Opinion: DeSantis 2024?

[*Nately120*]

It's amazing how Republicans spent 40+ years empowering corporations without ever imagining that they may choose to occasionally pander to liberals.

[BigPapaKain]

(04-21-2023, 05:10 PM)Nately120 Wrote: It's amazing how Republicans spent 40+ years empowering corporations without ever imagining that they may choose to occasionally pander to liberals.

Is it pandering to liberals or trying to make money by appealing to the majority of Americans?

[*Nately120*]

(04-21-2023, 08:16 PM)BigPapaKain Wrote: Is it pandering to liberals or trying to make money by appealing to the majority of Americans?

Well, seeing as Anheuser-Busch contributes a buttload of money to the GOP and Disney embodied the avarice of "boot on the neck" plutocratic capitalism until the GOP went balls-deep in the culture war and decided it had to meddle in their affairs, I'd call it pandering, yes.  We can debate the percentage of people it appeals to, but it's cynical marketing at its finest.

Two corporations that were in a loving embrace with the GOP until the party lost control of the outraged and unwashed masses and let them dictate that the government needs to meddle in corporate affairs.

[GMDino]

Parts of Florida are flooding, there is a gas shortage in other parts.  There is a continuing insurance problem and his fight with Disney is going awfully.

So DeSantis, the governor of Florida, is in Japan.

Ron Desantis in Japan, when asked about his falling poll numbers against Trump, says he isn’t a candidate yet, but suggests those numbers will change if he becomes one. He also uses another one of his contrived, weird personalities. pic.twitter.com/MP5skJos8S

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 24, 2023

 

[Dill]

(04-24-2023, 09:09 AM)GMDino Wrote: Parts of Florida are flooding, there is a gas shortage in other parts.  There is a continuing insurance problem and his fight with Disney is going awfully.

So DeSantis, the governor of Florida, is in Japan.

Showing us he can perform on the world stage.

Readying for the foreign policy debate. 

[*pally*]

Disney finally said enough. They have filed a federal lawsuit against Ron DeSantis for a "targeted campaign of government retaliation"

They should win it too. Because every American with critical thinking skills KNOW DeSantis's actions have all been retaliation for Disney speaking up against the "Don't say Gay" bill

[*Nately120*]

(04-26-2023, 01:25 PM)pally Wrote: Disney finally said enough.  They have filed a federal lawsuit against Ron DeSantis for a "targeted campaign of government retaliation"

They should win it too.  Because every American with critical thinking skills KNOW DeSantis's actions have all been retaliation for Disney speaking up against the "Don't say Gay" bill

I assumed Disney was going to retaliate with a fury against DeSantis, lest the next governor of FL forget who really runs that state.  They're going to send a message, and as much as the media likes to joke that Donald Duck and Goofy are kicking DeSantis' ass, Disney's legion of lawyers are no joke.

It's extra perfect since the new-era republicans are the ones who made sure giant corporations had the ability to legally grind anyone into a fine powder under their treads. 

[*pally*]

The GOP's budget proposal has a 22% cut to DHS. The GOP keeps screaming about open borders *which they aren't). Get ready to see what cuts to the budgets and personnel of ICE and CBE looks like

[GMDino]

(04-26-2023, 02:06 PM)pally Wrote: The GOP's budget proposal has a 22% cut to DHS.  The GOP keeps screaming about open borders *which they aren't).  Get ready to see what cuts to the budgets and personnel of ICE and CBE looks like

And cuts funding for veterans affairs.

[GMDino]

NOT. READY. FOR. PRIME. TIME.
Desantis melts down today outside the protective bubble of his carefully controlled, scripted FL events. pic.twitter.com/wV4t760Y1d

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 27, 2023

 

[*Nately120*]

(04-27-2023, 05:07 PM)GMDino Wrote:

NOT. READY. FOR. PRIME. TIME.
Desantis melts down today outside the protective bubble of his carefully controlled, scripted FL events. pic.twitter.com/wV4t760Y1d

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 27, 2023

 

For someone who is supposedly studying Trump's playbook, the Disney thing and this exchange here show that DeSantis just isn't a fast learner or lacks the charisma and reputation to pull this stuff off.  Trump would have said that he crushed Disney and that Mickey Mouse and their CEO came into his office with tears in their eyes and kissed his ass and begged him to show them mercy.  Then when asked about something like this torture thing he would have said it was fake news and that everyone who said it was true was going to get sued and then he'd set up a link where people could send him millions of dollars to sue them and then he'd just keep it.  He probably would have set up a funding link to fight woke Disney too and then just kept that money, to boot.

