Crist speech cancelled for fear of ramifications from Scott
By Roger Caldwell
Governor Scott is a bully and that is how he operates in Florida. As Scott prepares for his campaign against Charlie Crist, the major movers and shakers in the state must support the governor, because he controls the states contracts. The Republicans control everything in the state and very few political leaders want to rock the boat.
Crist is now a Democrat, and he changed parties in 2012. All his life, Crist has been a Republican, and Scott is claiming that the ex-governor is a flip flopper, who is extremely confused. But after reading his speech that he was set to deliver at the Council of 100’s Spring General Membership Meeting, Crist is on point.
Ex-governor Crist was invited and confirmed to give a speech, at the Council of 100’s Spring General Membership Meeting in Orlando, but they cancelled at the last minute. It is unclear why Crist was cancelled, but we must remember that Scott is a bully. Many of the pundits and political experts in the state think the group blocked Crist’s speech in fear of political ramifications of offending Scott.
The Council of 100 is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization of business leaders which exists to promote the economic growth of Florida. The Council works closely with the governor and advises him on policy and position statements. All governors are members of the Council of 100, but in Orlando Crist was scheduled to speak two hours after Scott.
It is obvious that this did not sit well with the Scott camp, so Crist was censored, and many of the members of the council were upset. “It’s unfortunate that Rick Scott is apparently using every ounce of political pressure he has left to stifle healthy dialogue about the future of our state,” says Kevin Cate, a Crist spokesperson. “This is a non-political organization,” a member said.
This is not the first time that a Scott critic has been blocked to speak at a state event, and it will happen again as the election gets closer. Diane Roberts, a Tampa Bay Times opinion writer who is a frequent Scott critic was cancelled from speaking at a state-run mission. Scott and his cronies will spend time, money, and energy to eliminate and censor the truth about his record, but it will be exposed.
This is the first time in Florida’s history that the incumbent governor will face off against his predecessor. Crist is calling himself the peoples’ governor and anyone can read Crist’s speech on his campaign website.
“I am running for governor for one simple reason. Tallahassee is broken, and it is time to put the people back in charge. We need a governor who will refocus the state on things that are important to all Floridians: good schools, affordable health care, respect for our environment and dignity for all our seniors,” says Crist in his speech.
From the very first day in office, Scott never cared about Floridians. But in 2008, Crist kept crowded polls open so voters could vote. Crist is also a supporter for restoration of felons’ rights. It is time for a change in Florida, and we need a governor who works, and cares for the people.
