Quo Vadis GOP?

[Grey Fox]

What surprises me is how little backlash seems to be coming from all these measures. What has happened in Florida that has turned a battleground state into the new Mecca of reactionary conservatism? De Santis squeaked by in his first election for Florida governor, but steamrolled in his second one (he went from winning by 0'4% to winning by 20%). What is exactly going on over there? How come nobody is saying enough is enough?

Money. The other side wants to raise taxes.

[The Minsky Moment]

*shrug*
Top faculty will leave, the university system will struggle to recruit replacements, the quality of the system will fall.

Florida's loss, rest of America's gain.

Please remember that Ron DeSantis has national aspirations, and that Republican wet dream is already being discussed elsewhere.

America's loss, Canada's gain?

[Valmy]

I sure hope private schools do not become the future for real higher education. Talk about something only for the 1%.

[Sheilbh]

What surprises me is how little backlash seems to be coming from all these measures. What has happened in Florida that has turned a battleground state into the new Mecca of reactionary conservatism? De Santis squeaked by in his first election for Florida governor, but steamrolled in his second one (he went from winning by 0'4% to winning by 20%). What is exactly going on over there? How come nobody is saying enough is enough?

Well I think Florida is maybe at the cutting edge of the (possible) drift rightwards of the Latino vote - possibly because there's always been the particular anti-Communist Cuban community in Florida so while the trend is national there's possibly a particular radicalising factor in Florida? Also in terms of demographics, if age and education are increasingly big divides in the US now - and again this may just be an outside impression - but isn't Florida where loads of elderly white folk move?

I also get the impression that the Florida Democrats are not great - but this is largely from regularly running Charlie Crist as a candidate

Also I wonder if - as with Missouri - the idea of what a classic swing state is might be shifting (again with the wider realignment in US politics)?

[Admiral Yi]

Florida used to be purple when Jews from the Northeast retired there.  Now midwesterners are retiring there.

[Valmy]

What surprises me is how little backlash seems to be coming from all these measures. What has happened in Florida that has turned a battleground state into the new Mecca of reactionary conservatism? De Santis squeaked by in his first election for Florida governor, but steamrolled in his second one (he went from winning by 0'4% to winning by 20%). What is exactly going on over there? How come nobody is saying enough is enough?

Covid. DeSantis' Covid policies were popular so he is riding that wave.

Seems like he is using his vast political capital on very stupid things. Even if this bill were to become law, I am skeptical it will be as transformative as some fear/hope.

[Sheilbh]

Seems like he is using his vast political capital on very stupid things. Even if this bill were to become law, I am skeptical it will be as transformative as some fear/hope.

To be honest I think it's vastly worse than most of the things we've seen elsewhere - especially that bit about hiring power. My understanding from the stuff at New College is that he has a role in appointing trustees. I think the other bits are maybe a bit standard for Republican states, like the CRT stuff, but basically a direct line from the Governor's office to academics seems big.

Also I don't think this identity populism is good - but I can't help but feel that it's a bit of a shame it'a s right wing Republican doing this for cultural reasons:

The Republican governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, has signed a bill that wrests control of Walt Disney World's self-governing district, in a move seen as punishing the company for its opposition to his so-called "don't say gay" law.

"Today the corporate kingdom finally comes to an end," he said at the bill signing in Lake Buena Vista in his trademark bullish style. "There's a new sheriff in town, and accountability will be the order of the day."

But it is the sort of thing that should be done - it's an absurdity.

[Valmy]

But it is the sort of thing that should be done - it's an absurdity.

That was total BS by the way. Disney benefited economically from that.  That was performative virtue signaling the whole way. As I said he uses his power to do very stupid things.

[Sheilbh]

But if someone has to perfomatively virtue signal that corporations are not like barons of old acquiring land and privileges into perpetuity, then it should be the left doing the performative virtue signaling

[The Minsky Moment]

Sheilbh - it is 100% bullshit. 

There over 1000 special improvement districts in Florida, including ones covering Sea World and the Universal theme park.  Almost none of these will be affected. The law was drawn to target Disney specifically and leave the others untouched.  it is purely an act of retaliation for exercise of speech rights.  It is American Chavismo in action.

Although Disney is the target, Florida taxpayers are the victims.  They will have to pick up the bill for paying all the services that Disney covers out of pocket, plus the damages for Disney breach of contract suit against the State.  Disney will still lose though, because although it will save tens of millions in costs, it will have to stand by and watch as DeSantis' shitty "shallow state" screws up the sewage systems, roads, etc. feeding the parks.   

[Josquius]

What surprises me is how little backlash seems to be coming from all these measures. What has happened in Florida that has turned a battleground state into the new Mecca of reactionary conservatism? De Santis squeaked by in his first election for Florida governor, but steamrolled in his second one (he went from winning by 0'4% to winning by 20%). What is exactly going on over there? How come nobody is saying enough is enough?

Well I think Florida is maybe at the cutting edge of the (possible) drift rightwards of the Latino vote - possibly because there's always been the particular anti-Communist Cuban community in Florida so while the trend is national there's possibly a particular radicalising factor in Florida?

This strain of ignorance really annoys me.
Cuba is ran by a undemocratic authoritarian socialist regime.... It's definitely the socialist part of that equation which is the problem. And socialist totally equals anything from the centre right leftwards. So let's vote for the increasingly undemocratic authoritarian capitalist party!

[Valmy]

But if someone has to perfomatively virtue signal that corporations are not like barons of old acquiring land and privileges into perpetuity, then it should be the left doing the performative virtue signaling

Sure. But there hasn't been a Democratic Governor of this "purple state" in 24 years. Kind of hard to do virtue signaling when you have no power.

[Valmy]

What surprises me is how little backlash seems to be coming from all these measures. What has happened in Florida that has turned a battleground state into the new Mecca of reactionary conservatism? De Santis squeaked by in his first election for Florida governor, but steamrolled in his second one (he went from winning by 0'4% to winning by 20%). What is exactly going on over there? How come nobody is saying enough is enough?

Well I think Florida is maybe at the cutting edge of the (possible) drift rightwards of the Latino vote - possibly because there's always been the particular anti-Communist Cuban community in Florida so while the trend is national there's possibly a particular radicalising factor in Florida?

This strain of ignorance really annoys me.
Cuba is ran by a undemocratic authoritarian socialist regime.... It's definitely the socialist part of that equation which is the problem. And socialist totally equals anything from the centre right leftwards. So let's vote for the increasingly undemocratic authoritarian capitalist party!

Look obviously I want the Democrats to fight for Florida.

But the entire US foreign policy being held hostage by Cuban Floridians is not something I miss. The more red the state gets the more irrelevant this group is in national politics. Neither party would have any reason to really give a shit what they think. While obviously I would rather the Cubans still be in play for the Democrats, it isn't entirely a bad thing.

[Jacob]

I seem to recall that De Santis has visited Orban... is there a connection there as well?

[Sheilbh]

I seem to recall that De Santis has visited Orban... is there a connection there as well?

Oh he's 100% playing the Orban strategy - especially on universities. Appointing trustees who are aligned politically (on absolutely massive salaries) and now giving them power over hiring plus shaping the curriculum - plus enforcing those values using the power of the state over corporations.

I think he is, by far, the most worrying figure in the US because he actually knows what levers do things.