Now that he is falling behind in the polls to Marco Rubio, Florida governor Charlie Crist is making noise he might run as an independent. If he does this will be the second establishment backed candidate in less then six months who then stabs the party in the back (National Republican Congressional Committee’s candidate in NY-23rd turned around and backed the Democrat in the race and the Senate Republican Committee, as well as Senate Republican Leadership, has backed Gov. Crist, at the time saying “he had the best chance of winning.”)
Considering this alert I received last night from Florida Family Action, a pro-family C-4 in the Sunshine State, if Gov. Crist wants to leave the Republican Party no one should be clamoring for him to stay:
Gov. Charlie Crist has signed a 3rd Gambling Compact with the Seminole Indian Tribe to expand predatory gambling (Las Vegas-style, Class III slot machines and table card games) to tribal facilities. The deal will also clear the way for huge tax breaks and financial bailouts to the existing gambling industry executives in Florida, which include 28 licensed facilities in 19 counties.
Governor Crist, who has taken significant money from the gambling industry, has made this gambling “deal” the centerpiece of his tenure in office and he is blatantly ignored the enormous social costs and harm that expanded gambling brings to families and communities as a result of increased gambling addiction, bankruptcy and crime. Our government should not engage in offering predatory products that exploit the most financially vulnerable citizens in our state such as the elderly and the poor. It is both fiscally and morally irresponsible. This kind of a gambling compact would have never taken place (and was turned down many times) under former Governor Jeb Bush. Tell them if they vote for the compact you may not be able to vote for them in the future.
The Legislature still must vote to ratify the Compact Thursday morning deal so it is critical that you contact your legislators immediately and urge them to not take Florida down this destructive path.
Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://www.votervoice.net/link/target/flfpc/9WQrBt45.aspx