Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Lincoln to Crist: No, thanks

Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart has taken himself out of the running for appointment to the Senate seat being vacated by Senator Mel Martinez, the Herald reports.

Only yesterday, he was still thinking about it.

All kinds of speculation now comes to an end – about whether this was a clever move by Governor Crist to get his primary opponent Marco Rubio to drop out and run for the House; or whether it would have given Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart a shot at a safer seat; or whether it gave Joe Garcia another shot at a Congressional run; or even whether there was a circuitous House-to-Senate-to-House pathway for Lincoln himself to follow.

It was fun while it lasted.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is the smartest political move ever done by Lincoln Diaz-Balart.

Vecino de NF

Anonymous said...

smart and diaz balart; a contradiction of terms, like army intelligence

leftside said...

Diaz-Balart may be out, but a hundred dollars says some fool with the same retrograde views on Cuba will be found.

Anonymous said...

of course, leftcrank. because there is no extensive public support -- despite all the push-polls -- that Florida residents have an overriding passion to lick Castro's boots.

chingon

leftside said...

Chingon, even a majority of Cuban-Americans in Florida disagree with the embargo and 65% say the US ought to drop travel restrictions and re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. Nevermind all of Balarts other crazy positions.

Anonymous said...

chingon, every time a rational thought is entered your screed increases. really man we all know your side is losing, just take it like a man, or whatever you are

Anonymous said...

then answer this question, if the "majority of Cuban-Americans in Florida" oppose the embargo then why do pro-embargo politicians keep getting overwhelmingly elected?

chingon

leftside said...

Because gusanos vote Chingon. And the elections you speak of are local, not statewide. And they were hardly "overwhelming" wins... The Balart's are going to be lucky to hang onto their seat next time given the changing democraphics (ie. old Cubans are dying and younng Hispanics of all all types are growing and voting Dem). Bottom line - Diaz-Balart's views on Cuba do not represent the State.

OT - Very disturbing news from the NY Times:

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials call it “the death roster”. The list includes the names of 104 detainees who have died while in ICE custody since October 2003, most of whom are Cuban nationals.

Why most of those on the death roster are Cuban nationals The New York Times fails to explain.

Anonymous said...

that's your answer, leftside? because "gusanos" exercise their right to vote? and what does the other side do then, stay home and post crybaby notes on websites like this?

in addition, I've been reading about changing demographics in the CA community for 20 years. When do you think it will actually manifest itself?

chingon

Anonymous said...

Leftside,

I am disappointed in you using the g-word. C'mon buddy you are better than that!

BTW Diaz-Balart has developed an interesting backing of other latinos (specifically Nicaraguans, Hondurans, etc) for whom he has pushed protective status. Eventually they become citizens and might continue voting for him. By enlarge second and third generation Cuban-Americans tend to vote as their parents except they tend to reflect general American demographics when it comes to value issues. All three Congresspeople from South Florida are very attentive to their constituencies and that usually makes all the difference in Congressional elections. And anyway the embargo and Cuba-USA relations will be decided by those who fund elections not by those who vote in them.

Vecino de NF

leftside said...

I will try to refrain from using the g-word if it causes offense. It'd be nice if my critics stopped calling me and those who think like me names as well. It is simply a shorthand for generally older, politically active, anti-Castro activists who don't budge an inch. I thought it was like a term of endearment by now... the Babalu folks seem to like it.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry too leftside, but "bootlicker" is simply a shorthand for politically active, pro-Castro activists who don't budge an inch...

chingon

Anonymous said...

and gusano is shorthand for someone who supports policies that starve a people, and who don't have an inch

Anonymous said...

Anonymous August 20, 2009 9:46 AM,

I am not sure about the inch statement but considering the failure of agricultural policies in both Cuba and the Soviet Union that have led to food scarcity and even famines, does that make Fidel Castro and Josef Stalin gusanos?

Also can you please clarify the comment about the Cuban people starving? Leftside posted a few days ago very impressive UN statistics about how well fed Cubans were. Are the Cuban people starving or not? Also feel free to explain whether the Cuban people have the best health coverage or not? Because if the Cuban people are not starving or dying due to lack of medical care resulting from the US commercial embargo, then obviously the embargo has failed in its "genocidal" aims. (There is a widespread agreement that it has failed as a means to bring about political change in Cuba.)

Please enlighten us!

Vecino de NF