Charlie Crist

During his time in office, Crist has been applauded by civil rights and consumer groups for expanding the powers of the Attorney General during his time in office to prosecute civil rights and fraud cases. He has also received acclaim for his work to combat SPAM emails, freeze utility rates, end telecom deception, and protect the environment. Some activists who had pushed for government intervention in the Terri Schiavo case strongly criticized Crist when he did not attempt further legal action to keep Schiavo alive, or use his powers to investigate her missing Department of Children and Families file. America's Most Wanted host John Walsh has supported Crist's candidacy, publicly filing Crist's gubernatorial candidacy paperwork, citing his work with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

2006 race

Crist has raised $6.9 million for his campaign to date, $1.5 million of which came in the most recent reported quarter. Within traditional Republican Party ranks these donations have mainly been from mid-pyramid level donators in place of traditional big-dollar party elite.

Platform

• Abortion: Stated he would sign a South Dakota type abortion ban so long as it provided exceptions for rape and incest victims.
• Adoption: Provide a $3000 subsidy to adoptive families.
• Death Penalty: Defend the current law allowing non-unanimous juries to recommend the death penalty.
• Education: Continue to be an advocate for parent choice in education, including stringent testing and vouchers. Crist encourages standardized testing "to guarantee that each student receives a year's worth of learning in a year's worth of time."
• Eminent Domain: Strengthen current legal protections. Crist has stated that he believes the Kelo decision could have negative ramifications for Floridians. In August 2005 he asked the chairman of the Select Committee to Protect Private Property Rights for several changes to Florida law that would more clearly define when eminent domain can be applied.
• Environment: Continue the net ban aimed at protecting aquatic wildlife.
• Family Values: Support the right of municipalities to limit the sale of pornography and birth control within their city limits.
• Foster Care: Provide a $5000 subsidy to those providing foster care to families who adopt foster children.
• Gay Rights: Not support ending the ban on gay adoption. Crist has previously indicated he feels that the state Constitution already forbids gay marriage, but subsequently supported the gay marriage amendment.
• Gun Rights: Balance gun owner rights with private property rights of employers. Crist has not taken a position on an NRA proposal to punish businesses that prohibit employees from keeping guns in their vehicles on the company parking lot.
• Hate Crimes: Stop the "clear pattern of growth" in crimes motivated by sexual orientation.
• Health Care: Require prescription drugs to be tracked from the manufacturer to the pharmacy to ensure drug safety.
• Legalized Gambling: Oppose any expansion of gambling, but not support the repeal of the Broward County slot machine amendment.
• Lawsuit Reform: Support elimination of joint and several liability.
• Property Tax: Allow homeowners to move within the same county and between different counties while maintaining their previous property tax level.
• Right to Die: Promote the availability of end of life choices, including living wills and coordination with hospice care. Crist would not support government involvement in end-of-life decisions, siding with the ACLU in criticizing Governor Bush's actions in the Terri Schiavo case.

References