Philip Levine owes Miami Beach an apology
by: David Arthur Walters. Florida voters should know that Philip Levine, a candidate for Governor of Florida, triumphantly exulted over his unexpected reelection as mayor of the City of Miami Beach, casting his critics, or all who voted against him, as “screamers and yellers” who would “have to wait until the next election to be heard.”
It is amazing that an accomplished media mogul let alone a politician would openly say something like that, for it is obviously neither a truly democratic nor republican statement, but rather reveals the vindictive attitude of a spoiled narcissist. We can only hope that he had too many celebratory drinks and that the true nature of a man is not confessed when he is inebriated.
Mr. Levine is said to have “hand-picked” former corruption prosecutor Dan Gelber to succeed him as Mayor of Miami Beach. ‘Pious Dan’ might claim he was selected by a much higher power than a mere mortal. However that may be, Mr. Levine, who launched his successful business career hawking tours on cruise ships, is presently spending millions to pose in Florida’s gubernatorial race as a Democrat in the likeness of John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Martin Luther King. He may need at least $75 million, speeches from the Clintons, and the meanest of foes to win the job.
He naturally aligns himself ideologically with every so-called liberal cause as it arises regardless of its merits just to get elected. Of course, global warming aka climate change is a real problem in South Florida, wherefore he touts his grandiose attempts to save Miami Beach from the Great Flood that threatens to wash the city clean of its sins. Some of that smacked of a boondoggling. He encouraged friendly developers to run amok on the private side to “get things done.”
Miami Beach was just a stepping stone in the Levine Scheme. The governor’s seat is just another step on his way to the White House if not the Senate, or so he may fancy with the grateful support of the Clintons. The Screamers and Yellers said his political career was ruined when he was scandalized by his involvement in a sleazy political action committee during his re-election campaign. City vendors were induced to contribute by an assumed ‘Or Else.’
It is with that horror in mind that Screamers and Yellers must acquaint Floridians with the fascistic nature of this egotistical politician who scoffed at the city’s weak mayor charter and purchased a commission that rendered him the de facto dictator over a political junta that ignored critics, enticed carpetbaggers, and perpetuated urban sprawl, thus turning the beach into a traffic nightmare, destroying forever its folksy, affordable culture. Well, we wished for a de facto strong mayor, and that was the answer to our prayers. Be careful what you wish for.
To begin with, Screamers and Yellers may wish to click on the link below. Thereunder is a lesson that political-economic bullies may beat up a few people here and there and get away with it as long as unaffected, credulous persons admire the exhibition of power and even clamor unwittingly against their own best interests. Independent victims become ardent Screamers and Yellers. Hopefully, they will not be driven mad by their helplessness when the pile drivers arrive.
Those who bother to inquire into the nature of who is running for governor of Florida will note therein the tortuous story of what happened to a neighbor at the so-called Chavista Dollar Project at 419 Michigan Avenue. That poor woman is said to have “cracked up.” She has been seen lately wandering the alleys with a mask over her face, complaining about the smog and illegally parked cars. Rumor has it that the Venezuelan owner of the accursed property, upon which one of Mr. Levine’s very large “Get It Done” campaign signs were once posted, may be sued for cracking the foundations of buildings nearby with its infernal pile driving, turning the property itself into a swimming pool into which $400,000 of cement was poured in vain.
Neighbors nearby are familiar with another “madwoman.” She claims she attended university at Oxford, and now she goes about cursing residents for having no sense of community as she scrapes trash from under bushes and pulls grass from between cracks in the cement.
Missing in action is the man who went up and down alleys picking up trash and resorting garbage bins, also cursing people their carelessness in a city where it is all right to break the law whenever the police power is around.
Well, neurosis is rather common in crowded cities, and in this sunny clime, we have more than our share of extreme cases to the right of the average on the bell-shaped distribution curve.
We all have a crazy streak. Listen to madwomen and madmen to learn some uncomfortable truths. Behind almost every complaint is disappointment that some good has not been had. It behooves each one of us to be a crybaby from time to time, for there is plenty of milk to go around.
Indeed, there would be no civilization without complaints, without so-called Screamers and Yellers just like those in Miami Beach who angered Phil Levine simply because they criticized his regime and voted against him. He owes Miami Beach an apology for his arrogance, bullying, and utter contempt.
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