The China Situation

In the City of Miami Beach there has, apparently, been a cultural exchange with China over the past few years. I have not lived on "The Beach" since 2005 and have not covered politics here as a journalist since then either.

Now, I am back.

Today I was watching the city commission meeting on the local access cable channel and the subject of the cultural exchange became an issue for discussion among the commissioners. Commissioner Jonah Wolfson was adamantly opposed to it because of China's record on human rights violations. While on the other side, Commissioner Jerry Libbin was promoting it.

Commerce for the Beach is normally paramount for the city government as well as the various hotel and restaurant associations. Yet, Wolfson was so adamant that "as an American" the Beach should not have any business dealings with China that I was impressed. As Tom Sizemore says in TRUE ROMANCE, "I like this kid, Clarence, he's crazy!"

I was texting back and forth with a reporter for a local newspaper because I know the scene well....spend a year on that beat and you just know everybody. We were laughing at the "decorum" that is a normal part of meetings like these. It doesn't matter where it is. Everyone, it has been my observation, knows the outcome of a situation except the citizenry. There are a few times that things don't turn out as all variables to the equation would suggest, but rarely.

If you could gamble on outcomes to city meetings then you, if you knew anything, would be a rich man.