The true test of leaders is when they put aside political self-interest.
In Florida, political self-interest rose to an all-time high, following endless calls for Gov. Ron DeSantis to surrender his fight against Disney and the woke mob. Disney, the largest employer in the state of Florida, has pulled the strings of Tallahassee politicians for over 40 years.
Those strings were finally cut when DeSantis became governor.
Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his border policy on Monday during a campaign visit to Texas. (Election 2024 DeSantis)
Most standard politicians would’ve caved to the public pressure overnight. Especially if they were even contemplating a run for president. But DeSantis didn’t. And his display of courage and conviction in the fight against Disney is exactly why he should be the next president of the United States.
A handful of Disney employees pressured the company’s then-CEO, Bob Chapek, into action. What followed was a familiar ritual: the woke CEO merry-go-round.
First you side with the social justice warriors and “take a stand.” Then you learn that you’ve overstepped – and just sit right back down. Then, having ticked off pretty much everyone, you get slammed for sitting down after standing up. And then you get fired.
Thus, Bob Chapek was out, and another Bob – Bob Iger – returned to Disney. This is where most politicians might have left it. But Disney’s intrusive and arrogant behavior forced a hard question: Why does Disney – a multibillion-dollar, California-headquartered corporation – get special tax treatments and handouts in the state of Florida? Why are they allowed to essentially operate as a pseudo-government in the state, and what permits Disney the access to corporate welfare unavailable to small businesses?
Republicans have spent years chirping about fighting big government and big corporations, but none have had the guts or political conviction to truly act on these issues. Not even Donald Trump. These “pet Republicans” as I often refer to them on my show, trade short-term election wins – that turn out to be losses – in the exchange for long-term bloated government.
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference at the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum in Titusville, Florida. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
What Ron DeSantis did in Florida is what Republicans should have done years ago.
Corporations like Disney are far too eager to lobby for tax breaks and be given special favors from Republican politicians – only to turn around and smear the right as soon as woke activist agendas get in their ears. Over and over, Republicans fall for the trick, debasing themselves before companies that send jobs overseas, poison the culture with insane left-wing ideology, and, in Disney’s case, push this toxicity on to young children.
Trump had four years to check corporate welfare and wield the power of the Oval Office to stop wokeness. But under his leadership, wokeness only metastasized. He folded on this critical battle.
Unlike Trump, DeSantis stood unapologetically strong. He protected children from sexualized classrooms. He stood up for small businesses and students during the COVID lockdowns. He reduced crime and curved illegal immigration in the state of Florida. And, most of all, he does not back down from the toughest battles against powerful corporations when they are harming American families.
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