Florida "shames" those who embrace diversity of thought
On May 22, a former Republican congressman from Florida - David Jolly - appeared on MSNBC to share why he is considering moving himself and his family away from the Sunshine State, in protest against the many recent decisions and laws implemented by Governor Ron DeSantis.
Not permissible in the state of Florida
Commenting on recent legislation that has been passed by Governor DeSantis, Jolly made his point that it no longer feels like a state where citizens are free to explore or even associate with certain ideas. As he put it:
“I want my children to be exposed to as much diversity as possible and at home my wife and I can orient our family around the value set that’s right for us and prepare our kids to make decisions that are ultimately right for them as adults.”
He continued:
“That’s not permissible in the state of Florida. You’re shamed for it, you’re unwelcome.”
Jolly's comments come at a time when DeSantis is apparently facing severe backlash against many of his recent decisions, in spite of many of these having been based on what he felt would establish him the best possible feedback and support from Republicans around the United States.
If, however, the backlash from figures like former-congressman Jolly is representative of the overall reception to many of DeSantis' recent laws, then it could be that the Florida Governor may not be such a popular candidate for the 2024 presidential election as had been previously thought.
DEI - "Discrimination, Exclusion and Indoctrination" says DeSantis
Governor Ron DeSantis may indeed be on difficult ground if his core policies are not universally welcomed by Republicans as was originally thought.
On May 15, the Florida Republican had signed new legislation into effect which will remove state funding from Diversity, Equality and Inclusion initiatives in state colleges and educational institutions. The move appears to be the latest step in his continuing 'War on Woke'- an initiative that has been used as an apparent platform for the launch of his expected campaign for the Republican nomination for the 2024 presidential election.
After voicing the opinion that the DEI acronym would be better suited to the sentiment of the words "Discrimination, Exclusion and Indoctrination", DeSantis went on to describe how the new legislation will effectively defund DEI initiatives, stating that:
"DEI can no longer be used as a woke litmus test as a condition of entrance into higher education in Florida."
DeSantis' waning popularity
In spite of going all-out to appeal to those at the far-right of the Republican party, DeSantis' efforts may be in vain.
Since his arrest for the first of a number of cases being tried against him, polls have started to show one-term former president Donald Trump as the preferred Republican candidate for the presidential election in 2024.
Many Florida Republican politicians have since declared their endorsement of Trump for 2024, including Matt Gaetz, Byron Donalds and recently, Cory Mills, while overlooking DeSantis.
With former-Republicans also distancing themselves from him, could it be that DeSantis is falling even further out of favor? Time will tell.
Do you think that Governor Ron DeSantis should focus on being a more moderate governor for the state of Florida? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Comments / 422