The American Spectator : Charlie's Revenge

Text Size

Charlie's Revenge

Siccing the Feds on his own party – and the conservative Republican poised to defeat him.

Charlie Crist, Florida's RINO Governor, may have gotten his wish. The Miami Herald and the St. Petersburg Times reported Monday that the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, and the IRS are conducting investigations of credit card use by the Republican Party of Florida.

Quoting "sources familiar with the inquiry," the two newspapers claim the targets of the investigation are cashiered RPOF officials Jim Greer and Delmar Johnson and senatorial candidate Marco Rubio of Miami. At issue is whether these men used their party credit cards for personal items instead of party business and failed to report income.

This is a difficult report to confirm. Like the Tar Baby, the federals don't say nothin.' "It's office policy that we cannot confirm or deny the existence of any investigation," said Kelly Dougherty, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tallahassee. "We can't confirm or deny," echoed Dan Boone of IRS. I didn't waste a toll call to the FBI. If the little hand was on the three and the big hand was on the 12, those guys wouldn't confirm it was three o'clock.

But even without official confirmation, there's little reason to doubt an investigation is underway. Republican Crist (Republican for how much longer we don't know) asked for a federal investigation of RPOF earlier this month after Democratic officials, including Florida CFO and Democratic candidate for governor Alex Sink, asked him to.

Pressure for an investigation came after media stories of lavish credit card spending by Greer and Johnson, and other RPOF officials. The reasoning went that while this matter needs attention, it could not be looked into by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement because this agency answers to the Florida cabinet, a nest of political candidates this year. Crist agreed that it was, however, entirely appropriate that the Republican Party be investigated by the Tallahassee U.S. Attorney, who answers to Eric Holder. And the IRS who answers to you-know-who.

"It's a mess," Crist said when inviting the federals to do a full body cavity search of his own party. "This thing stinks."

It does. Some Republican card holders may have, as Ricky was forever saying Lucy had "some esplainin' to do." Not least of which will almost certainly be Crist's hand-picked former RPOF Chairman Jim Greer, fired because he was much better at spending campaign money than collecting it.

It stinks also because it's clear that the main target for Crist's faux indignation is Rubio, Crist's conservative opponent for a U.S. Senate seat whose campaign has been so successful he has nearly driven Crist out of the Republican Party. Compared to Crist-man Greer, Rubio's credit card expenditures were trifling. Rubio says he paid any personal expenditures on his own American Express Card. No reason now, beyond Crist's political ambitions, to disbelieve this.

Without the kind of conservative record Florida Republicans are looking for in a Senate candidate this year, Crist has been left with going negative against Rubio, running ads suggesting Rubio is a villain who's been taking money from the RPOF through his party credit card.

Rubio campaign communications director Alex Burgos said the campaign has not been contacted by federal agents, but says he is confident the campaign and Rubio can withstand any scrutiny that comes their way.

"Marco is very comfortable if there is an inquiry," Burgos said. "We would see it as a good chance to set the record straight once and for all and get this nonsense behind us."

Of course very little in politics is ever settled "once and for all," and America has a venerable tradition of administrations using the IRS to go after their political opponents. What a gift this would be to President Obama, who now has a justification for investigating, all the way to Election Day, a popular senatorial candidate who says his only reason for wanting to go to Washington is to throw a spanner into the spokes of the Obama agenda.

It's not just Rubio whose efforts can be stymied by this investigation. The Florida Republican Party, in what has been shaping up as a very Republican year in Florida, could be damaged more by an investigation of wrong-doing, regardless of how much wrong-doing did or didn't take place, than by anything Democratic Party candidates can say about issues.

The RPOF won't say any more than the feds. While declining to say if there is an investigation underway, RPOF spokesman Katie Betta quoted RPOF Chairman John Thrasher as saying, "There is nothing more important than restoring the integrity of our party, the faith of our membership, and the public's trust, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to fully cooperate in order to ensure a speedy and through investigation."

