Politicians who keep their campaign promises should be applauded. They are a special breed, particularly when knowing that such integrity will be criticized. Charlie Crist kept his word to Floridians when he vetoed a property insurance bill that would have allowed insurance companies to raise rates by ten percent each year. His veto is a huge victory for every Floridian who is outraged over the highest property insurance premiums in the country. The insurance industry offered the most illogical of all arguments as to why the proposed law was "consumer friendly:" by allowing rates to go up, insurance premiums would go down. This point was made in Do Florida Legislators Think We Are Stupid?
In 2006, Charlie Crist ran on a promise to Floridians that he would fight against insurance premium rate hikes. Other Florida politicians promised the same thing. Many of those others seem to make an excuse for promising one thing and claiming to be on the consumers’ side, while later doing the exact opposite. Charlie Crist has vetoed proposed laws for two consecutive years that would have allowed for significant premium rate increases. He has kept his word, and others should applaud him for doing so. He is an example for the others who have bowed to the insurance industry lobby and propaganda.
Some will unfairly criticize Governor Crist for playing politics with this veto. This criticism is false, as he simply kept the promise he made to voters long ago, and he should be respected for this.
Thank you, Governor Crist for being a man of your word. You accomplished far more than anybody else by standing up to the very powerful and effective insurance industry lobby that has a grip on many in the Florida legislature and with some regulators.
