Former Republican Governor, Charlie Crist, is expected to announce his candidacy for Florida Governor in 2014, this time running as a Democrat. Many Liberals are really upset.
Governor Charlie Crist was the one term GOP Governor of Florida, serving from 2007 to 2011.? Crist did not seek a second term, but instead sought the Republican nomination for the 2010 U.S.Senate seat against Marco Rubio who was, at the time, a?Teabully favorite’s son.??Governor Crist was defeated by Senator Rubio in the Florida Republican primary. Still, Crist ran in the general election as an Independent. Senator Rubio won the seat with about 50% of the vote, Governor Crist came in second with about 30%, and Congressman Kendrick Meek, the Democrat, finished third with about 20%.
Born in Altoona Pennsylvania, Governor Crist has an attractive political resume.? He was a Florida State Senator, the last elected Florida Education Commissioner, and Florida Attorney General serving under then Governor, Jeb Bush. Governor Crist was a practiced personal injury law when he practiced privately.
The Charlie Crist political playbook has always seemed to include the ability to straddle the fence while at the same time upsetting voters and party luminaries.? As Florida Attorney General, Crist often disappointed Republicans by doing such things as going after big oil?companies, by not interceding to help Governor Jeb Bush and Senator Rick Santorum in their failed attempts to save Terri Schiavo, and by being against lifting the Federal ban on new offshore drilling so as to protect the pristine Florida beaches; think the BP gulf oil rig disaster, April, 2010.? Crist also often angered Conservatives for his support of Civil Rights issues.
Remember the hug?and back pat in February, 2009, that Governor Crist gave to President Obama?? The President had come to Florida to promote the 787 billion dollar stimulus package.? Crist was for the stimulus and the photo from the event began Crist’s nose dive from being 29 points ahead of Marco Rubio for the Republican Senatorial nomination, to losing both the primary and the general elections to Rubio. Thought shalt not show support for President Obama or his policy even if it is going to help the people of your State.? And for heaven’s sake, never, ever touch President Obama. ?Think Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey. But wagging a finger in the president’s face, no problem; think Republican Jan Brewer of Arizona.
But Governor Crist didn’t stop with a mere embrace of the President and his policies.? He went even further out on that limb when he endorsed the President ?coming out? for his re-election in August of 2012.? And when Republican Congressman Bill Young of Florida’s 13th District suddenly died on October 18, 2013, the Congressman’s widow?politely emailed Governor Crist telling the former Republican not to bother showing up at the funeral.
Speaking of ?coming out?,?there are the long standing rumors that Charlie Crist is gay.? The Governor was featured in a 2009 documentary that ran on HBO entitled ?Outrage? which outed politicians who hypocritically support conservative anti-gay, anti-human policies, while at the same time living as a closeted gay.? Crist has reversed?his position on same sex marriage citing the support given same sex marriage by President Obama?as the inspiration for his change of mind.
Yes it is early, but recent polling has Governor Crist in front of the present Florida Governor, Republican and Teabully darling,?Rick Scott, by 12 points.?Polls also show that the other viable Democrat in the race, former Florida State Senator, Nan Rich,?is essentially tied in a hypothetical race with Governor Scott, and she is having difficulty raising campaign cash.
Let’s face it.? Rick Scott is a bad Governor and he needs to go. He has pursued terrible polices for the people of Florida attempting to systematically dismantle and destroy public programs from education, to healthcare, to jobs, while privatizing just about anything he can while personally benefiting himself and his wife.
In the 1990s Governor Scott’s for profit private hospitals were alleged to have committed Medicare fraud,?over billing the Government, and resulting in a two billion dollar settlement, at the time the largest fraud case in Medicare history. The Governor also was ousted from the company, but not before agreeing to an almost ten million dollar severance package before walking out the door.
Governor Scott put his healthcare clinics and drug testing companies in trust in the name of his wife while seeking State funds?for the privilege of treating Medicaid patients at those very same clinics. Fortunately, his plan to have all State employees drug tested was ruled Unconstitutional,?but the Governor is appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court.
The Federal Appeals Court has also thrown out the law Governor Scott signed in 2011 to have Florida Welfare Recipients?drug tested.
Yes, Governor Crist might be a ?Democrat Light?.? Yes, his background shows a troubling history of flip flopping and a change of positions only after testing the political winds.? But given the choice of four more years of Rick Scott after defeating a weak an poorly funded Nan Rich, or returning newly minted Democrat, Charlie Crist, to Tallahassee, the pragmatist in me says bring that on.
Once he becomes the next Florida Governor in 2015, Charlie Crist, the Democrat, will surprise you.? Now that they are no longer welcomed in the Teabully Party, Governor Crist will help to provide cover for the multitude of other Moderate Republicans looking to join the conga line over to the Democratic Party.?Governor Crist, would accept Federal funds to expand Medicaid while also working to set up a Florida centric healthcare exchange system.? Governor Crist would oppose new oil drilling off of the Florida coast and he would work to bring same sex marriage to the people of Florida.
And perhaps, Governor Crist, if he is in fact Gay, just might come out of the closet to become the first openly Gay Governor in the history of the United States.? All of this would be very good things if they were to happen.? Let’s get Florida back into the 21st century.? Any step towards progressive policies, however small, would be a step in the right direction.? Electing Charlie Crist as an alternative to Rick Scott, is the correct choice for Florida Democrats.
Let’s not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
Edited by SS
