operate retroactively to January 1, 2008, if approved in a special election held on January 29, 2008, or to take effect January 1, 2009, if approved in the general election held in November of 2008. The limitation on annual assessment increases for specified real property shall first apply to the 2009 tax roll if this revision is approved in a special election held on January 29, 2008, or shall first apply to the 2010 tax roll if this revision is approved in the general election held in November of 2008.

Achievement Award for Bennett Brummer

Retiring Public Defender Bennett Brummer (left) and Carlos Martinez, who is running to succeed him, with Joe Garcia, Democratic Party chairman.


The Honorable Bennett Brummer received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Miami-Dade Democratic Party Monday for his "longstanding contributions to our community and for his enduring commitment and passion in upholding the principles of Democracy and of the Democratic Party."

Brummer has been elected eight times to be the county's public defender, and is retiring at the end of his term next year.

Also honored at the Democratic Executive Committee's monthly meeting and holiday party were James Willoughby, Kristin Wipior and Barbara Schwartz. They received plaques honoring them as Volunteers of the Year for many hours of work on Democratic business.

Your blogger, Larry Thorson, was honored as "Committee Chair of the Year for 2007" for work on the communications side of the Democratic Party.

Many thanks to all!

Two nice victories in Miami-Dade municipal elections

Jonah Wolfson (red cap) checking returns on election night.

A whopping landslide for Marc Sarnoff for Miami city commission and a big margin for Jonah Wolfson for Miami Beach city commission – they add up to a satisfying election night for the Miami-Dade Democratic Party.

Not so good for three underdogs running in Homestead and Hialeah with the party’s endorsement, but at least we stuck our neck out for those Democrats trying to make an impact on the local level against Republican opponents.

Next time we’ll do better.

For now, how about 88.97 percent of the vote in Marc Sarnoff’s victory for Miami City Commission! Opposition apparently not too strong against the incumbent Sarnoff.

In the Miami Beach Group 4 race, Jonah Wolfson raked in 55.4 percent against hard competition from Luis Salom, who got 44.6 percent. Wolfson, a young lawyer making his first run for office, became a familiar figure around the city as he knocked on zillions of doors.

Jonah, how many pairs of shoes did you shred?

I sneaked a look at his voting-day coverage plan of the beach, and he, his pregnant wife Andrea and mother Laurel were prominent on the plan, and hey, his dad Jerry was in there, too. Talk about a vigorous family effort.

Not to be outdone was his opponent. I had a knock on my door one day in North Beach, and there were Salom’s wife and 12-year-old son asking for my vote. Sorry, I said, I know it’s a non-partisan race, but I also know who’s a Democrat and who’s a Republican.

For the record, we backed Fernando Alvarez in Hialeah for city council and in Homestead we endorsed Amanda S. Garner and Darwin Brett Brown – all in losing attempts. Good luck next time!

This link goes to the official results.

Joe Garcia on the tube Sunday morning -- Live

Watch if you can: Michael Putney’s local public affairs show, “This week in south Florida,“ will have the chairs of Miami-Dade and Broward Democrats on Sunday at 11:30 a.m., Joe Garcia and Mitch Ceasar. That’s ABC Channel 10 on my ancient set.

Chairman Garcia's speech at Barack Obama event

Joe Garcia, left foreground, watches Sen. Barack Obama and the crowd at Miami-Dade County Auditorium.

Here are the remarks Joe Garcia, chair of the Democratic Executive Committee, made before Sen. Obama's speech Saturday Aug. 25.

Today, we gather to celebrate the beginning of the end of the Bush era in American politics.

So much has gone wrong in this great nation of ours....

Despite hundreds of billions spent, thousands of lives lost and our standing in the world diminished ---- we are not safer.

Our people are struggling harder to get ahead....

and in our capital we've seen more greed, more incompetence, more lying than perhaps any time in our history...

the nation is crying out for a new and better politics, one that tackles the great challenges of this emerging century, and one that brings us together rather than tears us apart.....

We are here, today, in the thousands, with people of every race, who came here from many countries, from many backgrounds to celebrate the dawn of a new politics for America, a new day, a neuvo dia.....

a day of hope -- not fear....
of prosperity -- not struggle
of security-- not adventurism....

and on an issue close to many of us here in Miami, we are also to celebrate the dawn of a new day for the Cuban people....

The end of the Castro era offers hope, and just as the possibility of freedom begins to dawn, all the Bush administration offers is more of the same.

For too long our policy has been one that reacts, it asks us to turn away from the suffering of our family and friends and simply hope for change.

The administration’s policy on Cuba, as on the rest of the challenges our nation faces, is more bluster than Courage....

We thank Senator Obama for his coming to Miami and challenging the politics of status quo at this important time.

By letting the Cuban people lead the way he makes the possibility for a peaceful and just transition more likely...

Bravo! Down with Cuba travel restrictions

More than Bravo may not be necessary. Here's what the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party issued as a policy statement this weekend:

MIAMI - Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairman Joe Garcia issued the following statement today, August, 18, 2007, on behalf of the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee regarding existing restrictions on travel to Cuba:

"We support real family values, not policy that only further damages families already divided. The travel restrictions that prohibit Cuban Americans from visiting family members in Cuba more than once every three years must be eliminated. The Bush administration cannot purport to tell individuals who they can or cannot consider to be immediate family members, nor how often they should visit them."

Don't miss Barack Obama on Aug. 25

You're marked your calendar. Have you bought your tickets? Have you sent the news to every politically inclined person in your Rolodex, your email list, your grocery list?

This is the time to help your Miami-Dade Democratic Party and boost attendance at the Aug. 25 fund-raiser starring Barak Obama.

Click here for the party website, and buy tickets there.