Gov Bush visits with eager parents and student participants in an
innovative mentor/tennis/computer program he started in urban parks for FL kids.
Monday, October 28, 2002
Broward Times
Posted on 10/29/2002 4:50:47 AM PST by summer
Gov Bush visits with eager parents and student participants in an
innovative mentor/tennis/computer program he started in urban parks for FL kids.
Monday, October 28, 2002
Broward Times
Broward Times, One of Florida’s Most Influential African-American Newspapers, Endorses Bush
Broward Times Editorial:
I want you to think . . .
Given good health and faith, what has been the main ingredient missing from the plates of Black Floridians – the one ingredient required to put food on the table, educate our children, pay the rent, buy a new home, a car, save for retirement, afford good healthcare, enhance our communities, reduce crime, and enhance the stability of black families?
If you answered money – you’d be correct.
Under the late [Dem] governor Lawton Chiles, and former [Dem] governor Bob Graham, both Democrats, Black Floridians did not participate substantially in the economic pie generated through state government procurement, nor did Black Floridians play a substantive role in on powerful boards or within the executive ranks of state government. We simply were not at the table. Racism didn’t start 4 years ago – Black Floridians have grown up on the outside of the political fringe – a fringe that kept us effectively out of the political mix and the money that flows from being empowered by the spoils of government. During the Graham years, the attention given to blacks in the area of education was dismal. Florida has an ugly history as a state that does not value the education of its residents. Under Chiles, and this is recent stuff folks, the rhetoric was there but the results remained the same, separate and unequal – and nowhere was it more obvious than in South Florida.
Despite the outcry against FCAT testing and the ranking of Public Schools, we now at least have begun to implement a standard for achievement. It is a standard that undoubtedly will be tweaked in the future – but folks, at least we have a standard. Under previous administration, quality education just wasn’t an issue, especially for poor Black children.
How many of you are aware of the dirty little secret about predominantly minority high schools? The secret that many of our high school graduates aren’t graduates – that they received a certificate of diploma that’s not worth the paper it’s written on and more startling – many of them can’t read it! Yet we keep lauding the Democrats – and holding them up as our saviors.
Saviors from what I ask?
Miami, during the Graham years was best known for its riots – riots sparked by massive police misconduct, poverty, neglect and frustration. It was also known for its cocaine cowboys – who left in their wake no only a burnt out humanity but a burned down community that to this day has never fully recovered.
Today, the state of Florida has spent an unprecedented $682 million with minority-owned firms throughout the state. Under good ole boys Chiles and Graham, the Democrats spent less than one-half percent of that with minorities. Remember, empowerment flows from creating wealth – for the first time in history we have a governor who is attempting to create wealth in our Black communities like they create wealth in White communities – by doing business with us.
Today, Florida government, unlike ever before looks more like us – the people who make-up Florida.
A whooping 34 percent of governor Jeb Bush’s senior management team is African Americans, Hispanic or Asian American. Three African-Americans head major state agencies: David Griffin, Secretary of the State Lottery is Black, Dr. Rhonda Meadows, Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration is Black, as well as Dr. John Agwunobi, Secretary of the Department of Health.
Closer to home, unlike ever before, two-major tax supported economic engines that for years were the personal piggy backs of the good ole boys, the North and South Broward Hospital District now have substantial minority board participation. Consequently, minority residents not only have a voice in health care, location of health care facilities, staffing – but now, unlike ever before, are a part of the economic mix that will bear fruit for black-owned and other minority firms doing business.
Bush has appointed almost 500 African-Americans to boards, commissions, and other offices. This is unmatched by any of his predecessors.
Little fanfare has been given to the billion-dollar Everglades Restoration Program under the auspices of the South Florida Water Management District. This is an entity where African-Americans now under Jeb Bush hold substantive executive management roles and direction over the course of restoration.
Do you see the differences between rhetoric and results?
