Why Charlie Crist is Not A Reagan Republican

The one hope that those on the political left and therefore the majority of those in the main stream media cling to in their desire to maintain Democratic Majorities in Congress after the 2010 mid term elections is that the Tea Party Movement will produce third party candidates that will dilute the conservative vote allowing Democrats to stay in power.

I for one believe that those that make up the Tea Party Movement and identify with a Conservatism defined by Ronald Reagan are pretty smart folks and would not support third party candidates running as some made up Tea Party Ticket. I believe that the very notion of putting personal pride or political gratification over what is good for our country is in direct conflict with the basic founding principles that created the Tea Party Movement in the first place. Which brings me to Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

The impact of the Tea Party Movement is obvious in the current Florida Senate Race between Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist. Mr. Rubio has opened up a 20 point lead in the Republican Primary race and it is obvious that Mr. Crist will not win the Republican Nomination for Senate in Florida. So what does Mr. Crist decide to do? Well, based on an April 15 Quinnipiac Poll that shows Mr. Crist winning the Senate Seat in a three way race as an independent, he seemingly has decided to do just that; run as an independent. This is a classic case of a politician putting their own personal pursuit of glory and power above what is good for the country.

If you believe as I do that the foundation of the Tea Party Movement and Reagan Republicanism are wrapped around a belief that serving one's country implies that one will put their country first and in doing so you as an individual will prosper from that decision along with the country, then one could conclude that Mr. Crists's position runs in direct conflict with Tea Party Movement principles and Reagan Republicanism, and is a perfect example of why conservatives in Florida have flocked to Marco Rubio over Charlie Crist. Sometimes it the man, not the politics.

I would like t say that I don't have a dog in this hunt and that this is Florida's business, but I nor anyone else that wants to see this country get back on the right track can take such a position. We all must rally around the effort to take back the Senate And House of Representatives in November. We must not let the vanity of any one individual stand in our way. We must make clear to all who will listen that we will not be swayed, that we are determined in our effort, and that we will put our country first knowing that if we do that, we will win.