This is a weird time in politics. Both of the major parties are being swept by their extremes, and its turning politics less about solving issues and more about performance art with state-sanctioned violence.
Case in point, the Florida legislature rescinded Disney’s special district. Over at National Review, Charles Cooke does a masterful job of explaining why that’s a bad idea.
Those who have defended the move argue that sticking it to Disney in this matter demonstrates that the Republican Party is willing to “fight” and will thus represent a victory for conservatism. But this is silly. Admirably, Governor DeSantis has already fought Disney, and he has already won. The policy about which Disney chose stupidly to complain is now Florida law. It passed both houses of the state legislature; it was signed by DeSantis, who had been correctly defiant in the face of Disney’s gripes; and it enjoys the support of broad majorities of Floridians. There is no need for the Republican Party of Florida to salt the earth here; it has prevailed in every particular.
Just as DeSantis is using his position as governor to prepare for a run for the White House, we have Nikki Fried suing over marijuana users being prohibited from possessing firearms. While I personally agree with this move, I do not believe for a second that Fried is doing this out of personal conviction. Other than the personal conviction that she doesn’t want to be a felon for holding both a medical marijuana card and a concealed weapons license. Considering all the money she’s taken from gun control groups, as well as all the clusterfucks she’s thrown into the CCW system.
April 27, 2022 at 10:48 am
It’s a teaching moment for Disney that nobody in the past has been willing to deliver.
“Oh, you wanted to be in politics? Welcome to politics 450.”
Disney failed at a very important rule here. Break a deal, face the wheel. They failed to stay bought. The Reedy Creek deal was for them not be bothered by local politics while they quietly made money and paid the state taxes.
They decided to stop being quiet about it decades ago and someone finally said no.
Nuking that special carve out is a good thing, no business should be held to a different standard than any other, from smallest to largest. The bill didn’t go far enough. I want to see all of these special tax districts eliminated; or their benefits given to every business.
Preferably the latter.