Under the present governor, 22 African-Americans were appointed to judicial positions. One of our own, Elijah Williams was recently appointed to the Broward Circuit Court. Bush appointed the first African American woman, Judge Peggy Quince to the Florida Supreme Court and the first Haitian-American judge, Fred Seraphin to the Miami-Dade County Court. He appointed the first FAMU graduate of the Board of regents in 20 years when he appointed Dr. Jim Corbin to the Florida Board of Regents. I might add that under Jeb Bush, two Colleges of Law, the Florida A&M University Law School and Florida International University Law School were crated to increase the number of minority lawyers in the state of Florida.
Results don’t come in party labels or innocuous words like Affirmative Action. It comes by producing a positive result that improvers our lifestyle and delivers the bacon – and I’ve come to learn that no ones mastered keeping the bacon away from Black folks more than the Dixiecrats under the guise of the Democrat party.
Under previous administrations and under so-called affirmative action I’ve never witnessed such a prolific outreach effort by our university system to attract African-Americans students to their campuses – not during the administration of Bob Graham or Lawton Chiles was such an aggressive effort made. My sons and their friends were bombarded with overtures, offers, paid visits, phone call s—you name it to attend the University of Florida and Florida State, the two flagship school in the state’s university system. If a young African-American high school graduate with good grades wants to attend at state university today – they’re reaching out with open arms.
I dare to be different, I always have – but as voters, especially loyal to the Democrat party we can no longer afford to vote blindly Democrat nor to ignore the rules of exchange – we vote because we want something a candidate has to offer. Bill McBride has offered us nothing – doesn’t have an inkling of the issue that affect our community and hopes you will vote – not for him but against Jeb Bush. Isn’t that a sorry way to seek your vote?
And no, I don’t agree with everything Jeb Bush proposes or some of the Republican rhetoric – the same would apply to almost any politician – but we need to begin voting based on facts and not emotions.
And never in our history has a governor been as accessible as Jeb Bush. Got a question? Bush responds in almost lightning like speed via the Internet. Heck, I could never get a hold of the old he-coon, Lawton Chiles.
Lastly, tell me one, just one major economic initiative under a Florida Democrat governor that was implemented successfully on behalf of Black Floridian. If you like the pandering, the verbal posturing, and empty actions of what you use to get – McBride’s probably your man – for me I’m going with Jeb Bush – I like results.
The Broward Time recommends you re-elect Jeb Bush for governor.
-------------------------------------------------------
Gov Bush wishes a happy birthday to WWII vet, Mr. Willie Walker,
93 years old, and presents him with his Bronze Medal.
Gov Bush participates in a reading lesson at a Jacksonville Head Start Program.
Lt Gov Brogan visits with a FL scholar at the Center for Excellence’s
annual “Brain Bowl” competition in Tampa.
Interesting that this editorial praises the availability of Gov Bush, while some other newspapers claim Gov Bush is not inclusive enough.
Based on my own experiences as a teacher who has corresponded with Gov Bush, I think those other newspapers are wrong -- Gov Bush has reached out more to people than any governor.
This black editor has it right.
p.s. Will this be picked up in the lamestream news?
Funny thing is, I've seen the Broward Times. It's usually a reliably Democrat paper. There are those within the black community who may, repeat may, be thinking anew.
Be Seeing You,
Chris
For accuracy and background, the North & South Broward Hospital Districts are Democrat Party controlled patronage mills for Broward County!
Any appointed "minority board members" must be democrats.
I don't know why this author would include this in a pro-Jeb missive.
Very heartening news. Once the propaganda is erased, the RATS are exposed for the selling out of "their supposed" rock solid minority support group.
Just like they sold out Union jobs and a whole Native American tribe on ANWR for the enviro-nazi cash.
Just like they sell out all minority inner city children for the sacred NEA cash.
My wife worked for the CEO of the North Broward Hospital District. She was fired for not being a Democrat and refusing to reside in the center of the District's hive in Coral Springs!
We were "forced" to go to many functions where a parade of judges, attorney, ADA's, county commissioners...other assorted politicos would speak on the how great the Democrat Party is!
The writer of the article should know this as this situation has existed for many, many years now.
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