Sunshine State Pols - Desperate and In Denial

Two of Florida's political figures are in the news today: Alan Grayson and Charlie Crist. Do we hear about them because of their goals for America and Florida? Do they have plans to solve the many problems that beset us, like record high unemployment, the soaring debt, or a nuclear-armed Iran?

Sadly, no.

In fact, the reason we're hearing about them is sorta the polar opposite. In Grayson's case, what we hear is his disregard for the people he claims to represent by calling them mentally ill. Psychological projection, thy name is Grayson. He stopped by the Ocala Star-Banner newspaper just long enough to disparage Tea Partiers this way,

It's an entirely incoherent message manipulated largely by the right-wing media," Grayson said. "I can tell you that they should be glad that Health Care Reform has mental health coverage, because some of them need it.

As one of his constituents, I'm extremely insulted by his inane comments. I've attended a Tea Party rally and found many kindred spirits: folk who (accurately) think that our government is unresponsive to the will of the people. And the evidence supports the Tea Partiers. Poll after poll show an overwhelming majority of the public disapproves of the direction Congress and the Obama administration is taking the country.

Grayson seems to think that we're just a bunch of brain-dead hicks. And in a way, he's right. We voted him into office, didn't we?

The other train wreck is Charlie Crist's Senate campaign. Now that polls show him still losing to Marco Rubio badly in the Republican primary after going negative in his ad campaign, Crist is looking not at what the people of Florida want (a conservative voice in Washington), or what's best for the country, but how he can finagle his way to a victory. Switching parties? No problem for someone who's out for his own gain, especially after he said in no uncertain terms that he was running as a Republican just a few weeks ago. If he does switch parties, he'll have damaged his reputation beyond repair.

Ask yourself if you can truly trust him in light of his willingness to contradict himself. Will he do what he says he will do? Sure doesn't look that way. If he can't keep his word on the little things like remaining loyal to the Republican party, how can we trust him in Congress?

It's truly sad that politics in our great country is populated with the likes of Grayson and Crist. They are prime examples of the type of people we don't want in Washingon.

If we are to right this mighty ship of state, these two must be left ashore.