By Farid Khavari
Ask establishment mayoral candidates, Carlos Gimenez and Joe Martinez about their plans in creating jobs, and their answers are embarrassing.
Carlos Gimenez: “We run the two largest economic engines in Miami-Dade County: Miami International Airport (MIA) and PortMiami.” “In a very concrete way, both facilities will underpin the job-creation efforts that we aim to achieve through this initiative.”
(The Miami Herald, May 13, 2012, Page 5L)
According to an article published in the Miami Herald (May 29, 2012) titled:
“Up in the air: American’s fate, effect on South Florida.”
MIA employees will suffer potential layoffs as follows:
American Airlines: 9,000
Transport Workers Union workers: 1,000
US Airways: 1,000
The truth is Miami-Dade cannot afford to lose even one job in the present environment.
The loss of potentially 11,000 jobs will leave Miami-Dade County with only one large economic engine. Very soon the second largest engine will follow the same fate!
Now, read what Carlos Gimenez further states:
“Port Miami isn’t sitting idle, either.” “We are now positioned to welcome the largest cargo ships in the world to our port when the newly-expanded Panama Canal opens for business in 2014.” “All this means more trade and logistics jobs for our residents and more prosperity for our community as a whole.”
(The Miami Herald, May 13, 2012, Page 5L)
Who will buy these goods Mr. Gimenez has, when there are more jobs lost due to poor planning? Does anyone in their right mind seriously believe that there would be substantive jobs created when perishable flowers are imported from Columbia to Miami-Dade County and Chinese-made AC systems are exported back to Columbia?
If such trade really happens, one thing is sure to occur:
The “newly-expanded Panama Canal” will suck all the dollars for imported flowers to Columbia and the dollars for the exported Chinese-made AC systems to China!
It may well be possible that a few companies in Miami-Dade will end up making some money, but the residents of this county would neither get the illusory jobs, nor would those exporting and importing companies enjoy prosperity for long either. One thing will happen for certain: General poverty will hit the ceiling, with no end in sight.
Bottom line: We do not need an Importing Mayor. We need an Exporting Mayor!
Joe Martinez said:
“I promise to listen to the needs of the residents and respond with honesty and humility.”
(The Miami Herald, January 27, 2012, Page 3B)
No comments can be made about Joe Martinez’s job creation plan, simply because there isn’t one. Joe claims to still be trying to understand the needs of the people in Miami-Dade. There is only one logical conclusion we can come to about this. If Mr. Martinez has not learned after being the commissioner for 12 years in Miami-Dade, then just how much time would Mr. Martinez require as mayor, to learn about the real and substantial needs to guide the county to economic prosperity and growth for everyone!
Conclusion: We do not need another “on the job training” politician.
Carlos Gimenez also boasted by embracing Beacon Council’s plan in creating jobs under “One Community One Goal.” (The Miami Herald, May 13, 2012, Page 5L)
Having a goal is a good thing Mr. Gimenez, however to reach a goal one must have a road map to follow.
The choices are: A Man with A Plan, A Man with a Poor plan, and A Man with No Plan.
While my platform is based on a true road map to economic development, how are we suppose to get excited by inept and shallow plan presented by the Beacon Council, and embraced by Mayor Carlos Gimenez! They both need serious help.
More about Illusionary Jobs:
- “The seven industries identified by the Beacon Council for creating 75,000 jobs in Miami-Dade County over next five years were:
- Aviation
- Creative design
- Hospitality and tourism
- Information technology
- International banking and finances
- Trade
- Logistics.”
(The Miami Herald, May 8, 2012, Page 6B)
- How could any number of jobs be created, especially in the projected amounts, when around 11,000 jobs are about to disappear and possibly lost forever in MIA?
- Creative design could only prosper and lead to creation of jobs if we had facilities to manufacture those designs whether they were clothing, cars, boats, dishes, solar panels, solar homes, or anything else!
- Relying on hospitality and tourism is like promising people of Siberia 365 days of sunshine, or years of rain to the desert resident, it is not dependable in a failing economy.
- Do we need any more information technology; it is just being used against us.
- Banking and finance must undergo a serious reform if our economy is to survive! The fact is that the age of commercial banking as we know is over. Layoffs are going to be tremendous.
- Current plans would render our port merely a distribution center for China and others. Are we that stupid or lost our minds?
This kind of plan for creating jobs reflects job-illusion rather than real job creation and Miami-Dade will lose again. Importing would be the least attractive of all areas for producing jobs.
Don’t be fooled with all the hype created regarding job creation due to trade with Columbia, Spain, Brazil and Panama. Does anybody in his right mind really believe that by expanding the Panama Canal we will benefit? We are expected to believe that passage of more and bigger ships through the canal importing products and taking money & jobs will benefit Miami Dade!
The most economically devastating trade between countries happens when (A) exports perishable goods such as flowers to (B), and (B) exports products made in(C) to (A). This is the pure characteristic of two Third World countries (us and Columbia) conducting trade with an industrial nation (China).
Miami-Dade County needs to be creating jobs at home not in Spain. Spain is a country on the brink of economic collapse with a devastating 25% unemployment rate, and we will be too if we do not turn the boat around. Do we want to import 25% unemployment rate in Miami-Dade County by getting involved in trade with Spain?
Finally, if we intended to become a banana republic, then the current plans for Miami-Dade County will be highly effective! Similarly, if we want to become a true banana republic, then I encourage you to do nothing and allow the “no plan” or the “Poor Plan” candidates to recklessly control your future.
I ask you this: “Should we associate ourselves with several banana republics and behave just like them as we are doing presently, or should we decide to have a prosperous future and get busy with a successful plan?”
HOW TO CREATE MASSIVE JOBS AND PROSPERITY?
Trade will help Miami-Dade County only when we can export common goods and products manufactured right here in Miami-Dade County. I am referring to goods or products that will help people to start seeing real savings in their daily lives.
The current system was built to benefit a few, it is time that we built a system based on doing things the best way.
For example: It is important for a family to reduce the monthly energy bill, which is sure to increase even more as time goes on. To this category belongs “decentralized” solar and wind energy systems, water-collecting and generating dehumidifiers, building SUPER-CLINICS to reduce the healthcare drastically and increase the quality of healthcare delivery, building materials and components that reduce maintenance costs, energy costs, insurance costs, installation costs, etc… while creating lot of jobs at home. And, yes this can be available for you.
Just this one example will create manufacturing jobs, design jobs, delivery jobs, installation jobs, accounting jobs and lower the cost of living. This is how a qualified and competent mayor can create massive jobs and prosperity for all of the involved groups and everyone benefits.
Once a strong base of manufacturing and know-how in modern technology is created in Miami-Dade County then proposals such as those forwarded by the Beacon Council, “One Goal One Community” and embraced by establishment candidate for Miami-Dade County mayor, can find a place or make sense. Otherwise, all of it would remain a mirage, a delusion and a big disappointment!
Also a real concern for everyone is, if we do not turn the import boat around and build a strong economy, those with current jobs will become unemployed and hard earned pensions will disappear.
Only a very small group, do win in a failing economy and then only because they are playing the system that they created.
It is time that we all stand up for our own salvation – We have the numbers to win, let’s win.
Dr. Farid Khavari is an economist, and author of ten groundbreaking books and numerous articles dealing with economics, environment, energy, banking, financing, healthcare, costs and social costs. He is a candidate for Miami-Dade County Mayor 2012. He has written this article in his capacity as an economist. His mayoral website: www.khavariformayor.net
