In a move that could only be described as a quacktastrophe, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis, aka “The Donald Duck of Politics,” finds himself entangled in a legal battle with the multi-billion-dollar behemoth Walt Disney Company over their special autonomous Reedy Creek Improvement District. Disney and the State of Florida have a special agreement about how to run the 38.5-square mile area that houses the House of Mouse, dating back to 1967. DeSantis tried to abolish that special status because they ruffled his feathers, and the ensuing fallout has turned him into a pantsless political punchline. The more he flaps his wings in this farcical feud, the more DeSantis resembles a wannabe statesman clumsily waddling into a puddle of his own making.
This comedic saga began when then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek dared to criticize the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a brain-meltingly idiotic attempt by Florida’s most foolish Governor to impose draconian restrictions on classroom discussions of gender, making it a crime for a teacher to introduce herself as Mrs. Johnson.
In a tantrum worthy of Donald Duck himself, DeSantis quacked back by having his hand-picked cronies in the Florida State Legislature strip Disney of its special self-governing status, which granted the number one employer in the state of Florida autonomy over its theme parks. DeSantis then had the Legislature give him sole authority to appoint a new tourist board with oversight of the area.
Again, this is the Governor of a state singlehandedly abolishing a decades-old contract with a major job-creator in Florida and inserting State control into a private company simply because they voiced disagreement with a single policy of his. And it wasn’t even a good policy.
In response to this unprecedented attack on a private business by a state government, Disney cleverly made changes to the rules for the Reedy Creek district before the Governor’s handpicked tourist board could take over, effectively clipping their wings and stopping them from making any changes to the district for decades. DeSantis, like a petulant duckling, vowed to nullify these efforts.
In a recent news conference, our Duck-in-Chief, furious that he had been outsmarted once again, floated the idea of building a state prison in Disney’s region – a proposal so ludicrous it could only come from the mind of a floundering, feather-brained fraud.
Disney’s response to this quackery? Disney’s new CEO Bob Iger fired back, labeling DeSantis’s actions as “anti-business” and “anti-Florida.” I’m no fan of Disney or Iger, but I have to agree with his assessment. When you’re right, you’re right.
Then, on Wednesday, Disney filed a lawsuit against DeSantis and his newly-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board. Disney contends that the state’s actions violate its contract rights and infringe on its First Amendment rights. The company seeks to have the court declare Florida’s legislative action unlawful.
Disney doesn’t file frivolous lawsuits. When Disney sues, they tend to win. And, as with all of DeSantis’s many other mistakes since taking office, he’s going to leave Florida taxpayers footing the “bill.”
How do Florida voters feel about this sideshow? According to a recent True News America poll, just 6% of Republican respondents view DeSantis more favorably due to his fight with Disney. A further 12% of Republicans said their opinion of DeSantis was unchanged by recent news. However, a whopping 88% of all respondents – including 82% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans – said they were “significantly less likely” to support a political candidate who supports laws designed to punish a private company for speech.
As the 2024 elections approach, let’s remember the comical figure that is Ron DeSantis. Like Donald Duck, his pantsless pratfalls may provide a few laughs, but this dimwitted dolt has no place in the world of serious politics. If we want a leader who can steer us through stormy waters with wisdom and strength, we must reject this bumbling buffoon without hesitation. Let’s ensure that Ron DeSantis ends 2024 waddling off into obscurity, rather than drowning the Republican Party in his ever-growing puddle of shame.