That's clear enough. We won't say whether there is an investigation or not, but we will cooperate fully with it. Thrasher is right that the issue is trust. You don't win elections at any time, but especially in 2010, without it. However much damage this ultimately does to the Florida Republican Party, much of the damage will have been self-inflicted. The party exercised very little oversight over party credit card use. The rules for their use were very loosey-goosey. Now the party is looking at a potentially serious image problem that could have been avoided.

Crist may be getting his wish with an investigation, but he may not be all that happy with how things turn out. If there does turn out to be election violations or other infractions, Crist was certainly in a better position to exercise control over party operations when things went off the rails than Rubio. He was certainly closer to Greer, who may turn out to be the center of any investigation. Crist certainly hopes this business damages Rubio, the chief obstacle to Crist's senatorial ambitions. But when all the rocks have been turned over, Crist may have more esplainin' to do than Rubio.

About the Author

Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (82) | Leave a comment

Tim*| 4.22.10 @ 6:59AM

Crist will get hoisted on his own petard.

Stick a fork in Crist ,he's finished.

loulou| 4.22.10 @ 10:39AM

Yes, Crist is done, burnt.
Has Senator Cornyn made any comments about his man-tanned phoney?

The demonization of Rubio is not working.

Herman King| 4.22.10 @ 12:01PM

Misusing a creditcard is not as egregious as misusing the public.

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:13PM

Hmmm, do I detect a little irritation at the Rubio star being tarnished...? Regardless of what the result is, all Florida Republicans will be painted with the same ugly mud. Do I hear the rumblings of a Democratic Florida Senator coming into the picture? Hmmm. Ruh-Roh, there goes the plan to take back America. - it was ridiculous because it never went anywhere anyway. Certainly not going into the hands of the corrupt, Lesbian bondage club membering Republican Party.

Nick| 4.23.10 @ 8:57PM

Pay no attention to PurpleJackass folks.

He doesn't even know that Virginia governors don't run for re-election because they can only serve one term, then have to wait 4 years to run again.

He also likes to berate others for spelling "hypocrisy" wrong, and in the same post he wrote "hypocrit", like a moron.

He is not worthy of debate with grown-ups.

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:02AM

"Hmmm, do I detect a little irritation at the Rubio star being tarnished...? "

That's just a ridiculous comment - if you can read.

Keith I| 4.22.10 @ 7:17AM

I genuinely hope that Rubio wins election and goes on to be the Statesman that many think he will become. As to the the RPOF, I can only suggest that they change their name. Is it lost on these dolts that the party name comes out "Rip Off" when you say it out loud?

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:14PM

Just another sugar plum from the RPOF ...

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:05AM

"Just another sugar plum from the RPOF ... "

Why should we trust your sorry commentary? What are your thoughts, and Eric Holder's about Democrat criminality? Crickets chirping...

Northwoods| 4.22.10 @ 7:34AM

The Republican party in Florida has become totally corrupt. Rubio is a member of the Cuban Miami Mafia that has made Miami a Banana Republic with it's corruption. If Crist goes Independent he will win in Florida.

Ken (Old Texican)| 4.22.10 @ 9:03AM

Well
Northwoods and Steve...

have made three pointers into the punch-bowl.

Crist thanks you, Obama thanks you, and the earth thanks you...for the fertilizer. Heh

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:15PM

That's telling 'em old man

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:06AM

"That's telling 'em old man "

Does being 'old' disqualify? That's tellin' 'em purple dude.

1FreeMan| 4.22.10 @ 9:24AM

Miami Mafia? Who are you kidding!

Another shill paid to post for Crist. Crist voted against conservitive valuse so many times that my head is spinning. He wrecked his own political career. Vote for this RINO? Not a chance.

As a smear merchant trying to paint Rubio as a maffia tool you are obviously going by the liberal play-book tactic.

Beat it, TROLL!

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:16PM

Can't keep a free man down... sorry if the truth hurts people.

