Who will pick the Tomatoes?

I want to start by saying I am not endorsing any GOP Candidate as of right now. I like what Marco Rubio and Ben Carson have to say, but I'm looking for a little more maturity from Rubio and a little more experience from Carson. I like a few others, but I'll leave it at that.

My question is directed at the Illegal Immigration plan that Mr Trump has come up with. I'm not going to say I like or I hate the plan. I think it has flaws. I think it's a good first idea, but there is no way he will be able to deport 11M illegal immigrants with a wave of his wand. My question is simple. Who will pick the tomatoes?

Now, at first glance, it seems like a stereotypical crude question. I understand that. I'm not saying only Mexicans work the fields.. At all. But I will say that in South Florida, 95% of the immigrant farm workers are of Mexican descent, albeit legal or illegal. They are hard-working and while, yes, there's crime, there's no more crime than say in Houston, where a criminal (who is a US Citizen) shot a police officer 15 times, for being a police officer.

So, I ask the question again with a little more depth: Who will work the fields that have been slaved over (YES SLAVED OVER) by these hard working individuals? I have spoken to a few of them and they receive a pittance for working from sun-up to sun-down. Someone will have to do it. Mr Trump claims that the Mexicans and other "illegals" have taken our jobs. Who wants that job?

I personally have a family member (that will remain nameless) who was out of work for 3 years because he didn't want to demean himself at working at a McDonald's. This is the type of lazy sons of bitches (women and men the same) that we have living here. Entitled people that feel the government owes them, rather than stoop to work at a McDonald's, much less a farm picking bushels of tomatoes at $4.00/barrel.

As I said at the beginning, I think Trump's plan has too many flaws. I think everyone can be interviewed and everyone should have a fair chance of staying here if there purpose is to work. Jobs are created at the social worker level and real people that can add to our society can start to fend for themselves. Of course there are thugs that only come here to take advantage of our society. That is everywhere, and oh, by the way, some of those people are citizens too. I really do believe you can't judge the actions of three criminals in a sea of 11M.

Being from Florida and there being such a melting pot of individuals here, it's difficult to be on board with what Trump is talking about. My own family left Cuba through Mexico and my mother had to stay behind in Mex City for a year before crossing the border (at first illegally, but being from Cuba and different times... etc) I think there is room for the right people. People willing to work. People willing to contribute. If not, then why does the Statue of Liberty have an inscription which reads:
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses, yearning to breath free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

That leads me to believe that everyone is welcome until they do something to warrant being unwelcome. I'm the proud daughter of Cuban immigrants that fought with every fiber in their being to be in this greatest of countries. I never forget my heritage and I'm proud to be an American. Everyone worthy should have the opportunity to feel that pride.

Christmas Eve - a good time for feel good stories?

I woke up this morning to a warm, muggy Christmas Eve here in Miami. The headlines abound with feel good stories of soldiers coming home for the holidays and the impending rain that is due to fall by tonight. There's always going to be good and bad in a society on any given day. Christmas is no exception...

The Miami Herald today wrote about a Cuban Woman, apparently the wife of one of the 3 Cuban spies that just last week were traded back to Cuba. She wanted to get pregnant and the Cuban Government collaborated with the CIA to get her some of his sperm. Yes, you read that correctly: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/article4834107.html The US GOVERNMENT helped a convicted spy get his sperm to his wife so she can get pregnant. This story is all about Christmas Cheer, right? We helped a thug, who was a convicted felon here in the US, get his wife pregnant. Where in the annals of US doctrine does that felon have rights that allow for that??

That is a disgusting story and I am not happy that an animal like that, who was directly responsible for giving information to the Cuban government, is able to procreate. It's just not right. OK Rant over.

I have tons of mixed emotions with the Cuba thing. Most of it is a passionate & emotional response to what happened 50+ years ago with my own family. I refuse to allow this generation of young adults to grow up and forget the stories that were told and lived my our forefathers. I will always tell our stories and continue to be a proud CUBAN-AMERICAN. My parents and grandparents fought to leave the oppressed country so that I would have a bright future. Everyone deserves a free future.
Merry Christmas to whoever is reading...

Pondering Christmas

Saturday morning, 5 days until Christmas. I find myself wondering if I bought the right gifts, if I wrapped them prettily enough and if I am ready for the holidays. Then, I turn on the news... and all of my petty worries go away.

Things going on in the world are getting out of hand: From movie companies being hacked by a terrorist country to Cuba and US opening up talks to normalize diplomatic relations. A few things I never thought I'd see in my lifetime. I think we are weaker as a nation than we once were. I think we are caving to the wrong people. Nelson and I are in agreement with the Sony hack, but we are in distinctively differing positions with Cuba. Thankfully, we are both intelligent individuals that can actually talk about differing opinions like rational human beings.

I rather just focus on Christmas. Who else remembers the magic of Christmas and what it means to us. The magic of Santa & his reindeer, the birth of Jesus Christ, the happiness of being caught under the mistletoe with the person you love... Can we just take a break from everything and focus on Christmas? That's what I'm going to do...