A Republican Team More Liberal Than Clinton?

The McCain people have been floating the name of Governor Crist of Florida as a potential vice presidential candidate. I realize, of course, that promoting the names of several people in this way is a time-honored practice that gives them publicity and gains the support of people who have no chance of ending up as the vice presidential candidate.

As a conservative Republican, I have had to swallow hard to embrace Senator McCain for president, but at least I have always felt that his views, including some that were badly mistaken, were honestly held. Selecting a fellow RINO (Republican In Name Only), like Governor Crist, however, would clearly be a case of McCain’s thumbing his nose at conservatives, and would be the straw that broke my back. I would see little difference between a McCain administration and a Clinton administration, particularly on domestic issues.

Governor Crist is a fairly new governor and is quite popular – largely because people here in Florida have not yet figured out that his highly publicized programs to reduce insurance costs have actually driven many companies to leave the state and others to get out of the property damage business entirely, and has actually forced thousands of Floridians into the state pool at exorbitant rates. Governor Crist has fed upon the widely held, but erroneous, belief that someone else, other than those who live in Florida, will come along and pay for the huge damage caused by recent hurricanes in the state.

Those of us who are conservative also noticed that Governor Crist’s first acts as governor were to commit Florida resources to combat man-made global warming, and to give convicted felons the right to vote.

I implore Senator McCain to achieve some balance and select a conservative Republican as a vice presidential running mate. Let those of us who live in Florida deal eventually with Charlie Crist. Here is some evidence we are wising up.

Crist Defends Nomination Of Aide's Wife
The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 20, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday defended his decision to hire the wife of his general counsel as chairwoman of the Public Employees Relations Commission at a salary of nearly $100,000.

Sara Gonzalez, 34, was an assistant for a dermatologist when chosen for the seat, which requires Senate confirmation. The commission hears complaints by state workers and the top post was held by a lawyer the previous 33 years. Gonzalez has a master's in physician assistant studies.