The New Year: More of the Same or Change?
BY BUDDY NEVINS
Two thousand twelve.
A year of opportunity? Triumph? Defeat? Change? More of the same? New faces? Old faces? Shame and embarrassment? Outrage?
Probably a little of everything. After all, this is Broward County, Florida.
Here is what I see on the horizon:
- Mitch Ceasar’s Last Hurrah? This is the make-and-break year for the much-maligned, long-time chair of the Democratic Party. Or it could be if the sclerotic Broward Democratic Party holds him accountable. He needs to show whether he can turn out voters and win races. If he fails to win Broward big for Barack Obama and hold onto other local seats, he deserves to be voted out. A problem for Ds: Who is ready to replace Ceasar?
- Can Republicans Win? Republicans have a real chance to retake a seat on the School Board that was originally created for them. The seat is now held by Old School liberal Maureen Dinnen, the former state teachers’ union boss. Republican Katie Leach, who promises a well-funded campaign and real change in the direction of the Board, is challenging Dinnen for the Fort Lauderdale-Plantation based district. Leach has the GOP vote. Now it is up to her and whatever GOP machine there is to convince independents and crossover Ds to vote for Leach.
- Allen West Mustered Out? Fox TV’s darling West is one of two national congressional figures from Broward. The other is Republican West’s nemesis, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chair. Schultz’s seat appears safe. But redistricting plans put West in a district with more Democrats than he may be able to handle. West is a polarizing figure who will have a tough time convincing Ds to vote for him, especially since he recently compared the Democrat’s political message to the work of Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels.
- George Moraitis Should Pray. Like West, conservative Florida House member Moraitis, R-Fort Lauderdale, has a less favorable seat in the House redistricting plan. He is going to have trouble selling his conservative platform and background to the Ds and Independents in the new district. Touting his ties to the ultra-right at Coral Springs Presbyterian Church may work in the GOP. I’m not sure it works among others.
- Betting on Casinos. The destination casino bill is sponsored by one of our own state senators, Ellyn Bogdanoff. Bogdanoff is the only one in the Broward Legisaltive Delegation with enough clout to run a bill like this. Because this Fort Lauderdale pols has a big R after her name. R as in Republican. R as in rare in the very heavily Democratic and toothless Broward Delegation. The casino bill is a work in progress. If the bill passes the Legislature and the courts – far from a sure bet — Broward voters will get their say in a referendum before anything is built here. This one, reapportionment and the budget will suck all the air out of the legislative session so don’t expect much attention on anything else.
- Rothstein’s flotsam and jetsam. A number of the scam artist Scott Rothstein’s one-time law partners will be indicted in 2012. What’s taking so long? It is obvious that a number of them were just as corrupt as Rothstein. And what about the Bar? Why do these shysters still have their Bar tickets? We shall see in the coming year.
- New Faces are a different color. County Commissioner Dale Holness will continue work on creating his dream –a Caribbean-American based political machine. Also watch Torey Alston, the aide to County Commissioner Barbara Sharief who wants to be the Central Broward seat on the School Board. I see big things from Sharief, too. Meanwhile, the oldtimers in the black community like School Board member Ben Williams are retiring.
- Old Faces Remain. Heeee’s back! Five years ago, downtown lawyer and powerbroker Bill Scherer looked like he was on the ropes. He lost his multi-million dollar client and long-time power base – the North Broward Hospital District, aka Broward Health – when he was tossed out as general counsel. Now Scherer is back in the news trying to pry money out of what’s left from the Scott Rothstein scam. And the millions he will make from Rothstein are nothing compared to his downtown Fort Lauderdale property. Values are rising again and Scherer is planning new housing units along the New River.
- More Old Media Cuts. Scherer may not be on the ropes, but the local print and broadcast media are. I base this opinion on their deteriorating news products. I anticipate further staff cuts at print media outlets because print advertising continues to drop faster than Internet ads can replace it. Broadcast media could be helped by political advertising, but they hardly cover anything in Broward but crime. Further cutbacks are not good for local politics or government.The big media outlets abrogated much of their responsibility to cover politics and government. It is only going to get worse.
Do you have any predictions? Feel free to comment…or not.
December 30th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Based upon the political manipulations of the Broward County Commissioners to hold onto their power, everything will stay the same.