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:07AM

"sorry if the truth hurts "

You must be in all kinds of pain...

Susan Grant| 4.22.10 @ 1:16PM

Hey, Northwoods, PUT DOWN THE GLASS AND STEP AWAY FROM THE KOOL-AID PITCHER NOW! You get an 'F' for your reasoning, but you get a 'D' for sticking to the 'talking points' of the day. No wonder the democratzi's are in trouble with voters like you in their ranks, they can't win.

Paul in Orlando FL| 4.22.10 @ 1:42PM

Northwoods,

What is wrong with you? What do you base your comments on? You'd better wake up and look at your nation, buddy; it is at the edge of collapse and very few people appear to give a crap! The people are all buzy trying to get something free from goverment while they take away your freedoms.

I've followed Marco's interviews, comments and beliefs, to date. So far this guy is absolutely FANTASTIC! It was like hearing myself and what I've been screaming about. He believes in everything that made America what it is today and he IS exactly what we need to clean up this nation.

If we don’t pick people like him in the next election, this nation is doomed and will soon face financial collapse. While the rest of us are cutting costs, trying to survive and keep our heads above water, The Feds are on a INSANE shopping spree. This must stop; the Feds MUST be reduced by 50%. Think about it! If we reduce the Feds (the taxes paid to them) by 50%, we can shift 25% of the savings to the States and increase our wages by 25%. The money would be better spent in our State and give us more control as to where it is spent. THE CURRENT TAX PAYERS ARE NOT ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE NEVER ENDING FEDERAL SPENDING.

Again, wake up people… your nation is collapsing right before your eyes and you see is what you can get free from the Feds!

emo| 4.23.10 @ 8:09AM

No one should think this is about 2010. The attacks on Rubio are coming from Obama. Obama and the Dems are scared to death that Rubio will be a 2012 VP candidate

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:19PM

If he were to win, he would be snorting at the corporate trough soon enough, just like the rest of your Congressional retards. Until you get money out of politics, y'all ain't gonna get smack except what the corporate whores in Washington give you.

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:09AM

"snorting at the corporate trough "

Corporate whores? Hmmmm? Yet you're OK with single party power. Oh that's SOOO much better...anyone care to define sanctimonious hypocrisy to purple dude?

emo| 4.23.10 @ 8:08AM

if Crist goes Independent, he'll finish 3rd

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:20PM

He's got a better chance as an Indy than with the far righters.

SeatttleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:11AM

"the far righters"

And who are you, and why should we trust you with your small minded definitions? Puhleeeeeease!!

Melvin| 4.22.10 @ 7:55AM

I can't believe the voters in Florida are that stupid to where they would elect that silver haired, spray tanned charlatan if he went independent.
Rubio's not perfect but for God sakes electing Crist.
Obama is more Conservative than he is. But Crist would fit in perfectly with the Blue Haired Liar's Club in Washington D.C. I'd even bet old Charlie has his political guffaw practiced so when the Senate passes more taxes Charlie can be seen with the group of blue hairs who normally stand around the President and guffaw like horses asses when he signs legislation into law.
Come on Florida please enlightenment me are you that friggin stupid to elect this Crist as a Independent?

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:21PM

Yep.

Steve| 4.22.10 @ 8:47AM

I just can't justify voting for a guy that gets a $134 hair cut! Last two people in politics to do that was Clinton, and Edwards. Why would Rubio follow in there footsteps and be so foolish?

Stephanie| 4.22.10 @ 10:51AM

You're not going to vote for Rubio because of his high priced haircut? How the hell do you know what Christ or anybody else in the cesspool of politics pays for their hairdos?
If that's all you have on Rubio, I say he's in good shape.

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:22PM

Wonder if he body-waxes .. he is one hairy ape.

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:12AM

"one hairy ape. "

purple dude - quit looking yourself in the mirror and loathing - it's not healthy - for anyone!

