Garcia to challenge Diaz-Balart congressional seat

By I.M. STACKEL, Naples Daily News

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Health care and education for children, help with failing mortgages, better Medicaid for seniors and intelligent communication with countries with which we haven't seen eye-to-eye.

Joe Garcia, chairman of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, is pitting himself against incumbent Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, in order to shepherd South Florida through one of the worst economic crises in more than a decade.

"Isn't it an abject failure of American intelligence and planning that we didn't know that we were going to be paying $4 (per tank of gas)? That we didn't know that we were going to be paying $2?" Garcia, 44, said during an interview in Naples. "That we didn't have that in our planning is a complete failure of American institutions which are charged with" information-gathering responsibilities.

Born in Miami's Mount Sinai Hospital, Garcia's family is from Cuba, so he is sympathetic to immigrants, but also wants to figure out a way to keep illegal immigrants from taking American jobs, as well as protect low-paid workers who are being exploited.

Exploitation is a big issue for Garcia.

Before then- Gov. Lawton Chiles appointed Garcia to the Florida Public Service Commission - an agency that regulates the rates Floridians pay for electricity or telephone - the late governor asked Garcia one question, Garcia said.

"The question was, ‘Can you vote your conscience?'" Garcia said. He spent six years on the Public Service Commission, leaving as chairman.

"It struck me, because I thought he was going to ask, ‘Do know my friend...?' But that was his primary interest," Garcia said.

Voting one's conscience is one of the big reasons electric bills haven't quadrupled with the cost of fuel, and telephone rates have decreased and become more competitive, he said, noting that he can't take credit for all of that.

But some Florida legislators are becoming too centered in Washington, D.C., and forget who their constituents are, Garcia said.

He also believes it is important to remain focused on one's community. It was one reason he never moved to Tallahassee, he said.

Regarding his opponents, Garcia said this: "Look, there is a time when men of good conscience and women of good conscience have to stand up and say, ‘enough is enough,'" Garcia said.

Speaking of Mario Diaz-Balart, whose district includes eastern Collier County, and his brother, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Garcia said this: "I know they care about what happens 90 miles from Florida's coast. I do, too. But I also think we need to focus on childrens' health care; that it is important to solve this housing crisis; and we need to address these issues of jobs," Garcia said, adding that people are genuinely scared. "This economy is in a tailspin."

Last week, statistics were released showing that Southwest Florida was the nation's leader in foreclosure. However, Garcia said he hasn't heard the current representation address that issue.

"We have to have a plan," Garcia said. "One of my worries is how to stabilize this market, because we haven't seen the bottom yet."

Florida Democratic Party spokesman Mark Brubiski and Alejandro Miyar put out a press release last week, stressing that foreclosures in Miami have more than doubled in the second quarter, due in part, to both Diaz-Balart's failure to act on the problem.

Disputing allegations, the Diaz-Balart campaign office provided facts that the congressman sponsored or co-sponsored a great number of bills addressing both Florida's and America's problems.

"Joe Garcia is trying to deflect attention from the reality that he continues to align himself with radical left-wing extremists like Charlie Rangel, who has a long and well-know history of supporting a radical left-wing agenda, including supporting higher taxes on working families and appeasing our nation's enemies," Diaz-Balart said. "Again, left-wing birds of a feather, tax and spend together."

Still, there's a crisis, Garcia maintains.

Practically everyone who has bought a home in the past two years is struggling right now, Garcia said.

Looking at it from a business standpoint, there are people who are paying off a mortgage in a house or business in which they no longer have value.

"We need to have a process to protect them for the next five years," Garcia said. "I have no doubt that five years from now prices will be back (as will) the equity, but in the interim, if we allow the market to collapse the way we continue to do, I think we're looking at a 10-year recovery."

Congressional District 25, which spans the south end of the peninsula, is the worst-funded in Florida, Garcia said. Federal policy on Florida's education program also could use a little help, he said.

He wants folks to sit up and perceive the reality.

"Bottom line, we are number fifty in dollars spent per student. Of all 50 states, Florida comes in last," Garcia said.

The country has the money. It just has to be distributed better, he said.

"You cannot expect different results if you keep sending the same person to Washington," Garcia said.

Of trade agreements with other countries, Garcia said, "I'm not for free trade. I'm for fair trade."

As for national security, Garcia is scornful of George W. Bush's lack of enthusiasm for political peace talks.

"Our failure in the peace process has made Israel less safe," Garcia said.

"The security of the state of Israel is non-negotiable. The world community should immediately call upon the Iranian regime to halt its build-up of offensive weapons," Garcia said. "The failure of Tehran to comply must be promptly met with harsher economic sanctions and the severance of all financial credit lines. We cannot sit idly by as Iran continues to enrich uranium and menace its neighbors. The United States must lead a summit of diplomatic talks with its allies in the Middle East, and provide a vehicle to advance the cause of peace in the region."