December 30th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Agree with all of your comments and predictions for next year. Any more corruption arrests? Any idea what city officials, county commissioners or others will still try to sneak around ethics laws? Do you predict a more engaged IG? You are right on your political predictions. Should be interesting
December 30th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
1.Lamberti wins big and Israel becomes a mall cop.
2. Hopey changey doesn’t work this time in Broward. Obama still gets plenty in Broward, but plenty stay home. Local Dems therefore, don’t ride any waves…
3. Homeless problem in downtown Fort Laud. gets worse.
4. At least three more deaths occur of people who have worked in the asbestos ridden Broward Courthouse.
5. ObamaCare is struck down as being unconstitutional.
December 30th, 2011 at 6:59 pm
Satz loses.
December 31st, 2011 at 11:56 am
George Moraitis is a a U.S. Naval Graduate that served in the U.S. Navy after his Commission.
Then he went to the University of Florida Law School.
Now he is a membe of the Florida House of Representatives in Tallahassee.
You say, “He is going to have trouble selling his conservative platform and background to the Ds and Independents in the new district.”
For all you D’s and independents out there that Buddy thinks will have a problem with a young man that served his Nation and then went to UF Law please prove Buddy wrong.
George, the Gator Nation has got your back. The US Navy warriors have got your back. Republicans, Democrats and Independents have your back.
Ex Scientia Tridens and Go Gators!
George can say “God Bless the United States of America” and mean it because he served it.
December 31st, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Both Satz and Lamberti will win by default. No opponents anybody wants to vote for.
December 31st, 2011 at 1:28 pm
George and your women hating fellow Coral Ridge Pres parishioners are going to get a wake up call on January 11 from 4-7pm in front of Rep Moritias office at Oakland and Federal. We will show those tea party losers that hang out across the street how to stage a protest. I hear Barbara Stern is going to announce at the event she is going to run again and this time she WILL beat you. Thank you to Sean Phillippi for all your hard work putting this together. Its going to be huge, the people were fooled once, never again.
AWAKE THE STATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 31st, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Georgie Porgie made Babs cry 🙁
So he has to lose.
December 31st, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Although I root for the Gators, George Moraitis is one I hope goes down in 2012 . . . we can do with fewer right-wingers in our Legislature.
December 31st, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Dear #7 (Awake the State):
Whom at Coral Ridge Presbyterian hates women? My parents used to go there. As I recall, my parents loved my sisters and me, and generally liked all of the women which they knew.
Also, what are you “protesting”? Why are you protesting at C.R. Presbyterian? Does that church have some unique position or stance that other Presbyterian churches and other denominations do not have?
Do tell, we are all ears.
January 1st, 2012 at 11:26 am
Barbra Stern? Hahahahahahahah! That is the funniest joke of 2011 Thank you so much for that She doesn’t want to run. Her lobbyist mom is so obviously pushing her into if she does. If that is the best the Dem’s can come up with they don’t deserve the seat.
January 1st, 2012 at 11:33 am
I read a comment on here about Judy Stern soliciting money for a defense fund for Sylvia Portier.
http://www.browardbeat.com/is-satz-joking-deal-offered-wasserman-rubin-ridiculous/
#17
I googled it there are links that have a header about Stern and a defense fund for sylvia.
Gotta give Judy credit, she must have seen that George’s district was going to push out into deerfield. Say what you want, but the black community in deerfield still loves Sylvia.
January 1st, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Jay Schwarz will beat McKluskey for Pines race.
January 1st, 2012 at 9:03 pm
1. Louie Granteed wins the primary.
2. Lois Frankel wins the primary.
3. Evan Jenne runs for District 7 on the County Commission.
4. Charlotte Rodstrom wins the District 7 County Commission seat.
5. Marty Kiar wins the District 1 primary by 15%.
6. Louis Reinstein beats Katie Edwards.
7. Someone else wins against Behrman/Stark in the primary.
8. Franklin Sands wins School Board seat in August.
9. Ari Porth gets elected Judge in August.
10. Moraitis loses. Bogdanoff wins by less than you think.
(Also, you mentioned Ellyn, where is your usual note regarding your son, Buddy?)
January 1st, 2012 at 11:26 pm
Caribbean?? machine. In name only. It will be a JAMAICAN machine that if constituted will not last long and in its short life will serve the same interests as Joe Eggellation’s former “machine”. That’s why Dale is known on the street as Baby Joe – fondly, of course.
