Charlie Crist's Powerball Baloney: Teachers, Be Warned

Couldn't believe my eyes. I just finished reading Amy Hollyfield's blog in the Tampa Bay Times' Buzz -- "Charlie Crist, how would you spend that Powerball money?"

I wasn't sure whether to pop a tranquilizer or reach for a barf bag.

It's so hard to believe. Charlie Crist is still -- STILL -- engaged in the deception of telling teachers what they want to hear. Same old baloney, but hey, teachers are one powerful voting bloc, baloney's worked before, so why not?

Seems Times reporters ran into Charlie buying Powerball tickets in St. Petersburg. They asked him what the state would do with the $500 million if he won.

Not Charlie, mind you, the state-- as if Charlie Crist would hand over his personal winnings to the state of Florida.

His "enthusiastic" answer was, "We could pay our teachers better!"

Oh, puh-leeze!

This is so reminiscent of the day I covered then-Commissioner of Education Charlie's visit to a school in Fort Pierce. In a speech to the teachers he confidently told them that they would be making "six-figure salaries" by the end of the decade. The room erupted in cheers.

I won't ask teachers how that promise worked out for them. But I hope next time they'll arm themselves with shovels and nosegays when he opens his mouth and promises the moon.