Smooth Vote Is Encouraging [Ft Lauderal Sun-Sentinel praises Jeb's new appointee in Broward County]

The Ft Lauderdale Sun Sentinel ^ | March 11, 2004 | Editorial Board

[summer]

Smooth Vote Is Encouraging

South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
Posted March 11 2004

"Boy, that was easy."

That was how a 5-year-old boy described his experience as a [FL] "voter" on Tuesday. His father had taken him into the voting booth with him and told him which buttons to press. It went off without a hitch.

And so it went, for the most part, throughout South Florida. Voters and public officials in Broward and Palm Beach counties expressed relief and satisfaction that the municipal and presidential primary elections had gone smoothly, with only minor glitches reported.

It was a far cry from the infamous November 2000 election debacle, which gave us the "butterfly ballot" and "hanging chads." It was also a major step up from the September 2002 [FL Dem Gov] primary, which was badly botched in Broward by suspended Elections Supervisor [Dem] Miriam Oliphant, who has been charged with 55 counts of violating state election laws by willfully neglecting her duties during that primary.

Under an intense spotlight because of the problems of her predecessor, Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes, a former school administrator appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush after he suspended Oliphant, proved that sound leadership produces sound elections. As County Commissioner John Rodstrom said, "it shows we can rely on her in the future."

....

[summer]

...Broward County Elections Supervisor Brenda Snipes, a former school administrator appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush after he suspended Oliphant, proved that sound leadership produces sound elections.

....officials also must intensify their efforts to educate voters on the use of the new touch-screen voting machines, which thus far have performed reliably.

I have read a number of editorials in FL about the recent FL primary, and they said pretty much the same thing: FL is in good shape, and much better shape than in recent years, thanks to Gov Bush's reforms.

But the NYT ran a terrible editorial recently about FL voting, making it look like a lawsuit is needed right now to totally overhaul the entire system yet again.

The NYT was the only newspaper to imply this. None of the FL newspapers I read reported anything like the NYT.

[summer]

I meant to type: [Ft Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel praises Jeb's new appointee in Broward County]

[Clemenza]

The only way a Republican can break into any countywide position in the People's Republic of Broward is by APPOINTMENT. Go Jeb Go, and please appoint PJ as Broward Minister for Internal Affairs.

[Miss Marple]

The NYT is simply following and supporting the Kerry game plan, which is to make everyone outside of Florida think that the voting is suspect, so that when the lawsuits are filed in November there won't be any outcry.

We are a bit smarter than that, however.

[PJ-Comix]

Hey! I was thinking about you early this morning when I drove by the 163rd St. Shopping Center in North Miami Beach for the first time in a long time. It looks like they are tearing down a large chunk of it. Maybe even all of it. Anyway, at one time that Shopping Center was the the most popular shopping center in South Florida and now it is dying a slow (probably terminal) death.

I was thinking this could be a great subject for you to write a book about since this is your area of expertise. A good name would be Life Cycles Of Shopping Malls. Maybe you could write a humorous book about the birth, life, and death of shopping malls. It's amazing to me that a Pompano Square Shopping Center could be thriving one year and then a few years later be in the final death stages. Some shopping centers even avoid putting off final death. An example is the Coral Square shopping center which until recently was dying a slow, tacky death but then had something of a resurrection when it made improvements such as adding on a Target Store. BTW, after a VERY ROUGH start, I hear the Dolphin Mall is doing much better now.

Such a book about Shopping Malls all over the country would be a great subject matter. You already have a guaranteed audience in the form of anyone who has a business in a shopping mall plus I bet shopping malls would give such a book lots of publicity.

What do you think about that book idea? If you do write it, keep it funny and entertaining.

[Clemenza]

Remember the discussion we had on Deadmalls.com?

Green Acres, The Mall of my childhood, is the classic example of what Chris Rock said when he mentioned that there are two kinds of malls: the ones where white people shop and the ones where white people USED TO shop. I'll never forget returning there after a five year absense and seeing a once thriving mall taken over by discount shops and shoe stores galors. The mall at 163rd, I understand, went to hell after the Aventura mall was built. Even the Haitians with taste know best to avoid 163rd.

Coral Square was a flop from the beginning, perfect for the town that wants to be Boca and never could pull it off. Town Center in Boca has now become so exclusive that the teens no longer hang out there (and, as Martha said, "It's a good thing").

[PJ-Comix]

It still sounds like a book about the Life Cycles of Shopping Malls would be a good idea. You're now in the heart of book publisher country. Maybe you should pitch that idea. At the very least write up a magazine article on this subject. However, there are so many shopping malls out there a book would be needed to cover the info. BTW, I believe Back To The Future had a bunch of scenes filmed at West Hills Mall near where I used to live out West.

[PJ-Comix]

BTW, I find Shopping Malls to be a mostly depressing shopping experience. I visited Sawgrass Mills mall a few months ago and hated the sterile environment and the overpriced items for sale. I much prefer the Swap Shop. Great buys and lots of colorful characters like my friend Fast Eddie who sells shirts there. Plus I can always take a rest break at his stand and watch one of his many video movies on his TV set. I get there early to get the best buys. But I try to avoid shopping malls.