John Navratil| 4.22.10 @ 12:45PM

Wasn't there! Can't confirm it! But the "splainin'" was that the $134 was for a haircut and a handful of $20 gift cards to be used at a GOP fundraiser.

Anyone got the real story?

Paul in Orlando FL| 4.22.10 @ 1:50PM

Steve,

With all that is going on in our nation the best you can do is complain about his hair cut cost? Wow, I hope the rest of the people out there are not as ignorant as you are. If they are, we are truly doomed and the Feds are correct; the American people are truly stupid and need government to tell them how to live their lives! I suggest you investigate Marco, get all the facts and then make a determination if he is worthy of representing us. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:22PM

They are - how else would Bushbaby have made it?

TURK| 4.22.10 @ 9:35AM

There are many leftists who show up on this Am Spec site to contaminate the observations made here. Northwoods and Steve are but a couple of examples of the aliases they use. Like the seminar callers of talk radio, they seek only to contaminate. They are especially loud when attacking a target they fear--Palin --and in this case Marco Rubio. Imagine Rubio in that rats nest that DC has become with the 60s left trashing America as led by BHO. The thought almost makes me have that tremble up my leg. Crist and the stalinists in the white house(never pass up a good crisis) will never defeat Marco on philosophy or issues. It will be filth and b.s. They have nothing else.

Paul in Orlando FL| 4.22.10 @ 2:01PM

Turk,

You hit the nail right on the head! From what I’ve seen if Marco maintains his beliefs, honor, and integrity; and not fall into Washington’s corruption, he will eventually make the Presidency (if he is American born, that is. I need to check)! I really love this guy! He will clean up Washington! Go Marco!!

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:26PM

Dream on, pal... Those are pretty big if's there. If he's like all the other Senators with R- after their name, he will be dumbed down like the rest by reading polls and support Sarah or Mitt. Besides, he's promoting a losing coalition, while Obama is supported by the growing coalition.

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:13AM

"while Obama is supported by the growing coalition. "

Wait, wait - who's dreaming? Bwaaaaaaahahaha!!

duvalgopgrassroots| 4.22.10 @ 9:39AM

Steve,
It was a $20 haircut and a gift card for a silent auction item for a fundraiser. Why are you so foolish as to believe such nonsense.

moron| 4.22.10 @ 9:42AM

So what was the result of the FBI, CIA, and IRS investigations into the Obama campaign overseas contributions, the Soros support, and ACORN use of federal money?

Stephanie| 4.22.10 @ 10:53AM

Ahh Moron, you know that doesn't count.

DVG| 4.22.10 @ 10:32AM

I used to be a democrat. I believe we need choices. Unfortunately, I don't see any way to wrest control away from The party of Soros.
I might have stayed democrat all the same, but the chance to vote against Crist and for Rubio led me to make the move.
I view Crist a slimeball. His every action confirms it. We had a child murder in Jacksonville, and Crist tried to make political hay of it. Disgusting.
The mayor of Jacksonville, John Delaney, when I first moved here seemed like a very decent person. I wish he would return to politics. The country is short on honerable decent people.

Paul in Orlando FL| 4.22.10 @ 2:14PM

DVG,

Crist is, has been and will always be a loser. I think he must be related to Al Sharpton! They both love media attention to glorify them and do nothing to help the cause.

Yes, you are right, if we don’t elect honorable people to represent us, America will no longer be the greatest nation on earth. That is the part that angers me the most; why would anyone want to change the best nation on our world to be like the nations in Europe? Europe is over taxed, totally corrupt and most of them are now Socialist! America is the last hope for this world. Have we all forgotten why America was created?

Bruce| 4.22.10 @ 6:44PM

Paul - expecting to find people of HONOR entering politics is by and large a lost cause, since the majority of them are lawyers who failed at attempts to be appointed/elected judges. Show me a lawyer with honor and I'll show you an 18 year old girl Bill Clinton hasn't lusted after.