January 2nd, 2012 at 4:41 am
1. Chris Zadie beats Siple in Pines race
2. McCluskey pulls it out
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:16 am
1. Allen West re-elected by a large margin.
2. Ted Deutch re-elected
3. Marty Kiar wins the District 1 primary.
4. Ari Porth gets elected Judge in August.
5. James Gleason elected to State House in Ari Porth’s former seat.
January 2nd, 2012 at 9:39 am
1. Israel wins the primary.
2. Lamberti wins tthe general.
3. Frankel wins the primary.
4. Frankel wins the general.
5. Jenne runs for Broward Commission 7.
6. John Rodstrom runs for 7 after terms limits are thrown out.
7. Keechl wins 7.
8. Lieberman doesn’t run and Kiar wins Broward Commission 1.
9. Edwards wins 97.
10. Sands, Leach, Alston win
11. Moriatis wins barely
12. All fort Lauderdale incumbents win.
13. Lieberman beats Foreman and Lockwood for Clerk of Courts.
January 2nd, 2012 at 2:08 pm
Lamberti loses the general election
Sand is elected School Board member
Close race between Jenne and Keechl
Kiar is elected Commissioner in a landslide
Close race but Moratis loses state house
Bogdanoff wins Senate election big
The Governors poll numbers continue to go down
Barak Obama re-elected
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Wow such predictions. As far as th ejabs to Barbra Stern. She ran a good campaign and I’m sure she will get right back in the ring soon enough. As far as Keechl winning in District 7-no way-remember the 3grand to the boyfriend-we will never forget. Prissy guy, anyhow.
January 2nd, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Thanks Walsh, you always do the Stern’s bidding so well…
If her name was Barbara Smith and her mother a nobody, maybe her 36% showing would have mertied a “good job”. Getting the FL Dem Party, trial lawyers and unions to dump boatloads of money behind you and having your mom who is supposed to be someone who knew how to run a campaign, 36% is pathetic.
Chris Chiari at least put in his own money and with little Dem support pulled better numbers than Stern.
Awake the State, if Stern is your big hope for awakening the State, you need psychotropic meds. Ask Walsh maybe he has some.
January 2nd, 2012 at 4:33 pm
1. Lamberti wins.
2. Frankel wins
3. Keechl wins County Commission 7.
4. Kiar drops out of Senate Race and files for Broward Commission 1. Then the courts throw out the Senate Districts and a new district is written for Kiar to run for. Kiar drops out of Broward Commission race and re-files for Senate because that is what he wanted in the first place.
5. Edwards wins 97.
6. All Fort Lauderdale incumbents win.
7. Foreman stays Clerk of Courts.
8. Satz wins re-election
9. Names from Rothstein’s depositions are release, and lots of politicians (State, County and City) are charged with crimes and suspended.
January 2nd, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Walsh:
Go crawl under the rock where you live with Judy stern. Wait. Before you do that, finish your first grade English grammar class that you missed because you were in jail. Oh yea, you were convicted of your crimes as an adult. Guess, there isn’t any excuse for the way you write. Your mama should have had an abortion so we wouldn’t have to read your rambling posts. Pathetic, dude.
January 2nd, 2012 at 6:28 pm
1. Obama wins Florida,
2. Nelson wins by a substantial amount
3. West loses because his district is not winnable for a Republican and he has no crossover appeal.
4. Wasserman Schultz easily wins because she is loved by her constituents
5. Franklin Sands will win the School Board seat without real opposition because he works hard and people respect him for leading the Dems in the House
6. Jenne and Keechl go into a recount
7. Kiar is elected to the County Commission because he walks to 20,000 homes and because he raises and spends 500,000 dollars
8. Lori Parrish holds her status as the political boss of Broward
9. Nan Rich files to run for Governor
January 2nd, 2012 at 8:23 pm
I must admit that I don’t care if either Democrat wins the sheriff nomination. Lamberti is going to win again because the Democrats can’t find a good candidate. Granteed is a serial abuser of women and the city paid off his victims. Israel is a joke
January 4th, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Ever notice the name calling etc. I call it like a see it. Besides some you are such a joke. Must be lamberti’s whore masters at work here. Bring,bring it on, then remmeber then its my turn…..