What You Should Know

By Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz
32nd Senatorial District, Bronx County, New York 

ROBERTO RAMIREZ AND LUIS MIRANDA COULD
“STAY WITH THE CARBINES TO THE SHOULDER”

  You should know that the term "they stayed with the carbines to the shoulder” is one of those sayings we Hispanics are accustomed to hearing in our countries.

   There are very few instances when we speak without making use of old sayings, for example, when we refer to an ungrateful person who forgets the favors that someone has done for them, we will say, "A dog never bites the hand of the master who feeds him," or "He’s worse than Judas" referring to the one who betrayed Jesus.  When we are in trouble and beg for help, we say, "People remember Saint Barbara only when there’s thunder."

You should know that even in the Word of God, in the Bible, you can find
several sayings, for example: "A living dog is better than a dead lion," “A threefold cord is not quickly broken," “An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth," etc. etc.  Our own Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ made use of expressions when he said: “All who take the sword will perish by the sword."

Let's return to the saying in the title of this column, Roberto Ramirez and Luis Miranda could “stay with the carbines to the shoulder.” This saying is used when a person expects, works, wishes or yearns for something, and gets the opposite.

You should know that Luis Miranda is a Political Consultant who has worked for many Governors, and through his connections, he has managed to position his sons, daughters and relatives in positions in government.

Roberto Ramirez was an Assemblyman in the Bronx County and the President of the Bronx Democratic Party  Both Roberto Ramirez and Luis Miranda formed the MirRam Group Political Consulting Firm. Through this firm they have personified themselves to the world as the ones who have the influence to bring the Hispanic vote to any candidate who hires them and pays for their service.

The business of selling the Hispanic vote has been very successful for Roberto and Luis through the MirRam Group, LLC.  We all know that most Hispanics vote Democrat, and getting them to vote Democrat is not magic - but the problem that Roberto Ramirez and Luis Miranda are now facing is the candidacy of Adriano Espaillat to the United States Congress.

Apparently and allegedly, when Luis Miranda and Roberto Ramirez realized the
enthusiasm and the desire that there was (note that I said was) in the Dominican community for choosing a Dominican to run for Congress, they took this opportunity to convince Espaillat to hire them to be responsible to get all of the Hispanic elected officials to support Espaillat.

You should know that apparently things have not gone as well as the MirRam Group expected, and what they are proving to the world, apparently, is that they don’t have enough influence to convince the Hispanic legislators to support Espaillat.

Every day that passes, more and more Hispanic lawmakers join the campaign of Congressman Charlie Rangel against Espaillat.  Apparently, Roberto Ramirez and Luis Miranda advised Espaillat to promise Mark Levine, a non-Hispanic, the Senate  seat  which  he currently occupies, without thinking that this seat was fought for by Hispanic leaders for a Dominican, and for this reason the Dominican community can’t afford to lose a seat to someone else’s whims.

This has angered many elected officials who believe that by giving away a Senate seat which was created for the Dominican community, they are selling out and committing treason against the Dominican Community. Even Assemblyman Guillermo Linares who is of Dominican descent is furious with Ramirez, Miranda and Espaillat for promising to give away this Senatorial seat to Mark Levine in exchange for his support to Espaillat.  As of today, Guillermo has refused to give his support to Espaillat and rumor has it that he might lend his support to Congressman Charlie Rangel.

If these rumors are true and Guillermo makes the leap, Roberto Ramirez and Luis Miranda could “stay with the carbines to the shoulder” and lose many clients, because if they can’t "deliver" Hispanic Legislators to another Hispanic, how can they deliver to other candidates of other races?

People will start to notice that they have practically lost every candidate they have supported in the past, starting with Adriano Espaillat for Manhattan Boro-President, David Yasskay for Comptroller, Maria Baez for City Council, to Fernando Ferrer and Billy Thompson for Mayor.
According to some experts, Espaillat’s race should be an easy one to win.  If they lose Espaillat for Congress against a person who is not only  ailing, frail, tired and recently convicted of eleven congressional ethics violations,  but who also has another African-American running that will probably divide the African-American vote.  If they lose this one it will be disastrous for their credibility.

I am Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz and this is what you should know.

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