Heatpacker| 4.22.10 @ 10:45AM

I believe that this is the prelude to an October Surprise. The unscrupulous Radical Leftists who now control our legal system will no doubt wait until the last moment to announce an indictment against Marco Rubio - then the charges will be dismissed after the election (remember Ted Stevens?). The Chicago thugs in the White House fear confident and outspoken conservatives like Rubio and will use all means at their disposal to destroy them. Marco must be prepared for the unethical onslaught that awaits him.

emo| 4.23.10 @ 8:10AM

They fear Rubio because he is a hispanic conservative

Purpleguy| 4.23.10 @ 5:29PM

If that is true, you have your own party to thank for teaching the Democratic party how to fight in the mud. After Bush and Rove, what did you expect to happen - every D would just roll over? It's hard to take what you dished out, and payback's a bitch, but that's the reality folks!

SeattleBruce| 4.24.10 @ 7:15AM

"teaching the Democratic party"

This is an oxymoron...need a dictionary purple friend...(there's another one!)

emo| 4.25.10 @ 6:12PM

What are you babbling about?

Red at Heart| 4.22.10 @ 11:33AM

How is it that Charlie Crist has ended up having so much political sway and the ability to drive national level races? It was Crist that played king maker for McCain. If McCain hadn't won the Florida primary, he wouldn't have been the nominee. Crist's move there changed history forever. Now, he's trying to keep Rubio out of the Senate and further advance the Democrat stronghold in Congress. If he does go Independent, we can count on him to vote w/ Obama policies down the line. He's probably been promised a higher calling if he'll run Independent, keep Rubio out and maintain a Democrat Senate majority. Charlie and Joe Scarborough have a lot in common: they need to stop saying they are conservative Republicans. Neither are even close.

Grace| 4.22.10 @ 11:46AM

Crist knows he's in trouble. He is grasping at straws and trying to smear Rubio. Even if there was some impropriaty on Rubio's part I don't think it will matter. What matters is what he is saying now and the heartbeat of the people are with the conservative candidates. Crist cannot be trusted and will not win no matter what party he's in. The hug did him in.

gert| 4.22.10 @ 11:47AM

Crist and his ilk will burn in hell.

Amanda| 4.22.10 @ 11:51AM

The Obama regime's "thugs in command" think
that they can play politics as usual because the press is solidly behind them (even Fox if you haven't noticed the slight changes taking place
since Obama met with Roger Ailes).

However, in today's political world there are many of us who get their news from sites like this
which weed out the crapola and present the facts.
I always read the comments sections because that is where some enlightment may take place for me!

Obama can get the leftist crazies and high school/college students all "wee wee'd up"
all he wants. Obama was elected not because
95% of blacks and young people voted for him.
He was elected because white conservatives and independents voted for him....age 35 on up....
NOW...we know the truth and it does not matter
what spin they put on Rubio, etc. etc.
We aren't going to listen.....we laugh at their
antics.

Americans are educating themselves on the constitution, bill of rights, etc. We know the
facts, we know we are right and we are coming
out in droves in November.

That "asshat" Obama should know better than to
"piss off" an old person! Our grandparents, fathers, brothers, sisters, etc. have fought in our wars to protect freedom. We know a little something about our country that others who just waltzed in here from wherever don't know. And WE will defend our way of life. Get out of our way! Here we come....November can't come soon enough.

DTCOFAZ| 4.22.10 @ 12:37PM

If.. the FBI, IRS and the U.S Attorney's office are not biased, they would conduct their investigation on the Obama's money trail of his presidential campaign - the same eagerly way they've been going after Rubio and the RPOF.
Unfortunately, they all are in the political games. They start to show to the American people their political stripe.
They are trying to clear the way for the Dems for the 2010 election in FL.

Cris should act like a gent, drop out and support Rubio. If he switch to the independent and savage Rubio chance to win, his name will do down to the toilet just like Specter the Defector.

