Posted on 11/01/2010 8:21:52 AM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
New York - Salsa artist Willie Colón's political prediction for tomorrow's congressional elections in the United States is that the Democratic Party will lose most of its seats.
He says this will be so as a consequence of the disappointment Americans, and the Hispanic community in particular, feel because Barack Obama's administration has not been capable of delivering what was promised.
"The Democrats will suffer many losses. They promised a lot and have done nothing. The economic situation is difficult, and unemployment keeps wreaking havoc," the artist stated during an interview with the Inter News (INS) agency.
To the New York City Mayor's current Tourism Advisor, the Democratic administration's Achilles' heel was having established a policy of financial assistance to banking institutions at the expense of the interests and needs of most of the population.
"They ripped us off. The solution to give more money to the banks was not correct because we had other needs," Colón told INS.
Likewise, he points out that the Obama administration conducted the public policy on oil "very poorly".
"There is where the inefficiency and disorganization of this administration could be noticed well," stressed the salsa artist, whose artistic history during the last decades has overlapped with his involvement in New York City's political life.
The veteran salsa producer's foray into the political scene has not been without criticism from his followers.
In 2001, he was subjected to attacks when he surprised his admirers by switching to the Republican Party after endorsing Michael Bloomberg for New York City Mayor.
Thus did he become the first prominent Hispanic to support the Republican tycoon who has since become an independent politician.
That endorsement, however, went beyond a mere public pronouncement. Colón wrote and produced Bloomberg's Spanish-language campaign song and accompanied him to caravans, rallies, and public appearances during the campaign, which many Democrat militants considered treason.
"I did so after Freddy Ferrer (the Democratic Party opponent) lost his candidacy," he points out.
Critics of the artist assure, however, that his affiliation with the GOP, which spearheaded Bloomberg's candidacy, was a consequence of the little support he received in his aspiration to become Public Defender in New York.
The creator of [the salsa song] "El gran varón" ("'The Great Man'") ran for that office in the 2001 Democratic primaries and got just 17% of the votes.
Since then, he left the Democratic Party and now remains active in Mayor Bloomberg's group of advisors, with whom he works as a Special Assistant and Tourism Consultant for the city.
I’ve been waiting for him to check in on this!
A not so simple mestizo is hard to keep on the plantation.
One can only hope that the Democrats will get a big ol' pela in tomorrow's elections.
Well it’s a done deal then.
....I’ll sleep better tonight
Well, that settles it then!
Definitely going to listen to "Che Che Cole" today.
I would like to see how the GOP will fare in Colón’s home state of New York.
I thought he was an offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Anxiously awaiting Gheorghe Zamfir to add his two cents...
If Obama has lost the Salseros, he’s lost this gringo as well. But nothing new there!
D’oh!
Comparing Zamfir to Colón? At least the latter hasn’t had to hawk his music albums on cable TV.
He is the real deal.
Zamfir is a hacky joke.
If he suppresses the dims vote I’m all for him...I suspect he is mad because the ONE didn’t go far enough!!!
Musically, no, just their political expertise.
Now I know growing up in the old neighborhood in uptown manhattan why Willie Colon was a legend...
Loved the guy. Loved his records. Still do. Would not have guessed him for a Repub.
I prefer roast beef artist, with a fried chicken slant.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.