Governor Charlie Crist. Has anybody ever been so in love with the desire to be liked? That is the only conclusion that I can draw after he made his infamous remark in reaction to the warnings from insurers about the state of Florida's homeowners' market. “When these companies threaten us with this 'We're-going-to-leave-the-state stuff, we say, 'Go ahead,'” said Crist. “We don't need that kind of business operating in Florida.” In my experience, that is the most immature statement I have ever heard uttered by a serious policymaker. To treat the millions of Florida homeowners as your own personal marble that you're going to pick up and take home, is ludicrous. It is a statement that comes from someone who is in love with his own press clippings and mistakes a 77 percent approval rating as proof you've done the right thing. Most politicians understand the difference between campaigning and governing, but evidently Charlie missed the memo.

Let's face it; it is easy to be popular. We all learned it in the first grade when we sat in the front of the class, raised our hand in response to every question, and brought a steady supply of shiny apples to adorn our teacher's desk. But there is a difference between being class president and being the governor of the fourth-largest state in the union. The decisions that have to be made and the impact that they will have on peoples' lives is a tremendous responsibility and must withstand the tests of tomorrow.

As a rule, I frown on comparing one politician to another since each individual must confront different problems. But it's hard not to compare Crist's actions with Governor Jeb Bush. Bush was arrogant and vindictive, and he straddled the state with a burning ego. But he was a student of the issues. Whether it was medical malpractice, workers' compensation, or homeowners' insurance, he understood how the markets worked.