Joe| 4.22.10 @ 1:28PM

Crist has made a fool of himself, regardless of what Rubio did, which is probably exactly nothing. The fact that Crist would run as an Independent (or anything else, for that matter) tells the whole story. Power, Power, Power, that is what he wants.

David| 4.22.10 @ 2:13PM

About a month ago, Crist trashed Rubio for his haircuts, and added the he (Crist) still uses the same barber in his hometown.

I asked the question to Floridians, how far it was from Tallahassee to Crist's hometown. No answers, so I checked them map and it looked as though it was at least a 3 hour drive. (Sorry, can't recall name of the hometown). So does Crist drive it, fly it or what? I bet the total cost of Crist's haircuts including travel and meals far exceeds Rubio's.

About the investigation, the Florida Republican Committee has already investigated Rubio for the baseless charges that he used party money for personal reasons. It concluded that "we wish everyone would spend money the way Rubio does.

This is a democrat hit job to keep Rubio out of the senate. The investigation will continue until the election, then it will go away, and they will have found nothing unethical or illegal. That is the dems play book over and over. Watch for the IRS to announce they are conducting a personal audit of him.

Dwight| 4.22.10 @ 2:39PM

If they are corrupt, they're corrupt. Politics playing or not. I say hold every last one of them accountable whether they are R or D or conservative or not. We shouldn't look the other way just because we agree with their politics. Most of us agree that the government is corrupt and if we are going take care of that we need to remove it from our own party.

Paul in Orlando FL| 4.22.10 @ 2:53PM

David,

Interesting comment! You are probably correct. Chris may have spent $20.00 for his hair cut but it ended up costing tax payers a few thousand $ for him to get there and back home!!

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why so many people are still blinded by and support the current Democratic regime (I call them Socialist pigs). It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to it figure out! Here is an example of our Socialist Federal Government; $4,500 Cash for Clunkers Program ended up costing tax payers around $24,000.00 per vehicle! I think I remember how to add… let’s see…. 24K minus 4.5K = 19.5K. Yep… it costs $19,500 for our government to process a $4,500 check! They are very cost effective, right?

JP| 4.22.10 @ 3:26PM

Charley Crist: another great legacy of the Bush family.

xcon| 4.23.10 @ 7:14AM

JEB Bush was an excellent governor.
Crist, well.......not so much.

JayJay| 4.22.10 @ 4:13PM

@ Heatpacker 10:45AM... I certainly do remember the Stevens smear. As an Alaskan, I have to live with the consequences of that one daily. It was a close race too and they did a Minnesota recount there too although it did not drag out as long.

I must admit that if reports come out about expenditures for Crist at the Green Iguana that I would get a good chuckle though.

Elizabeth Craine| 4.22.10 @ 4:48PM

I believe Rubio is an honest man. It just seems a little to convenient to start an FBI investigation at this point in the campaign. Seems Crist cant win on his own so he is trying to smear Rubio. I will be voting for Rubio. We need a conservative in Washington. We cant allow Meeks to win by default. He voted for the fiasco of a healthcare bill.

Brad Nelson| 4.22.10 @ 5:21PM

Crist is revealing himself to be a dirtbag --- and the prototypical vacuous career politician; no goal higher than just to stay in office or move up.

MattZ| 4.22.10 @ 6:01PM

It's sad to see Crist get purged from his party, of which he was a valuable member. I can't say that there are many republicans I actually respected, but moderates are quickly going the way of the dodo inthis new climate of reflexive opposition to Democratic policy proposals and the march to find an evermore conservative base.

This isn't going to end well for you guys, or for the country, for that matter.

Matt| 4.22.10 @ 6:06PM

Better by far it is, like Cato, to find death in opposition to tyranny than to compromise with it and be cursed by history for selling Liberty for a bowl of pottage. Our name is not Esau and somehow we must find a way to apologize to our grandchildren for selling them into this new dark age.

MattZ| 4.22.10 @ 6:18PM

Fine, Matt, make your stand, but don't kid yourself,

But Marc Rubio isn't exactly Cato, and Mike Pence isn't a 21st century Virgil.

