Is the entire GOP in denial about how bad a candidate Ron DeSantis is?
The Governor has embroiled himself in an epic fight with Disney World, after the company came out against Florida’s “Don’t say gay” bill. It’s over whether Disneyland can retain jurisdiction over land surrounding the theme park that allows the company to skirt various building regulations when it seeks to expand.
Yesterday, DeSantis tried to explain his position.
He mused about the possibility of developing district land that Disney doesn’t own. “People are like, ‘Well, what should we do with this land? Maybe create a state park. Maybe try to do more amusement parks?’ Someone even said, ‘Maybe you even need another state prison.’
“Who knows? I just think that the possibilities are endless.”
I guess it’s a little odd that Disney World has its own laws and probably a state park in the area would be nicer than another gross, environmentally questionable ride – though it’s also funny that DeSantis floated building an alternate theme park next to Disney World. But how is a guy who wants to appeal to a national audience dying on the hill of strong-arming Disney? Who is advising him to suggest a prison instead of more of “The Happiest Place on Earth?”
DeSantis also scoffed at the fact that Disney has been allowed to do its own property assessment. The person familiar said Disney does not assess its own property but that’s done annually by the Orange County tax assessor or the Osceola County tax assessor.
Now that is a winning issue!
“DeSantis will have the last laugh,” a person on his team told the Post yesterday. Actually, this is such low-hanging fruit that even CNN had a funny panel segment where the hosts can’t stop laughing at the prospect of photographing kids’ faces when they realize they’re going to DeSantis Theme Park instead of Disney World.
Dude, sometimes people are good at some jobs and bad at other jobs. He clearly is an effective governor. In hindsight, leaving Florida’s beaches open was better policy than like shuffling a bunch of Covid patients into nursing homes, as Andrew Cuomo did. But just as Kamala Harris was an effective prosecutor but a … er…. slightly less impactful VP, DeSantis isn’t good at running for President of America effectively. Good news for Democrats, I guess, but as I’ve suggested before, the vacuum of viable GOP candidates might encourage them to take some brave policy stands beyond, “At least we’re not the other guy.”
I'm starting to feel sorry for those poor, old MAGAs. No Disneyland, no Hollywood entertainment, no Oreo's, no M&Ms, no Coca-Cola, and no Budweiser. Nothing but country and western. SAD! So much winning.
"I guess it’s a little odd that Disney World has its own laws..."
I think its more like Disney was doing the trash and road maintenance and everything on their land? Saving the government money. You might even call it a libertarian paradise. So DeSantos wants the taxpayers to pay for big government to maintain Disney's surrounding environment.