Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Crist's populism sounds good, but rankles GOP

[seafan]

Crist's populism sounds good, but rankles GOP

By JOE FOLLICK
October 29, 2006

TALLAHASSEE -- If elected, Charlie Crist will have become governor of Florida by swerving away from Republican dogma with a persistent appeal to be "the people's governor."
But his political tendency to say what people want to hear has already set him at odds with Republican lawmakers.

In speech after speech, Crist has addressed the state's two thorniest dilemmas with feel-good promises to cut property taxes and insurance rates with solutions dismissed by Republican lawmakers.
There's no denying the appeal of Crist's promises to double the homestead exemption, allow residents to keep accrued property tax savings if they move and force insurance companies to offer homeowners insurance in the state if they only offer auto insurance.

But the GOP-dominated Legislature has dismissed the plans as either too costly or disastrous.
Republicans say Crist's insurance plans would chase private insurers out of the state, and say his tax plan would only exacerbate the imbalance between taxes paid by homeowners who have their annual increases capped and businesses that have seen their taxes skyrocket.

That doesn't bother Crist.

"I'm more of a populist, I really am," Crist said. "It's right or wrong for me."

snip

Crist has also shown fuzzy devotion to other ideas. He said this week that he would have vetoed an insurance bill passed by the Legislature this year if he had been governor. The next day, he changed his mind.
And Crist decided this month that he supported restoring voting rights for released felons, a move favored by African-American voters whom Crist is courting.

snip

But Latvala thinks Crist's past history shows he's more interested on advancing general ideas than the details of how things end up.
"He understands the sound bites and the campaigning of focusing on the big picture and getting the people behind you on the big picture as opposed to a lot of details and minutiae," he said.
Crist's affable glibness is present on the campaign stump, where his focus is on good vibes, not pesky details.

So Charlie ain't big on details either??

It's time to send this guy packing next week.

[Joe Chi Minh]

1. It's real difficult trying to square the circle.

[ChiciB1]

2. Sarasota Tribune Endorsed Davis... Many Papers Have....

What I want to know is WHY are all the polls showing Crist ahead??? Sarasota is no bastion of Liberals here you know. It's Cruella's District and THANK HEAVENS she'll FINALLY be GONE!

For a while anyway!!!

[seafan]

3. Charlie borrowed Jebbie's pollsters that tell us he is *a popular governor.*

It's all an illusion, this GOP.

And it is shattering in a deafening roar.

[ChiciB1]

4. Came In To Re-Post... Watching Crist Is Making Me ANGRY!

No love lost between Crist & Linn!!! Would that Linn would simply say, "if not me, then Jim Davis!"