What Mel Martinez Can Learn from Sarah Palin

The Founding Fathers in no way contemplated a professional political class. The democratic ideal, expressed and ascribed to in many documents and letters of their day, was a citizen legislature and executives with real world experience. Say what you will about Sarah Palin, she believes in her heart that the citizens of Alaska would be better served by a person who is fully committed to the people's agenda. Not that Palin was not for the people, but she was incessantly distracted from this role by political bloodsport. So Palin did the honorable thing, she resigned. In doing so, she may prove herself to be 100 times the statesman than Mel Martinez.

Sarah Palin typically draws crowds in the 20,000 plus range. Mel Martinez, after many years in politics, is challenged to put 200 people in a room. Sarah is 100 times more the politician than Mel. Critics of Palin have sought to protray her as a bush league, backwoods political neophyte. If even Sarah Palin knows the disservice that a lame duck does to constituents, how much more should the urbane, savvy, experienced Mel Martinez know the same? Mel Martinez should know the liability that he is to the people of Florida by 100 times.

Now that Mel Martinez has announced his retirement, it would be the wise and statesman act, to resign this office in favor of younger, more eager talent, just like Sarah Palin. In doing so, political bloodsport can be short circuited. Mel, I believe, honestly seeks to spend more time with his family, and we have seen no behavior in the current session of the Senate which leads us to believe otherwise.

The people of Florida, and the Nation would be better served by a statesman father figure raising up a new generation of leadership. In Washington, Mel could show the new recruit the location of the Senate locker rooms and parking spaces, even leave the keys to the office and email lists. After all, this information should be public and not proprietary to one man. A Senator is an Institution unto himself, and not just one man, but all his constituents in one body. Just ask Ted Kennedy. Ted Kennedy still has the fire in his belly to push forth his political agenda. We should expect the same of Mel. Mel has no fire in his belly. Mel, go home to your wife. She needs you more than anything you can now contribute to the Senate. After all, we have seen in recent days men who we all thought vital, go to sleep, and never wake up.

Charlie Crist is the Governor of Florida. Crist is the only man with the true judgment and tact capable of picking the right man to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Florida in the Senate. As a condition of this appointment, and in consideration of the electoral process which is on track to occur in 2010, the appointee should accept this office, as a matter of high principle and deference to the Florida electorate, and deference to the right of Floridians to freely choose a new man to fill this high office, on condition, of just being a caretaker until the election. After all, even Senator Roland Burris, the lowly appointee of the Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, would do no less. After being appointed to fulfill the balance of Barack Obama's Senate term, Roland will not run for re-election, nor should the caretaker for Mel's Senate seat.

Marco Rubio is one hundred times more the man than Burris.

There is only one man, experienced enough, young enough and Hispanic enough to fulfill Mel Martinez' seat: Marco Rubio. Marco is a young legislator of immense talent who needs the National exposure. The staid old white men's club of the Senate is due for the tonic of just such a fresh perspective as Marco Rubio has to offer. Charlie, as you may know, is now the Governor of Florida, and the announced candidate for Mel Martinez' Senate Seat. Charlie Crist is the odds on favorite to win this seat. Marco Rubio is the announced opponent against Crist in this upcoming election.

That is why I am urging all of my friends to prevent the unnecessary political bloodbath between two good friends. Can't we all get along? I know that many of you were looking forward to this match like a mud wrestling match in Vegas. Please come to your senses, your amusement is too high a price to pay for the Honor of the United States Senate, and the People's business. How much money will be wasted in a partisan primary squabble that would be better spent on party unity?

Please, Mel Resign. Please, Charlie, appoint Marco Senator as a caretaker, and then the Senate will be your sandbox to position yourself to oust Barack Obama in 2012. Then you will have a fine, experienced man to run for Senator in the other Florida Senate seat, Marco Rubio. This is not bloodsport, this is gamesmanship.