Jose Diaz-Balart has a platform on MSNBC for right wing viewpoints

[flamingdem]

on Central and South America.

Right now he's doing a bit on Venezuela that is fully pro-opposition.

Later he'll have an interview with the President of Honduras that is a platform for propaganda blaming US consumption of drugs as a way of deflecting blame from a corrupt government and police force. This of course relates back to Venezuela and Hugo Chavez since the right wing coup in Honduras in 2009 was about ousting the democratically elected Zelaya due to his friendly relationship with Venezuela.

Jose Diaz-Balart is implicated regardless of claims to "objectivity" because of his family ties. His brothers are both right wing Cuban American Congressmen. They are directly responsible for influencing and manipulating policies in Latin America.

Supporters of coup: 3 Florida GOP members of Congress visit interim Honduras president

MIAMI -- Three U.S. representatives from South Florida who supported the ouster of Honduras' president traveled there Monday to meet with the interim government and to pressure President Barack Obama to sanction the upcoming Honduran elections.

It's the second trip there by a Republican delegation in a week and is part of a broader effort to challenge the Obama administration's Latin American policy.

Obama and many world leaders refuse to recognize interim President Roberto Micheletti, who took power following a June coup that ousted Manuel Zelaya. They say the Nov. 29 election will be illegitimate unless Zelaya is restored to power or comes to some compromise with the current government. The Organization of American States has refused to observe the elections.

U.S. Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and brothers Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart, who say they're on a fact-finding mission, are among Republicans who view Zelaya's ouster as a legitimate response to his calls for a referendum on changing the constitution. Such a change they say could have enabled him to run again and remain president indefinitely, just as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has done.

http://www.cleveland.com/world/index.ssf/2009/10/supporters_of_coup_3_florida_g.html

[CherokeeDem]

1. I lived in Miami for many years....

I wouldn't trust the Diaz-Balart's or Ros-Lehtinen under any circumstances. Was not happy seeing Jose added to MSNBC.

[flamingdem]

2. Exactly, you know first hand what the name Diaz-Balart represents

It's nasty that he has an hour to undermine with slanted stories and fake-o sentiments about immigration. His brother Mario is an immigration reform pusher but only because he knows he has to take that stance to survive. In reality these three are products of the majority racist right wing Cuban Americans who have reaped so much damage on our country such as getting Bush elected in Florida with their thugs.

Here is some info about their pro-Batista father Rafael:

Rafael Lincoln Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez (January 17, 1926 in Banes, Cuba - May 6, 2005) was a Cuban politician. Díaz-Balart served as Majority Leader of the Cuban House of Representatives and Under-Secretary of Interior during the presidency of Fulgencio Batista.

In 1955, he gave a speech before the Cuban House of Representatives in opposition to the amnesty granted to his former brother-in-law, Fidel Castro, for his involvement in the 1953 attack on the Moncada Barracks. Díaz-Balart was elected senator in 1958, but was unable to take office due to Fidel Castro's rise to power on January 1, 1959.

[CherokeeDem]

4. I know all about the Diaz-Balarts....

Batista was worse than Castro ever thought about being and the Cuban immigrants associated with Batista by more the most corrupt in Miami.

I was a very active member of the Miami-Dade Democratic Executive Committee during my time in Miami and ran into those bastards many times. I did have the pleasure once of turning my back on Ros-Lehtinen at an event. She crashed a dinner in honor of Rep. Carrie Meeks... 'her good friend' and was coming around from table to table glad-handing with everyone. It was during the time when she was trashing Clinton for the Lewinsky scandal but who camped out in the House so she could get a seat on the aisle during the first SOTU he gave after the scandal broke? That bitch and when Clinton came down the aisle she was all smiles, took his picture, and grabbed his hand. I threw a pillow at the TV. So when she got to our table, she shook hands with everyone and when she got to me, she put out her hand and I stood up, glared at her, turned my back and walked away. Never felt better in my life... I believe in respect but she doesn't deserve any. One night on Bill Maher's show, Richard Belzer was on with her and he told her to "F*** Off." I was screaming I love you Richard at the top of my lungs... scared the cats. Then Maher made him apologize... pissed me off.

