Madfloridian's Journal - "I was nicknamed Chain-gang Charlie". Crist says no one is more right wing than him...not even Rubio

In recent appearances Charlie Crist has been having to go hard right to counter his opponent in the Florida Senate primary. Marco Rubio is the darling of the extreme right wing, and he is really forcing Crist to become extreme. It would be funny, but Crist's recent actions have hurt our state badly as he caters to the religious and political extremists.

At a speech in Lakeland he reminded everyone how tough he was, that he was pushing for chain gangs when he was in the Florida senate.

From Florida Politics blog:

Crist insists he's a wingnut

Picture courtesy of Florida Politics blog

"Crist sent a message to his nearest Republican primary opponent for the U.S. Senate during a Lakeland appearance Monday: Don't try to out conservative him."

..."Charlie then crawled into the gutter, reducing his signing of a death warrant to a political stunt:

Crist said he signed the death warrant for convicted murderer Paul Beasley Johnson at the request of Sheriff Grady Judd, who lost a friend and fellow deputy whom Johnson was convicted of killing along with two other men in 1981.

More about his words claiming he is just wingnutty as Rubio:

Crist, in an appearance at a Lakeland Yacht Club luncheon sponsored by the Lakeland Republican Club, made it clear to the audience of more than 200 that he considers himself just as conservative as former Florida Speaker of the House Marco Rubio. The two are fighting for the GOP nomination in next year's primary.

"When I was in the state Senate I was nicknamed 'Chain Gang Charlie.' It's hard to get right of that," he said during an interview with The Ledger prior to his address. ...

Crist said in his Ledger interview that he would describe himself as "about as conservative as you can get" in his post.

More about his appearance in Lakeland, video at The Ledger link if you are interested.

Crist Lays Out His Conservative Credits

Rubio and some conservative groups have complained Crist is too moderate and heavily criticized his appearance with Democratic President Obama in support of the federal stimulus package.

Crist said in his Ledger interview that he would describe himself as "about as conservative as you can get" in his post.

"No governor has cut taxes more, no governor has vetoed more pork bills and no governor has spent more time reducing spending," he said.

He also mentioned his work when he was state commissioner of education with a wide range of education choices including home schooling, a key issue among some conservative Christians.

Charlie is correct to be fearful of Marco Rubio in the primary. Rubio is the darling of
the religious right, the creationists, the extremists

Another Republican Creationist Running for Office

The "crux" of the disagreement, according Rubio, is "whether what a parent teaches their children at home should be mocked and derided and undone at the public school level. It goes to the fundamental core of who is ultimately, primarily responsible for the upbringing of children. Is it your public education system or is it your parents?"

Rubio added, "And for me, personally, I don't want a school system that teaches kids that what they're learning at home is wrong."

One of Florida's favorite columnists, Carl Hiaasen, has notice the harm Charlie has done to the state as he scrambles to get the right wing to love him.

Hiaasen.."And the bucks keep flowing in"....Crist panders to developers

Unlike Sarah Palin, Charlie Crist has chosen not to quit his governorship early. Florida's own one-term wonder is using his remaining time to ingratiate himself with as many deep-pocket interest groups as possible.

..."Take Senate Bill 360, which he signed into law last month. Authored by lobbyists for developers, it's one of the worst pieces of legislation to come out of one of the country's most buyable legislatures. The law emaciates Florida's Growth Management Act by removing state oversight of massive residential and commercial projects known as Developments of Regional Impact, which put enormous stress on neighboring communities.

More outrageously, the new law will stick taxpayers -- not developers -- with most of the high costs for roads and other infrastructure that housing subdivisions require.

It's a recipe for more reckless sprawl, which is the last thing Florida needs, and the last thing a self-baptized environmentalist like Crist should be endorsing.

Our state, indeed our country has paid a dear price for the pandering to the 1/4 to 1/3 at the most of the extreme right of America. It is a useless task, anyway. They will oppose anything common sense and credible no matter what.

Crist has done more harm to Florida in the last few months that ever before. Fear of Rubio has its consequences for us.