During the primary campaign last year, our new Congressman Carlos “Crybaby” Curbelo painted himself as a conservative 
Republican and said attacks on him for being soft on GOP issues and aligned with Obama and former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist were slanderous.
But since elected to the office in November, Curbelo has seemed to prove he’s a RINO (Republican In Name Only). He’s almost more blue than red on several high-profile issue, including immigration and, most recently, climate change. He co-sponsored flood insurance legislation with U.S. Reps. Patrick Murphy and Lois Frankel and voted with the Democrats a number of times, including one of only 20 Republicans who broke with their party in a close vote to allow illegal immigrants in the military. He also voted against 97% of his red colleagues on the Enforce the Law for Sanctuary Cities Act.
Read related story: New campaign ad questions Carlos Curbelo’s GOP loyalty
Curbelo’s even put together a coalition of 22 high-profile Democrats who, much to Taddeo’s chagrin, support him — including Aventura Mayor Enid Weisman, Florida City Mayor Otis Wallace and consultant Freddy Balsera, who is working with the other Democratic presidential hopeful,, Hillary Clinton, on her Hispanic outreach.
The Congressman hitched a ride 
with Obama on Air Force One — practically begged to be invited on board — and on Wednesday, he hung out with Vice President Joe Biden who may very well run for the Democratic presidential nomination. Biden thanked him for what exactly? For being there? Or for voting with the other side of the aisle so much?
Was that really necessary? Que pinta Carlos Curbelo at a Joe Biden event that could precipitate his announcement, any minute now, that he’s running for president? And does he have to look so happy about it? He’s got that same giddy look he had with Crist in 2009.
When does this become an embarassment?
Nelson Diaz, the chairman of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade, is very forgiving.
“Standing next to the vice president doesn’t make you a Democrat,” Diaz told Ladra. “If he comes out in favor of Obamacare and tax increases and more government spending, that’s another story.”
Curbelo told reporters there that education was a bipartisan issue. And he may be right about that.
Read related story: Carlos Curbelo keeps mum re 2010 attack on Marco Rubio
But he also told reporters that there was a “space” for Biden in the presidential race. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for his party issued a different sentiment in a statement: “Whether it is Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton, Democrats are just repackaging President Obama’s same old partisan rhetoric and stale ideas. Americans want new ideas, new leadership, and a new direction from their next president.”
While Ladra might ordinarily praise a more moderate and inclusive, bipartisan approach from our electeds — otherwise wtf are you ever going to get done? — it smacks of hypocrisy in this case: A short year ago, Curbelo beat his tiny bird chest really hard to show he was more Republican than anybody else.
Now, I half expect him to join the VP again Thursday as he tries to convince a group of South Florida Jewish leaders and activists that this Iran deal is a
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Is Carlos Curbelo a closet Democrat in disguise? added by Ladra on
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He is just trying to appear more moderate to win Democrats in his district.
I give Mr. Curbelo a LOT of credit for taking a bold stand to act on sea level rise and climate change. With sea water flooding into our streets at high tide, and our reefs and oysters dying from carbon overdose, we cannot afford any more partisan games with the climate issue. I don’t care what party you are from, it’s time to face this climate threat and take it seriously. Glad he stepped up!
Crybaby is in the wrong closet?.
So voting with Democrats on a few issues that you believe are righteous and taking a picture or flying with a head of state makes you a Democrat?? I’m pretty sure that makes you a moderate which is what this country needs. Someone willing to work and compromise with the other side to get things done. What we don’t need is extreme Dem’s or GOPs who are just crazy. We also need better journalism than this garbage.
No. But wrapping yourself up in the ultra conservative flag to win primary votes and lying or misinforming people, if even through omission, on those positions because it may cost you votes makes you a hypocrite.
Did you even read the story? Or just the headline?
Normally, Ladra praises and applauds bipartisan crossing of the aisle… but not hypocrisy. Embrace your inner Democrat, I always say.
Is that you Miles? I miss you.
Love, Ladra
“bellwether”, not bell weather. Although admittedly the weather can get rather loud in District 26.
Ladra, you have provided a necessary truth and swung an investigative hit out of the ball park.
We, the constituents, are tired of establishment, quid pro quo, who you know, money buys elections, two-faced politicians. The utter disrespect for the voter and the utter arrogance of nonchalance towards bold face lying is unparallel in its extreme corruption.
We want a REPRESENTATIVE elected official to act/vote on policy after being elected EXACTLY as he promised and championed during the midst of campaigning. OR, if his policy positions do change, as many of ours do throughout the years, explain through the normal avenues of voter engagement – Town Halls, etc. HOWEVER, what we have here is a politician claiming to be in agreeance with the policy platform of his chosen party, and selling that tripe to his constituents, when he clearly is not.
Congressional races are partisan. Should the voters want a nonpartisan race, they need to push that agenda at every electoral level. Although, from my experience, “nonpartisan” races are the most hypocritical of them all. Most are SUPER partisan with slate candidates being push by the local party.
Voting for Democrat policies usually signifies you are a Democrat. I learned the simplicity of that analysis in Introduction to Logic and Reasoning 101.
[…] Guess they don’t think he’s a closet Democrat in disguise. […]
It’s good to see that we have a representative in Congress that has not been brain washed by Fox “News”, that knows how to reach across the aisle to attempt to get something done. I am so tired of grid lock, aren’t you?
The people want for both parties to be together when their welfare is in jeopardy. so lets make up are minds and support those that are making an effort to help the needy, no matter what party they belong too! We really need to group up and stop repeating the different mantras.
And rational.
Maybe he is just intelligent.