Charlie’s Quid Pro Quo – More than Meets the Eye?
The political theater surrounding Senate Bill 6 was brought to a conclusion this morning as Governor Charlie Crist vetoed the bill, ending the effort by state Republicans to ostensibly reform our state education system. Opponents of the bill are primarily teachers’ unions who adamantly oppose tethering student performance to teacher pay raises. In an effort to get Crist to oppose the bill, teachers from Hillsborough County canvassed their county urging residents to support Governor’s Senate campaign provided that he veto the legislative intiative.
In our view, while the motives of this bill are good ones- the need for greater teacher accountability is essential and non-negotiable. However, it appears that the means by which teacher accountability is determined- tethering teacher pay raises to student outcomes- is highly questionable. We think this bill in its present form should be reconsidered and revised before it is ultimately adopted into law. But the merits of the bill aside, there are looming questions as to the surrounding politics of this whole drama.
There are rumors of a deal in place between the Florida Education Association (FEA) and Charlie Crist for the union to run one million dollars of attack ads against Marco Rubio, Crist’s opponent in the U.S. Senate primary. This would be in violation of FEC laws, as campaigns cannot coordinate with 501c non-profit organizations. Call us cynical, but we must inquire- was this whole legislative spectacle orchestrated from the get-go by the Governor and other interested parties to allow Crist to play the role of the hero by intervening at the height of this drama and veto this largely unpopular measure- thus winning him the support of the teacher’s union (at least temporarily), and enabling him to be viewed as an independent maverick who bucks his own party, making himself more appealing to centrists and Democrats? Inquiring minds want to know.
26 Responses to Charlie’s Quid Pro Quo – More than Meets the Eye?
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I just came from the Naples, Fl. Tea Party….people were stretched for at least 10 miles all along the 4-lanes of highway. It was a sea of people further that the eye could see. A guy got on his motor bike and drove down to the end just to see how far it went. And people in cars going by honking, thumbs UP…all along the highway on both sides. It was truly a great day and time. People standing by me said they had never really been into politics…but ARE NOW! I heard someone mention that there was some meeting up in Ft. Myers last night on the teacher issue…and only 5 people there. Yes, Charlie has cooked his goose…and heard also that he is going to run as an Independent since he knows being a R.I.N.O. Republican hasn’t played well for him…and his Ads about Marco will back-fire too.
People are taking notice and anything he tries to do now…will NOT HELP HIS CAUSE!
IT WAS A GREAT DAY IN NAPLES TODAY…the weather was great and the LOCATION was the best along with the TIME….noon-2 pm.
What some people with only political brains call “appealing” to centrists and Democrats, I call
being a governor for all the people. Who as senator can also be a senator for all the people of
Florida. Charlie Crist brings to the senate a paid dues tract record of having served the people as attorney general,and governor under difficult times.
Not making an over ambitious political jump from the State House of representatives to the U S congress Experience,you don’t buy orBS yourself to people,
You have to earn it. To serve well in Washington.
Javier: It was wonderful for my wife and I to meet you at Sumpter Landing in the Villages along side of the campaign bus the other day.
We entirely enjoyed sharing thoughts on the campaign with you.
You and Marco have our very best wishes for continued success and if you return here we look forward to seeing you again.
Alan Linden and BJ
Thank you Alan. It was my pleasure to meet you and your wife on Tuesday. Send me an email on here and we will keep in touch. sharktank411@gmail.com
How do you feel about Debbie Wasserman Schultz? I have a candidate that needs everyones help. Ask around if someone would want to host an event for him in The Villages.
OK Juan, whatever. Charlie has absolutely NOT earned the right to be a Senator. Taking stimulus money and wanting to use it to pay for recurring budget items is the stuff of buy now and pay later politicians of which we have too many already.
We don’t need regurgetated has-beens who have lots of mileage on them. This isn’t the NFL. There is too much to lose.
We need NEW blood, period the end, and Charlie is just more of the same old tired, worn-out Oligarchy-type politico who answers to whomever lines his pockets the most.
Honestly, if the man vetoed a bill that he was supposedly in favor of because the education union promised him campaign $ to run attack ads then why in the HECK would you want this man as Senator?
Charlie has a track record, all right (“tract” is a piece of land. His record is following the Obama bandwagon over the cliff and pandering to every special interest group at his door, especially unions. That’s why he is losing in the Republican primary polls by 2 to 1 margins.
Does Charlie pander to special interests? Yes he can, yes he can. Mmm mmm mmm, Barrack Hussein Obama, mm mm mm.
I think he also vetoed Senate bill 6 because Jebb Bush backed it and didn’t back Charlie. It’s all politics, but what about the kids?
