Opinion: Gimenez, Mooney, Rodriguez Don’t Care About You

Florida Keys, we have a problem! Sound familiar?

Guest Editorial by Mark Ebenhoch

You the constituent are being cancelled. Want to be a Russian, Chinese or North Korean citizen? Then ignore this read.

I’m writing this as a 20 plus year retired US Marine. I’ve voted in every election since the day I turned 18, I’m almost 63, so I’m not a novice. Today is/was ‘Florida Keys Day’ in Tallahassee. Got concerns, questions or comments? Forget about it. YOU don’t count! Or at least that’s the way it is with this current crop of piss poor elected officials. Yep, they needed you to get in and now you’re worthless. This dangerous development is a bipartisan issue. It affects every one of you!

Recently, US REP Carlos Gimenez held a telephone ‘Town hall’. If you weren’t on it, it made no difference. ALL Keys and Monroe County constituents were ignored. But If you’re from Miami, viola! You got to talk! Additionally it was the most overtly partisan debacle I’ve ever witnessed. Only Republican constituents calls were taken, NO Democrat or Independent callers accepted. Disgusting.

Today (since it was Keys Day) I called SEN Anna Maria Rodriguez’s office with the same concerns regarding legislation that I wanted to discuss with REP Jim Mooney. Her office staff answered, was responsive but uniformed as to the information I wanted to discuss. We shall see if the Senator actually calls a constituent back… (insert snark here).

Now, for Mr. Mooney. NO one answered his Tallahassee office (as usual). His Homestead office message box was full (as usual) and his Key Largo office number is a computer that asks for your phone number.

I’ve attempted to contact Mooney several times in the last 4 months. Crickets.

I had a concern for Mr. Gimenez that affects every one of your wallets and is specific to Monroe County. He’s NEVER responded in three months, even though his staff agreed that concern was very important. As long as you’re from Miami…….

The predecessors of these three were stellar at responding and communication with their constituency. Shout out to Holly Merrill Raschein, Carlos Curbelo, et al.

This crop is undemocratic, dangerous, unscrupulous, unprofessional and lacking in ethics or integrity.

DEMAND from them attention, representation and communication to YOU, the voter, the constituency. NOT their pals lining their reelection coffers or their partisan ‘buddies’. Republican or Democrat or Independent should make no difference. This is NOT the type of governance I spent 23 years in uniform defending.

Dump ALL three. Find someone who will actually REPRESENT you, the resident of Monroe County.

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Mark Ebenhoch is a former member of each major political party. He served as a US Marine for 23 years until his retirement. Mark was a helicopter flight school owner and spent 20 years as a military technical advisor for the film industry. A Keys resident for 11 years, Mark fills his passion these days as an avid advocate for his community.

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