DeSantis is fighting real and difficult to win battles, meanwhile Trump just declares that he's won everything and smugly smiles and his fanbase eats it right up.  DeSantis should just stay in Florida and work on undoing their term limits for governors because Trump is the GOP candidate until he dies and even after he dies people are still going to insist he's not really dead and he's going to run for president again.

Right or wrong, DeSantis is actually trying to do stuff rather than sell a fictionalized idea of himself to voters the way Trump does.  It shows that DeSantis has actually had a job before and had to meet some modicum of standards and performance while Trump has not. 

[GMDino]

Florida's legislative session just ended...

[*pally*]

(05-05-2023, 02:22 PM)GMDino Wrote: Florida's legislative session just ended...

and failed to address any of Florida's real issues such as their unaffordable home owner's insurance market. Environmental issues such as the ongoing red tide crisis or flooding of coastal cities.  

[GMDino]

More of what DeSantis wants to bring to the rest of America:

https://popular.info/p/revealed-these-ten-books-are-considered

Quote:REVEALED: These ten books are considered pornography in Ron DeSantis' Florida
JUDD LEGUM
MAY 8, 2023

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ® on May 1, 2023 (Photo by Paul Hennessy via Getty Images)


On March 8, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ® conducted a press conference in which he purported to debunk the "book ban hoax." During the event, DeSantis claimed that Florida schools, under his leadership, were not banning educational materials. Rather, they were simply removing "pornography" from school libraries and classrooms. DeSantis claimed the notion that Florida was involved in book banning was "a nasty hoax because it’s a hoax in service of trying to pollute and sexualize our children."


"Removing clear instances of pornography and sexually explicit materials, often within arms reach of our youngest kids, is not book banning," Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. added.


But new records, obtained by Popular Information, shows the reality is starkly different. Few of the books removed from Florida school libraries were deemed pornographic or sexually explicit. And many books that did receive that label do not meet the definition of pornography — or anything close — under state or federal law. 


DeSantis touted data collected by the Florida Department of Education from a survey of 23 school districts that removed books from their libraries. 
He claimed that "of the 175 books removed across the state…153 (87%) were identified as pornographic, violent, or inappropriate for their grade level." 


DeSantis stressed that teachers who distribute pornographic materials to students could and should be prosecuted for a felony:

Quote:In terms of the pornographic material. There were reports saying, oh, teachers are so worried, you know, they may end up being charged with third degree felony for having books in their classroom… longstanding Florida law says that it's unlawful for adults to provide pornography for minors. Does anybody disagree with that?... I don't think it's ever been appropriate in the history of Florida for adults to be providing pornography to minors.

Notably, DeSantis did not release the full results of the survey. Florida Freedom to Read, an activist group seeking to combat censorship in Florida schools, obtained the full results of the survey through a public information request. The full results of the survey reveal that DeSantis' remarks in March were wildly misleading. 


By lumping together books that were labeled "pornographic, violent, or inappropriate," and then focusing on books deemed pornographic, DeSantis grossly distorts the percentage of books removed as "pornography." The survey reveals just 38 books were removed for violating that state's pornography law, 22% of the total. Most books were banned for being "inappropriate," which could mean anything. 


But even the 38 books in the survey officially designated as "pornography" include numerous titles that clearly do not meet the definition of pornographic or obscene materials under Florida or federal law. Florida's pornography statute, 847.012, prohibits adults from distributing on school property:

Quote:(a)Any picture, photograph, drawing…of a person or portion of the human body which depicts nudity or sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sexual battery, bestiality, or sadomasochistic abuse and which is harmful to minors; or 
(b) Any book… which depicts nudity or sexual conduct, sexual excitement, sexual battery, bestiality, or sadomasochistic abuse and which is harmful to minors

Not all sexual content is considered "harmful to minors." Rather, nudity or sexual content is only considered "harmful to minors" when it meets three specific criteria under 847.001.

Quote:(a)Predominantly appeals to a prurient, shameful, or morbid interest;
(b)Is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material or conduct for minors; and
©Taken as a whole, is without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

The Florida standard for "harmful to minors" mirrors the Supreme Court's narrow definition of obscenity, known as the Miller test. The survey reveals that Florida schools are labeling numerous books "pornography" that do not come close to meeting the legal definition. 


