Term Limits Suit Won’t Matter: Lieberman and Rodstrom are Gone
Term Limited: Ilene Lieberman
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The outcome of the court fight over term limits won’t make one bit of difference: We’re through with Ilene Lieberman and John Rodstrom in two yearsat least on the county commission.
Rodstrom will have been on the commission 20 years in 2012. Lieberman will have 16 years.
It’s enough! It is time in 2012 for them to go.
Under the law being challenged, both are in their last term. If court ruling allows them to run again it really won’t make a difference.
Any re-election campaign for another term would violate the will of the people. Under those circumstances, almost any candidate could run an easy campaign against Lieberman and Rodstrom.
I believe the voters would throw them out.
There are other problems for Lieberman and Rodstrom.
Rodstrom almost lost his last re-election. This moderate Democrat needs to re-cut his district during reapportionment to have any chance of winning.
He needs a district with more moderate Ds like him and Republicans. These voters are a natural base for Rodstrom’s, a former Young Republican.
The problem is that newly-elected Republican Chip LaMarca, in an adjoining district, will want these very same voters in his next district. Watch for that brawl to develop sooner rather than later.
Lieberman is another story. She’s damaged goods politically, sure to be involved in the testimony of upcoming corruption trials.
She has not been charged with anything.
It doesn’t matter politically, since the constant publicity tying her to the investigation has rubbed off. It looks very sleazy, whether there is any truth to the allegations or not.
The Number One rule of politics: Perception is everything.
Lieberman once wanted to run for Clerk of the Courts against Howard Forman. I think this will be a problem while this investigation continues.
John Rodstrom: Term Limited
Rumors are everywhere that Rodstrom will leave the commission to run for either:
(1) Mayor of Fort Lauderdale.
(2) Fort Lauderdale commissioner.
If he runs for commission it would allow his wife, Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, to run for mayor.
We shall see.
I like Rodstrom, a sensible voice in Broward politics I believe he has a lot more. I also believe he needs to look beyond the county commission, where he has been since 1992.
November 19th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Ilene Lieberman remains highly regarded in her commission district. Rodstrom can win again depending on how districts are drawn. I can’t see any married couple serving together on any commission in Florida. That just won’t fly. County redistricting is going to be amazing to watch. All the insiders are already busy figuring out how to draw those lines to their advantage.
FROM BUDDY:
I stand by my opinion.
Ilene Lieberman is in high regard — I’ll take your word on that one, although I’m sure you did no poll — until the negative advertising starts to hit. She hasn’t ever had a tough race. She walked into the commission seat after Jerry Thompson quit he race. She is ripe for the picking.
Rodstrom almost lost last time. As I wrote, it will be hard doing redistricting to help him out.
The county commission doesn’t get it. The public, who just voted over 60 percent to reform state redistricting, wants to do away with reapportionment gerrymandering. Wanna bet that the commission redistricts with anything in mind except their own political future?
November 20th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Oh I agree. Redistricting will focus on what’s best for them personally as commissioners. In the end they will have to give and take to get their way. Almost always someone comes up a loser.
There will be losts of advocacy from residents as well demanding fair and appropriate representation. Communities with commonality DO NOT exist in all of these districts. People just voted to amend Florida’s Constitution, demanding that standard be imposed statewaide.
All that said, even where drawing those districts to maximum political advantage will be difficult, knowing that some will fair better in the process than others, my bet is that Rodstrom and Lieberman come up on the winning side of what they need to come back and have probably already set the stage to make that happen.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Lieberman’s district isn’t what it was 10 years ago and a lot has changed over the years. She also isn’t as popular in it as you may imagine. Rarely is she seen at events. Many see her as tainted and stay clear of her.
However, she would be the incumbent and will have a lot of money. Lobbyist $$ stay with incumbents.
Rodstrom will have trouble improving his district and will have problems, but also will have the $$.
The biggest advantage both will have is that until districts are set (probably in 2012), no one will know where they are and challengers will be limited in time to campaign, unless they want to take a leap of faith.
More interesting, who are some of the people that could be considered legitmate contenders.
November 20th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Wait one minute while I have this big smile on my face(Charlotte has this way about her).First of all to say that City Comm.Rodstrom will run for Mayor and her husband for Commissioner-I think not. However I say she will stay right where she is District 2 Comm. As Far as Mr.Rodstrom this is a tough one. So here goes I think either he challenges the County Charter and runs for County Mayor(can’t stand them switching seats every yeay let the voter decide who’s gets to be County Mayor)or he runs again for County Comm.regardless that the voters did not like this ruling. Who really knows but both of them on the Dais-won’t fly w/ the residents in Fort Lauderdale. Very attractive couple though will see…But John Rodstrom vs. Jack Seiler vs. City Activist Robert Walsh vs. Earl (Bo-Bo Justice)Rynerson. Now that is a very exciting campaign season…..