Unfortunately, I know all about them. But I jumped from one group of nutcases to another.... I live in Kentucky with McConnell and Paul... all cut from the same cloth.. bastards all.

[lunamagica]

5. I remember Ross-Lehitnen took her daughter (who was about 12,13 yrs old at the time) to that SOTU

When President Clinton greeted the girl, she reacted like he was a rock star...I couldn't believe it. Ross-Lehitnen had trashed the president at every turn, talked to him like he was the most perverted being on Earth, and there she was, taking her daughter to see him.

Talk about weird

[CherokeeDem]

6. I did remember but fogot to mention that fact....

I was so angry at that moment that thankfully the only thing I could get my hands on to throw was a pillow.... I had a brand new TV.

I despise that woman.

Not that it has anything to do with her politics but she used to show up with a black eye and bruises often.... rumor was her husband Dexter was a hitter.

[lunamagica]

9. Oh, yeah, it seems that everyone in Miami knows that he abused her

I also despise her. Every time she opens her mouth she sounds like an idiot. I just can't comprehend why no one has been able to take her seat in all these years...and how she was elected in the first place

[CherokeeDem]

10. According to what I know....

the Cuban Republicans had a nice little scam going regarding absentee ballots. As you probably know, anyone can apply for an absentee ballot in Florida. They would go 'help' those older immigrants or the one's who didn't speak English with their absentee ballot (and it didn't matter if they had a ballot in Spanish). When there they would say, "Oh don't worry about marking all those other people on the ballot, just vote for this one I'm working for (usually a local Cuban candidate) and sign it but don't seal it. We'll mail it for you. They would collect hundreds of these and mark them the way they wanted. I was told this by an elected Democratic Cuban representative.

I have no doubt this kind of behavior went on in a lot of campaigns... likely even Democrats but I can tell you... the Cuban Republicans honed to an art form.

I was there during the 2000 election... right in the middle of it all... so many stories.

[lunamagica]

11. Thanks for the information

The 2000 election made me sick ( and I was watching from the sidelines). I can't even imagine what is was like to be in the middle of it...

[flamingdem]

16. There were people busted for this in 2012

There were articles about catching some of the "Boleteros" then.

I hear Ros-Lehtinen is leaving congress. "La Loba" will bark no more!

[CherokeeDem]

20. Thanks!!

Good to know... I moved from Miami a few years ago to take care of my elderly parents. I keep up with my friends and events going on but I missed this. It's about time they were caught.

"La Loba" will bark no more!

Music to my ears!!! And good riddance!!!

Thanks again....

[flamingdem]

3. More about facist and Bush connections of the Balart Brothers

The notorious and extremely corrupt Diaz-Balart brothers are two of the four sons of a real life fire-breathing fascist themselves, Rafael Lincoln Díaz-Balart y Gutiérrez. Rafael, who was a very corrupt, extreme right Majority Leader of the Cuban House of Representatives also served as the Minister of the Interior in the brutal Batista dictatorship. His activities overseeing the systematic torture of political prisoners didn't stop corrupt political hack Kendrick Meek (D-FL) from introducing legislation in 2007 to honor the dead fascist.

In this country Rafael was one of the worst instigators of a right-wing backlash against the hero of the Cuban Revolution, his brother-in-law and former best friend, Fidel Castro. Rafael, along with the entire hideous and degenerate Ancien Regime fled to the U.S., where he started the first of the violent rightist anti-Castro organizations, la Rosa Blanca, the predecessor of the Cuban-American National Foundation, the instigator of the policy of economic war against Cuba.

- See more at: http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2009/04/diaz-balart-family-does-like-fascism.html#sthash.AdzascFn.dpuf

Corruption - Lincoln Diaz-Balart
http://kendallcoffeyquotes.com/commentary/miami.html

The stakes are huge and the campaign is as down and dirty as any in Florida’s colorful history as the brothers try to fight off challenges from their Democratic rivals, both Cuban-Americans.