House and Homes by Ann Morris





One book banned in Duval County in House and Homes by Ann Morris. It is a 1995 book that is designed to teach children about the various types of structures in which people live. The author teamed with a photographer, Ken Heyman, who took photos of different homes throughout the world. The book was named "[o]ne of the best books of the year" by Parents Magazine.


So why was this book banned from Florida schools as pornography? On certain pages, the photos capture a child's naked buttocks. It is a reflection of the culture where these children live. Here is one of the “offensive” images:




But a photo of a buttocks is not, by definition, pornography. It's clear that this book does not predominantly appeal to "prurient, shameful, or morbid interest," is not "patently offensive" to most adults, and has educational value for students. 


The Sleeping Beauty by Trina Schart Hyman





This book, first published in 1977, is an illustrated version of the classic fairy tale. Hyman is the four-time winner of the Caldecott Medal which is awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children to the "most distinguished American picture book for children."


Why does a Florida school district consider this book pornography? One illustration of the book shows a drawing of the queen bathing from a distance and you can see her naked buttocks.




This is obviously not a pornographic image.  But, nevertheless, the entire book has been classified as pornography and removed from the shelves. 


Guess What? by Mem Fox 





Guess What? is a picture book in which the reader answers a series of question to discover "the personality and occupation of Daisy O’Grady." At the conclusion of the book, readers learn that O'Grady is a witch. Mem Fox is an Australian author who was honored as a "Member of the Order of Australia" for "services to children's literature" 


There is no sexual content in the book. However, on one page, the drawing of O'Grady shows the character taking a bath in a sink. 




The book has been deemed pornography by Duval County, Florida. 


Jalani and the Lock by Lorenzo Pace




[url=https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3b4b877c-4a4c-4d61-b0bd-c9d521ef505d_520x530.png]
Jalani and the Lock is the fictional story of a boy who was captured in Africa, enslaved in America, and ultimately wins his freedom. It was named One of the Best Children’s Books for 2001 by the Los Angeles Times and won the 2002 Skipping Stone Award. It has been removed from the shelves of Duval County schools because it was designated as pornography.


The book contains absolutely no sexual content. It may be a reflection of the haphazard process used to classify and ban books. The report from the Florida 
Department of Education misspells the title and author of the book. But it is unclear why the book should be banned for any reason. 
Award-winning novels

Numerous counties in Florida have designated award-winning novels as "pornography" and removed them from the shelves of classroom libraries. Banned titles include:

Quote:Beloved by Toni Morrison. The book won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Another of Morrison's literary works, The Bluest Eye, has also been banned in Florida schools.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. The book won the 2004 Alex Award, given annually to "ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18."

Forever by Judy Blume. The book was responsible for Blume being honored in 1996 with the Margaret A. Edwards Award in "recognition of her outstanding contribution to literature for young adults."

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. The book was named one of the "Outstanding Books for the College Bound and Lifelong Learners" in 2009.
Dreaming in Cuban by Christina Garcia. The book was named a finalist for the National Book Award in 1992.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. The book was named one of the American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults in 2000.

All of these books contain sexual content and may not be suitable for elementary or even middle school readers. But that doesn't make them pornography. 

None of these books are appropriately categorized as pornography under Florida law because they do not predominantly appeal to prurient interests and have serious artistic and literary value for students. An adult who provides a copy of Beloved to a high school student is not committing a felony. 


How many books have really been removed from Florida school libraries 

In addition to the nature of the banned books, DeSantis also grossly misrepresented the number of books that have been removed from libraries across the state. That's because the survey only includes books that have been permanently removed, and excludes books that have been removed pending a full review. Since school districts are in the process of responding to laws and regulations imposed by DeSantis in 2022, most challenged books are still under review. 


The survey, for example, lists just three books that were banned in Escambia County. But, according to data made public by the Escambia County School District, at least 126 books have been removed from the shelves pending appeal. 

Do note worry comrade the State will tell you what is good or bad for you.

[*pally*]

Disney has pulled the plug on building a billion-dollar office complex that would have housed a division of the company being relocated from California. This division would have brought 2000 permanent jobs with an average salary of $120,000 to Orlando.

[Lucidus]

(05-18-2023, 04:20 PM)pally Wrote: Disney has pulled the plug on building a billion-dollar office complex that would have housed a division of the company being relocated from California.  This division would have brought 2000 permanent jobs with an average salary of $120,000 to Orlando.