November 21st, 2010 at 1:27 pm
All kidding aside Buddy from what I heard is that John Rodstrom will finish his term(not run again on this term limits joke) and Mrs. Rodstrom will seek a 3rd term. Then she wil run for his seat(county) and he will run for her seat(city). So if everything works out they will be fine but I wouldn’t pop the cork on the champagne yet or chase each other around the kitchen table(as if)just yet. As far as I’m concerned will see. You should have heard the Bs this past week,telling me w/ past record,could not run for public off. or get this need a letter from the Gov. staing I am fit to hold Public Off. Checked,rechecked ,checked again(Jennifer Davis-Communications Dir). All set to run for dog catcher, or any other Public Off. Some of you will throw just about anything at me(nice try). So will see. Going to LA in First week of Dec, to check out Corporate Off. for these Smut clubs here in Fort Lauderdale(Always want to see who I’m up against,plus want to see a few friends). So time will tell. As far as Jack Seiler ,great guy,nice family man would never run negative campaign(not my bag,besides Mrs. OC likes him very much)I just think the size of Fort Lauderdale w/ a 600Mill budget the Mayors Seat has to be a full time postion. You cannot possibley run this City on A pt.time basis. Is he smarter then me of course(try paying FPL on that statement) but again thats just a one issue so will see,but I’m not going to be told this BS about the Criminal rec. Judge me for today not 12 or so yrs. ago…..
November 21st, 2010 at 5:31 pm
This scenario would cause quite the quandry for old Judy Stern. Best pal to the Rodstroms’, rumored to be a frequent guest at their NC home. On the other side she has been a Seiler supporter for years. I hear Judy has been quite vocal around town about Seiler not attending events and failing to help her daughter Barbara with her race. Others say Judy is still smarting from not having an active role in the last Seiler mayoral campaign. Lets face it while Rodstrom is on the Commission he is still a yes vote for her. Judy has never been one to be loyal, its always about the votes, so if I had to pick em I would say Judy is planning to run one of the Rodstroms’ against Seiler to teach him a lesson for now showing her and her daughter proper respect.
November 21st, 2010 at 8:59 pm
The Rosdtroms are both the SCUM of Broward County! They both should be out of office and in prison!
November 22nd, 2010 at 11:02 am
The only people left in town who would have Judy Stern run their campaigns are the Rodstroms’.
Look at Stern’s record the last few years:
Ken Jenne: Speaks for itself
A Democrat named Israel for Sheriff: LOSS
John Rodstrom: Barely won
Eggeletion: Judy’s best pal in jail for corruption
Roger Wishner: She guided him to not one but two losses this year.
Barbara Stern: After wasting $50,000 of Democrat Party money she cant even get her own daughter 40% of the vote
Reps Joe Gibbons: Being investigated for and it appears to he committed Homestead fraud.
Judicial Candidate Oliver Parker: Down in flames.
Judge Rodriquez: Couldn’t even pull 60% against a candidate who never showed up in Broward.
Judge John Fry: Ends up in Bob Norman because his association with Stern probably put him on Norman’s radar.
All or most of these candidates end up on Bob Norman’s Pulp or being ridiculed on blogs for their association with Stern. Whether its Eggeletion or her lobbying for drilling off Galt Ocean Mile.
The only people left that associate with Stern are the Rodstroms and Robert Walsh that speaks for its self.
I would think any future candidates that considers associating with Stern would have to question if all the potential negative attention is worth it.
FROM BUDDY:
You can’t blame Judy Stern for Jenne and Eggelletion’s transgressions. She wasn’t involved at all.
Whatever the truth about Joe Gibbon’s Homestead Exemption, it has nothing to do with Stern.
November 22nd, 2010 at 12:05 pm
You can’t say with 100% accuracy that Stern didn’t have knowledge of the things that the corrupt pol’s she was involved with did and vice versa.
What can be said is that she often seems to be linked (accurate or not)to dirty campaigning and/or candidates/electeds in trouble.
As for Gibbons, come on, it’s reported that the guy has a new wife and twins living in Jacksonville and Stern ran his reelection campaign where he claims to live in Hallandale!
Perception is everything. In today’s day of bloggers and commentators, Stern’s past deeds (alleged or true) get magnified and its the candidates who suffer.
Look at Judge Fry for example. During the primary, no one in the media wrote about his prior history as a police officer. After Barbara Stern at the Dolphin Dems meeting ask the question about Judge Fry being in a hit and run (after it was reported here that Fry’s opponent was in a hit and run), everyone knew Stern was involved. Within a short period of time Bob Norman wrote a piece about Fry’s past history. One has to wonder if not for Fry having ties to Stern, would Fry have been on Bob Norman’s radar?
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:16 am
Both MR/MS Michelson/Lieberman need to go…and go they will!!!
http://www.webstarts.com/stuartmichelson/
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:59 am
I guess the Broward mob got to you to take the site down. Its a dead link
FROM BUDDY: If you explain more, I will try to fix it. Everything appears to be working from this end.
November 24th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
All these comments about The Rodstroms. I was looking at the City Charter maybe your right some of you. There is nothing in the Charter that states that Mrs. Rodstrom could run for Mayor and John could very well run for City Comm. I would have thought this would be cohersion(spelled wrg-who cares). Anyhow I also thought if this would be the case and if(alot of if’s here)that this would be a clear violation of the Sun shine laws- I still think that Mrs will run for his seat and he will run for hers. To state that one of the Rodstrom’s would challenge Jack Seiler to teach him a lesson-is streching it a bit. As far as Judy Stern what is it w/ some of you?? She’s a lobbyist,basiclly a salesman. So much anamosity,towards her from some of you. There is an old saying when they stop talking about you,that is when you have to start worrying. See you around….