Hell, you guys don't even have a Ronald Reagan anymore! He would have met a primary challenge from some Tea Party hack, so don't give me this "liberty or death" nonsense.

The party of Lincoln hasn't stood on principle since they opposed civil rights.
MZ

matt| 4.22.10 @ 6:23PM

Sorry Matt, I just used the name to adress the post to you. Al Adab here. Thank you for the revalatory comment about your world view. It is good we know where you are coming from. Better check the congressional voting records re the civil rights act of 1965. You might be surprised.

MattZ| 4.22.10 @ 6:44PM

The only thing that surprises me these days is the GOP's complete disregard for productive discussions that could actually fashion sensible policy to help a struggling empire. It's not like the party in power is actually making *better* decisions because of the obstruction, and I'm sure you'll agree with that one.

If they really cared, at all, Mitch McConnell et al. would bring up serious concerns and debate actual policy details, and not rehash discredited talking points that have nothing to do with reality in an attempt to derail an agenda instead of improving it.

So maybe the whole of the GOP didn't argue against civil rights; that's fantastic and is of course as it should be. But what does that say about the GOP of today, who march basically in lockstep against policies they make no effort to understand and make complaints that any half-way intelligent observer can tell are disingenuous ("death panels" for health care reform, "permanent bailout" for financial reform, etc., etc., etc., etc.)

The GOP of 1965 is head and shoulders above their modern day counterparts, and their mixed voting record on an issue as "divisive" as civil rights helps prove the point.
MZ

Al Adab| 4.22.10 @ 7:01PM

MATT:
It seems we find some common ground after all. What so many call RINOs are in fact the GOP of today. Please do not confuse them with the Conservative movement. Reagan remember was opposed by Bush and Conservatives expressed great disappointment in 43's economic and spending policies. The only success the GOP has experienced was when the Conservative movement was in the ascendancy ala 1980 and 1994. Otherwise the accomodationists will continue to mislead and to fail.

Nonetheless I would caution you to remember, "Charity is no part of the legislative duty of government." James Madison

MattZ| 4.22.10 @ 7:41PM

Well, fine, but if congress is full of RINOs now, with the gridlock still as bad as it is, I don't see how electing even more ideologically-uncompromising members will help get the USA out of the hole it's in.

And, if Reagan, Bush I and Bush II were all disappointments, why should anybody continue to vote republican today? It smacks of the "no true Scotsman fallacy," if you can just disavow your guy and throw him under the bus like that. Moving to the right seems like a destructive strategy for the republican party, the country as a whole, and certainly for the state of political discourse.

Oh, and you're forgetting that Clinton, who balanced the budget, was the only true "conservative" president in economic sense of the world. President Palin isn't going to change that.
MZ

Al Adab| 4.22.10 @ 7:54PM

To start. Clinton "balanced" the budget given him by the GOP controlled (not Conservative mind you) congress. Enough of that chimera.

President Palin?

Reagan did not disappoint while both Bush admins were "moderate" thus being less than steadfast.

Do not assume that the current Leftist/statist agenda is anything that can be fixed. It is anathema and should be detroyed not compromised into being.

I'm not sure what "hole" the USA is in, but if you refer to the economic condition, increasing taxation, mandated costs and regulations is no cure for a lack of economic expansion.

Have a good rest of the evening. Thanks for the conversation.

Bydand76| 4.22.10 @ 7:50PM

MattZ

You are spouting pure unadulterated Pap!

Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have.
Ronald Reagan

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.
Ronald Reagan

We "The TEA Party " Rebellion! Stand on what Reagan taught and practiced MattZ.
We DO have Ronald Reagan because that is the standard that we are holding our politicians to.

No more will I be a slave to the moderate scum who sells me out at his or hers conveniance.

Enough is Enough!

I would also suggest that you go back and study your history sir because the Republicans were not opposed to any Civil Rights in the 60's.