The decision by DeSantis to go to war with Disney is one of the most absurd self-inflicted political wounds I've ever seen. 

[*Nately120*]

(05-18-2023, 04:54 PM)Lucidus Wrote: The decision by DeSantis to go to war with Disney is one of the most absurd self-inflicted political wounds I've ever seen. 

The thing too is that Disney couldn't lie down to DeSantis even if they wanted to.  They have to send a message that the next governor of Florida is going to have to let them rule the proverbial roost the way the others have.  The DeSantis v Disney thing also highlights the strange new world of the GOP gaining support within its own ranks by interfering with corporations.  Time will tell if this is a long-term trend, or if the DeSantis v Disney feud stands as a warning to the rest of the GOP.

Let corporations go woke, or your political career will croak.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(05-18-2023, 05:10 PM)Nately120 Wrote: The thing too is that Disney couldn't lie down to DeSantis even if they wanted to.  They have to send a message that the next governor of Florida is going to have to let them rule the proverbial roost the way the others have.  The DeSantis v Disney thing also highlights the strange new world of the GOP gaining support within its own ranks by interfering with corporations.  Time will tell if this is a long-term trend, or if the DeSantis v Disney feud stands as a warning to the rest of the GOP.

Let corporations go woke, or your political career will croak.

Ahh, you've actually hit on the interesting thing about this power struggle.  Disney interjected themselves into Florida politics, DeSantis did not interject himself into Disney's current "woke" agenda.  Regardless of where you stand on who's right or wrong in this struggle, this cannot be disputed.  If you really boil it down to its essence, this is a conflict between a government beholden to citizens and a corporation beholden to shareholders.  Who you'd prefer to win, the government being left or right leaning, is rather telling of your priorities (not you specifically, "you" in general).  Also, to frame this as a scenario in which only Florida is "losing" is borderline Goebbels level propaganda.  Disney is taking multiple hits and is currently facing a class action lawsuit for lying to their shareholders.  They are stuck in Florida, you can't just move Disney World.  As a poker player would say, Disney is pot committed to Florida, hence your assessment above is dead on accurate.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/derekbaine/2023/05/17/disney-class-action-suit-accuses-execs-of-giving-analysts-inaccurate-guidance/?sh=5b5911632c0f

I do yearn for the days when entertainment companies actually worried about entertaining instead of proselytizing.  

[*pally*]

DeSantis and other politicians gladly take Disney's and other company's money for their campaigns. Disney, had a right to speak up. And seriously, the statement put out on the bill was so mild it wasn't even worth the effort. A true leader would have simply stated something like "that's their opinion" and moved on. DeSantis, instead, went full Rambo on them trying to prove...his masculinity? Any disagreement must be suppressed in the People's Republic of Florida.

Why would any company, even conservative ones, bring jobs into Florida if they don't need to? You don't toe the official line you're subject of not even close to subtle political attacks on your business.

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(05-18-2023, 06:13 PM)pally Wrote: DeSantis and other politicians gladly take Disney's and other company's money for their campaigns.

Of course they do.

Quote:Disney, had a right to speak up.

 
Of course they do, no one is arguing otherwise.  Did DeSantis not have the right to respond as he did?  Arguing whether someone had "the right" to act as they did doesn't really advance the conversation as this isn't in dispute.

Quote:And seriously, the statement put out on the bill was so mild it wasn't even worth the effort.  A true leader would have simply stated something like "that's their opinion" and moved on. DeSantis, instead, went full Rambo on them trying to prove...his masculinity?  Any disagreement must be suppressed in the People's Republic of Florida.

Hmm, I can't agree with you here.  Disney's statement said, verbatim, "Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that."  I'm not sure labeling that response as "mild" could be considered accurate by a reasonable person.  Also, calling it the "Don't say gay" bill is a clear political talking point, further eroding your assertion.

Quote:Why would any company, even conservative ones, bring jobs into Florida if they don't need to?  You don't toe the official line you're subject of not even close to subtle political attacks on your business.

No state income tax, business friendly government regulations, etc.  A better question would be why would any company bring business to CA?  Please refer to this CBS article regarding companies fleeing CA.  Florida ranks fourth out the five top destinations for those leaving.  All of the top five are red states or extremely purple.  I doubt those business leaders know less about this kind of thing that you do.  Also, it isn't "toeing the party line" to stay out of political fights unconnected to your business.