Do it for the children. Vote for Marco.
Yes, Juan, you’re right, Charlie has earned and paid his dues…the old way, kissing @ and sucking….up to all the political bosses. We aren’t putting up with that kind of behavior anymore. Stand up for the constitution and your constituents and ‘we the people’ will ask you to represent us. I won’t pretend to be an expert on the education system, but I have many teacher friends here and in other states and they ALL agree that tenure has been a large contributor to the destruction of education in America. Charlie is sucking up to the unions. His veto is for political gain, NOT for the betterment of the children of Florida.
Pingback: Charlie Crist Caved to the Unions | The Lonely Conservative
Pingback: Charlie Crist Caved to the Unions | The Lonely Conservative
I agree completely with your comments on Senate Bill 6. While abolishing tenure and reforming public education is vital, I think tying teacher pay to student success is a bad idea. There are far too many other factors contributing to student failure than just the teacher. Not a bad bill, but seriously flawed. We can do better.
As to Charlie, noting his past record, I don’t think principle had anything to do with his decision. Crist has a pretty clear and simple record of pandering to whoever he seems to think will benefit him the most. I take this veto as a signal he is bolting the party, and becoming an independent, maybe even a Democrat. His campaign is in serious trouble, and his liklihood of ever seeing the Republican nomination is nearly zilch. Desperate measures are all he has left.
Charlie vetoing the legislation doesn’t concern me one way or the other. However, I am truely tired of the teachers and their unions using the children as a means to demand more pay, while at the same time saying that they should not be held accountable for the outcome of the lessons taught. I also disagree that a child who is not fed breakfast, lunch and dinner at school is stupid and doomed to failure. Schools should not be in business of replacing parental responsibilities. Admittedly a great many parents today are themselves iresponsible.
Ken, as I teacher, I don’t use children to demand more pay. I’d personally like to be paid for my ability because I’m a good teacher. There seems to be a huge misconception out there that schools are filled with poor teachers. Not true. Most are conscientious, hard working people who truly care about the children they serve. I also think the unions need to wake up to the fact that tenure is a bad idea. Most teachers oppose it! They also need to be proactive in the process of designing a pay system that is fair and rewards quality. This bill was a long way from that! I will say that your comment about feeding kids breakfast, lunch and dinner is a bit ludicrous. At my school where most children live in poverty we watch kids load their pockets in the cafeteria on Friday because they are storing up for the weekend. If we didn’t provide them food, they’d not eat. Now, if you want to base my salary on a child’s performance on one test who is more concerned about survival than reading, I’d say that was unfair.
Personally I think Bill McCollum should investigate this! It is the unions, not the teachers, who are responsible for the lack of education in Florida. The day “tenure” went into effect (and the lottery which was ONLY to be used to enhance education – a joke- ask the public officials whose children are in private schools)education in Florida went into the toilet. Get rid of the unions and tenure, let the teachers work on merit, and you will see a rise in education in Florida. The only teachers yapping and complaining on TV are the ones who would be out on their ear if they weren’t protected by tenure.
Watched an interesting 1986 movie “POWER” with Richard Gere and an all-star cast the other night. It was about a political consultant who groomed and orchestrated candidates to win. Interesting. Watch it and learn. Idealistic ending, kinda dopy I thought. WHAT? a politician who only wants to do and say what’s really ‘right’ for the people and country? Yeah. And pigs fly. Sex sells as we all know, and POWER is the biggest aphrodisiac! So, they go for it however they can – power! And, they get away with it because most of the public have short memories and/or are apathetic. But, we fight on. For as Churchill said: “Never, never, never, never give up.” Join a protest. Work for a candidate you have vetted. Don’t be silent. Silence is consent. — Rose Marie Rauschkolb
Pingback: RINO Charlie Crist Shows His Horn, Vetoes Teachers Tenure Bill — ExposeTheMedia.com
Just two quick clarifications regarding the alleged FEA/Crist deal, it is illegal for ANY 501(c)3 organization to engage in any sort of campaign intervention, coordinated or not, and with the exception of political parties nobody can coordinate with a candidate on an expenditure beyond the $2,400 limit ($5,000 for PACs). And FEA isn’t a 501(c)3.
But yes, if there is anything like the type of deal being suggested here, it would be a massive violation of the law.
Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics
Pingback: North West Florida Republican
Teachers are usually liberal and were a large part of Obama’s rise to power. S6 tied teacher pay to test scores which would have killed teachers in black, hispanic and disabled schools. Badly written bill by Jeb Bush who should know better.
mascmen is wrong to think that black, Hispanic and disabled children are unable to learn. That’s an old bigoted belief promulgated by failed teachers protected by the unions. Note how successful the parochial schools have been in the worst neighborhoods. Given decent teaching all children are capable of learning. Teaching schools, union rules and tenure militate against getting good teachers to their classrooms, however. This Bill would have removed most of those barriers by eliminating the poorest teachers, getting rid of ridiculous tenure after just one or two years and by attracting highly qualified teachers with better pay incentives. Private schools, indeed all private enterprises, pay according to competence and reaching goals why should government school teachers be excused? It is not difficult to measure success. Read the Bill to find that only half of the evaluation is from standardized tests and the rest based on progress over three years to evaluate improvements. One way you tell a poor teacher is how hard they oppose being measured. The worst were out in the streets protesting the Bill.
Being a politician should be just like serving on jury duty.
You put your own personal beliefs aside and do what needs to be done, based purely upon, in this case what is best for the majority, or what will do the least amount of harm. Or what will make the lives of the people that you represent better!
If when someone gets elected by the people to represent them in some political forum, they instead just do what they want for their friends, or buddies, this corrupts the very fabric of this great nation!
I have been pro-student for almost my entire career.The US spends much more per student than any other country in the world and yet our students are not engaging in Math and Science and this is a true national security issue.We must effect meaningful curriculum changes. Teachers are by and large reactionary and so is the entire system.The administrators are overpaid and the system has become one of cronyism. In New Jersey these jobs are political plums.Gov Christie(R-NJ) called the bluff and asked how teacher pay increases and benefits and even tenure would impact the actual student in the classroom. When he offered to give money to districts that allowed pay freezes for teahers where money would be given directly to student concerns there were next to no takers.This underscores the hypocrisy.Property taxes are through the roof and there is no bang for the buck in the schools. SB6 is only the tip of the iceberg. The changes that must be made are far reaching and systemic.It will take curriculum planners with the guts to buck the unions that will create the true change along with some tough business auditors to see where all the money is really going.
Just two quick clarifications regarding the alleged FEA/Crist deal, it is illegal for ANY 501(c)3 organization to engage in any sort of campaign intervention, coordinated or not, and with the exception of political parties nobody can coordinate with a candidate on an expenditure beyond the $2,400 limit ($5,000 for PACs). And FEA isn’t a 501(c)3.
But yes, if there is anything like the type of deal being suggested here, it would be a massive violation of the law.
Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics
Being a politician should be just like serving on jury duty.
You put your own personal beliefs aside and do what needs to be done, based purely upon, in this case what is best for the majority, or what will do the least amount of harm. Or what will make the lives of the people that you represent better!
If when someone gets elected by the people to represent them in some political forum, they instead just do what they want for their friends, or buddies, this corrupts the very fabric of this great nation!
Personally I think Bill McCollum should investigate this! It is the unions, not the teachers, who are responsible for the lack of education in Florida. The day “tenure” went into effect (and the lottery which was ONLY to be used to enhance education – a joke- ask the public officials whose children are in private schools)education in Florida went into the toilet. Get rid of the unions and tenure, let the teachers work on merit, and you will see a rise in education in Florida. The only teachers yapping and complaining on TV are the ones who would be out on their ear if they weren’t protected by tenure.
I have been pro-student for almost my entire career.The US spends much more per student than any other country in the world and yet our students are not engaging in Math and Science and this is a true national security issue.We must effect meaningful curriculum changes. Teachers are by and large reactionary and so is the entire system.The administrators are overpaid and the system has become one of cronyism. In New Jersey these jobs are political plums.Gov Christie(R-NJ) called the bluff and asked how teacher pay increases and benefits and even tenure would impact the actual student in the classroom. When he offered to give money to districts that allowed pay freezes for teahers where money would be given directly to student concerns there were next to no takers.This underscores the hypocrisy.Property taxes are through the roof and there is no bang for the buck in the schools. SB6 is only the tip of the iceberg. The changes that must be made are far reaching and systemic.It will take curriculum planners with the guts to buck the unions that will create the true change along with some tough business auditors to see where all the money is really going.
Just two quick clarifications regarding the alleged FEA/Crist deal, it is illegal for ANY 501(c)3 organization to engage in any sort of campaign intervention, coordinated or not, and with the exception of political parties nobody can coordinate with a candidate on an expenditure beyond the $2,400 limit ($5,000 for PACs). And FEA isn’t a 501(c)3.
But yes, if there is anything like the type of deal being suggested here, it would be a massive violation of the law.
Sean Parnell
President
Center for Competitive Politics