Earlier today, noted hypocrite and GOP sycophant Ron DeSantis made good on his promise to strip Disney of their special status and tax privileges that they’ve had in place since 1967. DeSantis said he would do this a couple days ago and he made good on his promise after the Florida Senate and House did whatever he asked. What the media never bothered to report was that DeSantis announced he would be going after Disney from The Village, a republican enclave in Florida that literally enjoys the same privileges he took from Disney. It showcases that DeSantis doesn’t actually give a shit about Disney having special privileges, he cares that they’re not using them to further the GOP.
Hell, the Village even made sure to put out a statement making sure their residents knew they wouldn’t be hurt by DeSantis’ political stunt, just the people in the districts run by Disney:
“If passed, this dissolution would only affect Chapter 189 special districts enacted in Florida prior to 1968,” The Villages District Office said in its statement. “First established in the early 1990s, The Villages Community Development Districts were, and will continue to be, formed under Chapter 190 Florida Statutes, and therefore this has no impact on our community.”
Of course it won’t impact them. DeSantis isn’t doing this because he thinks these places shouldn’t exist. He’s doing it because he thinks these places shouldn’t exist for anyone but those in the GOP and their immediate circle. It’s more “socialism for me, but not for thee” tactics that they love to embrace. There’s always a reason why the GOP needs an exception to the rules they create. They’re “pro-life” unless that means housing, caring, or helping the people who are living. They’re pro-cop until January 6th. They care “deeply” about women’s rights, so they’re taking away a woman’s right to choose and access to healthcare. It’s a continuing cycle of lies put forth by a crowd that claims to love Jesus, but pretty much avoids any passage in the bible that doesn’t seem like it could help their agenda against the LGBTQI crowd.
Ron DeSantis doesn’t give a damn. That much should be obvious. He doesn’t give a damn about Floridians. He doesn’t give a damn about the truth and he doesn’t give a damn that his latest stunt is so steeped in hypocrisy and lies that it undercuts every single thing he claims to believe in. The only thing DeSantis cares about is his image ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election. The only thing DeSantis cares about is the Oval Office and a potential spot inside the office. That’s why he’s making other people pay for his stunts.
DeSantis claims to be in the party of little government, that’s why he used the full mechanisms of the state to go after Disney for their stances on Florida law. Here’s where you say, “but Josh, Disney is a corporation and they’re not a person. They shouldn’t be getting involved in things that don’t concern them.”
This is where I point you to Citizens United, which was literally organized and funded by the GOP to ensure that businesses would be protected under the First Amendment for political speech. In other words, Disney is legally allowed to weigh in on the issue and even fight it with the people if they want. The GOP made sure this law was passed and now they’re bitching and moaning and using the full weight of the federal government to settle a personal grievance. This goes back to what I said at the top of the article; there is always a reason the GOP needs an exception to the rules they tell others that they have to live by. When the GOP decides they no longer like the rules they’ve created, they change them for their benefit, which is why DeSantis stripped Disney and Disney alone of their protection, leaving the rules in place for the Village.
This isn’t the first time DeSantis has used the full weight of the government to silence someone he doesn’t like. He did the same thing to Rebekah Jones for simply posting accurate and correct information on COVID-19 because DeSantis wanted to keep Florida free and open no matter how many people were dying in Florida. Florida has the highest rate of death for COVID and one of the highest rates of suicide for LGBTQI teens and DeSantis continues with his policies because he doesn’t actually care about the people, he cares about himself and serving his masters at the GOP.
They say it should be “state’s rights,” but the thing people don’t discuss when talking about state’s rights is that most of the time, “state’s rights” means the whims of whomever happens to be in office. They know if they put something to a public vote, they won’t like the results since the majority of the country doesn’t side with them on most, if not all, social issues. So, it becomes the governor of the state making the call for everyone whether they like it or not.
Same thing is happening here. DeSantis doesn’t give a shit that Florida residents are going to have to pick up the substantial bill he just sacked them with. He acts like he doesn’t care, but I promise you that if Disney put out a statement next week that they were looking at moving the park to another state, DeSantis would threaten them with legal action to keep them there.
It’s not even that he wants Disney there, he wants to be seen as being in complete control of Disney. So, they can’t fight his laws, they can’t have their special tax privileges or district, but if they say they’re going to leave for a state that will hook them up, I promise the act will change to one of threatening because it’s always about control. It’s never about the actual issue or all the special districts would be revoked, it’s about falling in line and serving your masters.
Who cares if that means you literally have no values or integrity.