Florida is a state of many natural wonders, from the white, sandy beaches to the vibrant orange groves. And as our state name implies, there is never a lack of sunshine.
Yet there are some downsides to living in Florida, such as the tourists, the heat and prevalent hurricanes. Our hurricanes storm the beaches with powerful winds that destroy everything in their paths, and when you least expect it, the eye hits, bringing a false sense of security until it delivers one final blow.
This may sound like another natural wonder Florida possesses: the politician. Every state has them, but we have Gov. Charlie Crist.
Our story begins off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico.
Crist appeared on the radar as a small tropical storm brewing in the state Legislature as an education commissioner, seeming to uphold moderate Republican views. He later served as attorney general, and he broke with then-Gov. Jeb Bush on the Terri Schiavo issue; this is where the winds began to pick up.
He gained speed as governor when he accepted billions from the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
He embraced President Barack Obama’s policies, yet positioned himself as a fiscal conservative. From here, Florida voters were not prepared for the storm they were about to weather.
The hurricane has hit land, and we are now at the center of the eye.
Crist decides to campaign for the U.S. Senate as a Republican and hopes to bring Florida’s dilemmas to Washington and runs, once again, on a platform of sound fiscal policy.
In several of his ads, he even rallies against the president’s policies, attempting to provide a sense of calm to the voters of Florida.
But voters in Florida are smart.
They have seen storms of such caliber and know how to react to them. They struck back by letting Marco Rubio gain 20 points in the polls.
Just when the voters thought it was safe to come out of their homes, Crist delivered his final blow and changed to the Independent party.
Crist not only changed parties, but also refuses to give back the money to those who donated to his campaign with the intentions of him running as a Republican.
He showed his true colors as a man who is willing to do anything to gain a seat in the Senate.
Just like a hurricane, he is a strong force to be reckoned with, destroying everything in his path, taking down friends, partners and supporters along the way.
The funny thing about hurricanes in Florida is they are never welcome and many flee the state when there is news of a heavy one about to hit land.
Maybe Crist and hurricanes have more in common than many might think.