Wanna guess who used to be a of the KKK back then Sen Robert Byrd West Virginia DEMOCRAT!

Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.
Ronald Reagan

MattZ| 4.22.10 @ 8:09PM

I really doubt that Reagan would have a place in the modern Republican party, not that the party in the 80s or the 60s was really all that great, either.

The tea party would have his head on a platter for raising taxes 6 times in his 8 years and you know it.

As for government existing to protect us from each other, that sounds like the perfect case for commonsense financial regulation to prevent capitalism run amok.

Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 4.22.10 @ 8:17PM

Bydand76: Bob Parks wrote a great article at Black & Right, that covers the great history of the Democratic Party, and their treatment of Black Americans (the link is at the end of this post). MattZ is just trying to rewrite history, like the Democrats always love to try, but you can't hid the truth.

June 10, 1964
Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL) criticizes Democrat filibuster against 1964 Civil Rights Act, calls on Democrats to stop opposing racial equality. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was introduced and approved by a staggering majority of Republicans in the Senate. The Act was opposed by most southern Democrat senators, several of whom were proud segregationists—one of them being Al Gore Sr. Democrat President Lyndon B. Johnson relied on Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen, the Republican leader from Illinois, to get the Act passed.

August 4, 1965
Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL) overcomes Democrat attempts to block 1965 Voting Rights Act; 94% of Senate Republicans vote for landmark civil right legislation, while 27% of Democrats oppose. Voting Rights Act of 1965, abolishing literacy tests and other measures devised by Democrats to prevent African-Americans from voting, signed into law; higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats vote in favor

February 19, 1976
President Gerald Ford formally rescinds President Franklin Roosevelt’s notorious Executive Order authorizing internment of over 120,000 Japanese-Americans during WWII

September 15, 1981
President Ronald Reagan establishes the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to increase African-American participation in federal education programs

http://www.black-and-right.com.....-race-lie/

MattZ| 4.22.10 @ 8:22PM

Okay, I guess the moral of the story is that southern rednecks suck, regardless of political party (although I know who they vote for nowadays.)
MZ

Lullaby's, Legends and Lies| 4.22.10 @ 8:46PM

Read the whole article, it's the proud past and present history of the Democratic Party. Sen Byrd was a card carrying member of the KKK, and he's still there, and you can't explain it away. Read the whole article, and then see who wrote it, you might be surprised. Rewrite history? You can't!!

MattZ| 4.22.10 @ 10:32PM

Yeah, the voting record is very eye-opening. I learned a whole lot about civil rights era voting records. Seriously.

However, I suppose southern rednecks always have and always will continue to retard progress, and party affiliation makes no difference. The past does nothing to change the fact that all of the violent rhetoric these days is from the right - namely, the tea party. And yeah, the past is more complex than I mentioned originally.

All in all, it's still sad to see Crist "outed" from the party as the GOP lurches even further to the right to placate the purists, which was the original point being made, mistakes notwithstanding.
MZ

emo| 4.23.10 @ 8:13AM

Crist is throwing himself out of the party by going Independent and by vetoing merit pay for teachers.

Osamas Pajamas| 4.23.10 @ 2:21AM

Crist is a spastic plastic fascist bastard, and already under OhBummer's desk and Doin' Da Lewinsky --- where do you suppose this sudden attack of the Feds originated? This is how OhBummer got started in Chicago, and used the local machine and the lapdogs and whores in the Democrat-captured media to torpedo any opposition.

Charles Martel| 4.23.10 @ 3:59AM

Yo, trolls, tell Sunstein that the AmSpec regulars say "hi" and even those of us who can't vote for Rubio are sending his campaign money.

Meanwhile, back in Texas, NRSC chairman John Cornyn has some "'splainin'" to do.

+++

emo| 4.25.10 @ 6:11PM

I honestly dont think it is Charlie Crist that is siccing the Feds on Rubio. It is Obama. Obama and the left is scared to death of a hispanic conservative who might be the 2012 GOP VP candidate