Marco Rubio - U.S. Senate - 2010

Pensacola News Journal
Crist Has Nothing To Be Proud Of
By Congressman Jeff Miller (FL-01)
Friday, 1/29/2010

Recently, this paper’s editorial page urged Gov. Charlie Crist to “stand up for the decisions he’s made, don’t apologize for them — and let voters decide,” referring specifically to his support for the $787 billion stimulus spending bill as “something Crist should be proud of” (“Let Crist be Crist,” Jan. 12).

Crist should stand up for the decisions he’s made, and we should all let the voters decide, but by any objective measure the stimulus has been a failure.

Despite promises to the contrary from Gov. Crist and President Obama, the stimulus has failed to create a single net job for Florida. Florida has shed 213,000 jobs since the stimulus passed, and our unemployment rate has seen a dramatic increase, from 9.4 percent to near the unprecedented 12 percent mark.

In addition, the stimulus didn’t solve Florida’s economic or budgetary problems, another promise made but not kept by Crist. Even after accepting billions in taxpayer-subsidized bailout money, Crist still signed into law a historic $2.2 billion tax hike to balance last year’s budget. I don’t know if Crist should apologize, but this is not a record to be proud of.

Floridians should not be fooled by Crist’s sleight of hand. He now says he will not apologize for accepting the stimulus, although accepting the money after the bill became law has never been the issue. Where Crist failed the people of Florida was in endorsing, campaigning and lobbying for the largest spending bill in American history, a bill which has burdened our children to mountains of debt, and which will lead to a massive tax bill that all Americans will have to pay.

The governor showed poor judgment born out of political opportunism. He called on me and my fellow Republicans to urge us to support President Obama’s stimulus, even going so far as to sign a letter expressing his “support for the American Recovery and Investment Act.” At the time, Sen. Mel Martinez questioned whether Crist even understood what was in the bill.

However, that did not stop the governor from having Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer send his minions to rally support for the bill across Florida.

Those of us who actually studied the bill knew we had to oppose it, because our country cannot tax, borrow and spend its way to prosperity. In the end, not a single member of Florida’s Republican congressional delegation voted for it.

Since then, we have seen peculiar behavior from the governor. After months of struggling to defend the indefensible stimulus (at one point famously denying he ever supported it in the first place), Crist seems to have settled on a new message. No one should be surprised. He is aware of the growing discontent in Florida over Washington’s endless spending and the big-government course President Obama has set for our nation.

Engaged citizens in town halls, tea parties and voting booths — of all political persuasions — are speaking in unison against Washington’s excesses and the same policies Crist has supported.

Citizens in New Jersey and Virginia spoke out when they held elections. Last week, it was Massachusetts. In seven months, Florida Republicans will get our chance to elect a nominee who will fight for the limited government principles that have made America exceptional. I am confident Marco Rubio will be that candidate.

Rubio has been consistent in his opposition to the stimulus, ObamaCare, tax hikes and bailouts. Floridians can count on him to be an independent voice for limited government and against the Obama-Reid-Pelosi agenda.

Marco will stand up for his record and his decisions, no apologies necessary.

Rep. Jeff Miller represents Northwest Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives.