Americans are engaged in a fight for our values, principles, and rights as parents to raise our children through the lens of those same values and principles. Conservative and moderate Americans may not recognize how these rights are under assault, or they may feel like they can keep to themselves and ignore the fight, but they'd be wrong.
The fight is now. The fight is here. The left is fully engaged in it, and if we don't stand for what we believe in, we will lose the fight without even raising our fists in defense.
Gov. Ron DeSantis gets it.
The recent legislation in Florida stripping the Disney Corporation of the sweetheart tax and regulation carve-outs that have been part of Sunshine State dogma since 1967 is the perfect example of what DeSantis understands and what too many of my fellow conservatives don't.
As Spencer summarized yesterday:
"Unlike other theme parks in the state, when Disney wants to build a building, fill in a lake, or pave a road on their property, they don’t have to seek permits or approval." The special status for Disney is not enjoyed by other Orlando attractions, either.
"Other developers have to play by different rules, Universal Studios has to play by different rules and so Disney really does have an unfair business advantage," Rollins College Professor Emeritus Richard Foglesong told the NBC affiliate.
For over 50 years, Disney has avoided taxes, building codes, red tape, and regulations that literally everyone in the state has to adhere to. And the Florida government made the understandable calculation that this special arrangement resulted in a robust tourist magnet that boosted unprecedented economic windfalls for the economy and the state's revenue – driven by hospitality and sales taxes.
It was a worthwhile arrangement until Disney declared several weeks ago that it would use every ounce of political influence and every penny of its political donations to buck the will of the people of Florida and oppose the recent law prohibiting explicit sex and gender ideology from K-3 classrooms.
In a way, the Florida/Disney relationship has existed for these 50 years with an unspoken understanding: You stay out of our business, and we'll stay out of your business. Disney just violated that understanding.
Now, most conservative politicians would lament Disney's actions and send out a strongly-worded press release. Maybe even appear on cable news and whine. But that's about it.
They'd never use their political power to punish Disney because their principles would dictate that the overriding benefit of the tax/regulation deal made with Disney was paramount. They'd also shy away from the appearance that they were wielding political power to harm the corporation for political purposes.
"We're principled conservatives, and even though we strongly disagree with Disney's stance, and even though Disney is trying to destroy us, we would never use our political power to make them feel any negative repercussions for their actions by removing the unprecedented tax and regulatory bonanza they've enjoyed for 50 years!"
How stupid does that sound?
Listen, I understand the instinct to preen and strut around as a morally consistent and principled peacock willing to be destroyed... no, wait, I don't understand that at all.
Let's boil this down... Disney has said it wants to overturn a law that protects 4-year-old children from teachers who insist on exposing them to sexual and gender discussions that these kids' parents don't approve of.
If a conservative Republican in public office is in a position to draw a line in the sand on that, and they choose not to, they don't deserve to hold elective office.
DeSantis gets it. And he's doing something about it. He's defending, and he's fighting. He's using his political power and influence and the legal levers of government to make real change that backs up his campaign rhetoric and his press office's statements.
He isn't recklessly tweeting and blithering in incoherent speeches. He isn't giving exclusive interviews to hostile news outlets like The New York Times or ABC News. He isn't causing unforced errors that pundits and columnists, talk show hosts, and fellow politicians have to spend hours and days defending and explaining and deflecting.
He gets it, and he's getting it done.
I'm not saying... I'm just saying.