Dade and Broward counties, which include Miami and its surrounding suburbs, are the most populist in the state, with about a half million Cuban-American voters. The balloting there will likely determine which presidential candidate nails Florida’s 27 coveted electoral votes, along with the fate of the 48 year old U.S. Embargo against Cuba. During this election season, John McCain has morphed into a fierce hardliner on Cuba, aligning himself with the two Republican congressional incumbents.

--

Determined to maintain their power, the Diaz-Balarts have aired a series of ferocious attacks against their opponents. Last week, a voting scam was uncovered that threatens to end up in the courts, joining a long list of incidents that have made Florida synonymous with dirty elections.

"I don't think any other place in the United States has had such a history of absentee ballot voter fraud,” said Kendall Coffey, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “Miami has a legacy of lawlessness going back to the 1920’s.”

And of course there's controlling our Cuba policy, we can thank the Diaz-Balarts for endless injustice there:

US Congressman Diaz-Balart Seeks to Punish Cuban-Americans

http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=45559

Florida Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart claims his fellow Cuban-Americans are enjoying their freedom to visit family on the island way too much and are sending too much money to their relatives.

To combat the loosened family travel under President Obama, Diaz-Balart tacked on an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2012 Financial Services bill in an attempt to stop the nearly 400,000 Cuban-Americans who enthusiastically traveled to the island last year from doing it again.

The Congressman claimed that his opinion reflects that of 90% of the Cuban-American community, although the travel figures dispute his claim.

[dogindia]

7. amazing...had not known of his history or family

I had been so hopeful after seeing him interview a young fleeing woman on his first show. It seemed so genuine and kind. And an important change from the usual...send them home stuff.

Wow. Guess I will watch him more carefully. Perhaps not watch.

Sad. Disappointing.

l
m

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

8. Me neither - I thought we were going to have an Hispanic voice for a little diversity

It looks like the diversity will be mainly adding a divergent right-wing voice.

[flamingdem]

19. He just isn't the one, no matter how much MSNBC might want that

the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[flamingdem]

14. I cringe watching

There's no way with his background that he cares about the Central Americans. His family has been a key reason for the suffering of thousands of Cubans on the island, and he didn't break out the violin for them, ever.

I think that msnbc saw/sees him as the Great Latino Hope and he's one of the few that's well known enough to do that show but I don't think they realize the slime that is the foundation of the Cuban American right wing community.

[octoberlib]

12. Thanks for the info , flamingdem.

I wasn't aware of Diaz-Balarts background until you started doing these posts.

[NCarolinawoman]

13. He showed a clip of that stupid "running of the bulls".

Talked (bragged) about how he had participated in the past and planned to do it again. That was enough for me. I watched him all of one day, knowing nothing about him. Couldn't figure out what his stances were but that adoration and pride in RUNNING OF THE BULLS was a complete turn-off!!!!

Thanks for the information. You have helped me fill in the blanks.

[flamingdem]

15. I missed that muy macho segment

but it sounds to me like he's trying to establish his Spanish from Spain credentials (as in "I'm white don't mistake me for a mixed race Latino!".)

I don't think it's 100% about that -- the other part is being the cliche to please the audience I guess!

[octoberlib]

17. Kick

[flamingdem]

18. Did you catch Jose Diaz-Balart on Chris Hayes show just now?

Chris Hayes being the smart guy he is reacted to Jose Diaz-Balart's story about the Honduran President blaming US drug consumption (with dumb detail) by saying that he (Chris) doesn't always believe heads of state.. but Jose seemed thrown by that and both agreed / disagreed.

He stays unclear so he can keep pushing the necessary agenda. He did discuss corruption, but not in Honduras.

[octoberlib]

21. I did. It's like he's trying trying to stay under the radar.

Just like some of our malicious intruders when they first join.