Crist moves GOP to center, finds friends on left

Bradenton Herald ^ | MARY ELLEN KLAS

[NautiNurse]

TALLAHASSEE - Including unexpected echoes of liberal icon Robert F. Kennedy and former Vice President Al Gore, Gov. Charlie Crist's first state of the state speech had Democrats cheering, Republicans applauding politely and black legislators engaging in call-and-response chants with the new governor.

The Republican governor's 32-minute speech drew on his familiar populist themes of property taxes, crime and education, then embraced a host of Democratic ideas traditionally shunned by Florida's GOP leaders.

He said Florida should invest in research into global warming and stem cells, raise teacher pay, require voting-machine paper trails and pay the full cost of the class-size reductions voters approved four years ago. It was more proof that the Republican governor is not afraid to pull his right-leaning colleagues toward the center.

SNIP

The governor also called for lawmakers to approve $300 million to raise teacher salaries, $26 million to provide more reading coaches in schools and $10 million for computer-based tutoring.

And to raise the profile of all children's issues, Crist recommended the adoption of a long-sought idea by Democratic Sen. Nan Rich of Sunrise: the creation of a Children's Cabinet to coordinate state services for children.

"Our children must be our first priority," Crist said to applause.

SNIP

As he asked whether Florida can be best at educating children, at leading the nation in high-paying job growth and at making life more affordable for working people, black lawmakers began to call back, saying: "Why not?"

"If we do," Crist responded, future generations will "say that this truly was a special time when good men and good women came together to . . . truly make Florida the brightest star in the American sky."

[NautiNurse]

A chicken in every pot...

[clintonh8r]

Charlie, you're no Jeb.

[sgtbono2002]

Toss more cash at the Education waste basket.

[Ma3lst0rm]

Interesting development. It is hardly a surprise. I figured there was something wrong when he acted like a coward during the last election. He is taking this directly from the Arnie play book. We need to start cutting the legs off these pretend conservatives early on. Better to have elected a Democrat than a Republican that talks and acts like one. Once the lines are blurred so much that the public can't tell the difference is there any wonder why people believe the Democrats can do better on Health Care, the environment, and the economy something that isn't based on any evidence. They are getting these impressions from somewhere and we can only blame the "liberal media" so much.

[NautiNurse]

"Our children must be our first priority,"

And the seasoned citizens drift gently unto the Florida sunset...

[EagleUSA]

Toss more cash at the Education waste basket.
----
Just what every liberal union-ite wants to hear -- they are an easy touch through liberal taxation.

[Seeking the truth]

Just waiting for the day that he outs himself ala McGrevey.

[Old_Mil]

My congratulations to all the foolish party robots who threw a tantrum and suggested that not voting for this guy was somehow a betrayal of the conservative cause. Turns out that voting for him was an endorsement of liberal ideology.

Let this (and the Arlen Specter business) be a lesson to anyone who is thinking of going into a voting booth and pulling a lever marked "Rudy."

Third time won't be a charm.

[NautiNurse]

Just waiting for the day that he outs himself ala McGrevey.

shudder...I hear you...

Hey--missed you at CPAC! It was the best one ever. No kidding. {{{Hugs}}} to you and D.

[mirado]

Liberalism is a deadly disease, and sometimes even healthy bodies contract it. I do not see billions of tax payers money going into research to cure this disease. Oh, boy. Oh, boy.

[Lancey Howard]

LOL, Crist is a scumbag liberal. Surprise, surprise.

[neodad]

I'm sorry, but I read the headline and thought that Christ was moving to the left. Yikes!

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Moving to the center is probably the only thing that will help the Republicans on the national stage for the next few years. Crist sounds like he's thinking of the Senate.

[NautiNurse]

Liberalism is a deadly disease, and sometimes even healthy bodies contract it. I do not see billions of tax payers money going into research to cure this disease.

Sam Brownback promised to cure cancer if elected President. Does that count?
;o)

[NautiNurse]

Moving to the center is probably the only thing that will help the Republicans on the national stage for the next few years.

If "the center" includes promising a chicken in every pot full of unfunded mandates and/or raising my taxes...forget it.

[Rembrandt]

It seems like Crist is just going to have to learn that while you may be able to befriend a rabid dog, it is still a rabid dog.

[mkjessup]

"Our children must be our first priority," Crist said to applause.

Translation: "It takes a village!"

There is a reason why we have two political parties, and that is to give voters a CHOICE, and traditionally that has meant: The Democrat Party, which at it's core believes in legislating from the bench, disarming our citizens, promoting left/liberal 'values', poking it's nose into our business at every opportunity, taxing anything and everything possible in order to fund their myriad social engineering agendas, tearing down the spiritual and moral foundations in favor of a situational-ethics, "if it feels good do it" philosophy, and the creeping socialization of America by placing government in charge of things like health care and education, just to name two.

Then there is the Republican Party, which USED to stand for limited government, upholding the original intent of the Constitution (i.e. not just 'constructionist' but 'ORIGINALIST', thank you Jim Robinson), strong national defense, lowering and cutting taxes, letting private enterprise and the capitalist system do what it does best, GROW our economy without excessive regulation, promoting law and order and standing up for the 2nd Amendment (which makes all the other amendments relevant), but unfortunately, the GOP is slowly and surreptitiously morphing into nothing more than 'Rat-Lite', and we need look no further than the orgasmic frenzy of those who would jettison the values of Reagan Republicanism, and embrace the RINO-Rockefeller faux 'values' of Rudy Giuliani and all those who give lip service to conservatives, then proceed to stab us in the back each and every time.

I'm sure Charlie Crist will be getting at least an honorable mention on Rudy's potential VP list, if (God forbid!) he actually gets the nomination.

IF you are an elected Republican official, and you suddenly have Democrats applauding you and treating you like their pal, you can damn well be assured that you are making the transition from 'Republican' to RINO.

Here are some examples:

Lincoln Chaffee - RINO, former Senator, Rhode Island

Chuck Hagel - RINO, 'maverick' Senator, Nebraska

Arlen Specter - RINO, PA, specialist in 'not proven'

Olympia Snowe - RINO, Maine (need I say more?)

John Warner - RINO, Virginia (has shown his true colors)

Mel Martinez - RINO, Florida (a pro-illegal amnesty type)

John McCain - RINO, Arizona (can't leave McInsane out!)

Lindsey Graham - RINO, SC (never saw a Democrat he couldn't be friendly with)

George Voinovich - RINO, Ohio (wept over John Bolton being U.N. Ambassador, that wuss)

I could go on and on, but I'm sure you get the idea?

[ChildOfThe60s]

Flush more money down the "education" toilet, more like it.

[clintonh8r]

Hell, at least McGrievous was married.....

[NautiNurse]

Hell, at least McGrievous was married.....

Did McGreevey at least own property in the state he governed?