It’s a typical Tuesday here in the United States, which inevitably means some fresh drama is unfurling in Florida.
The state, which is well-established as one of the most absurd places on Earth (see countless “Florida Man” headlines for proof), has been veering further and further into insanity since Ron DeSantis took the helm. The 44-year-old stepped into his position in 2019, and in his few years as Florida’s governor has made a habit of courting controversy and generating reactionary headlines in the wake of each of his increasingly unhinged stunts. His latest attention-grabbing tactic has seen the governor and presidential candidate test his mettle against Disney, and consistently come up short.
After attempting to throw his weight around, DeSantis got a harsh education in legal loopholes, after his attempt to push back against Disney went entirely awry. DeSantis, enraged after Disney opposed his “Don’t Say Gay” bill, attempted to seize control over Disney World’s taxing district, only to get a heaping serving of public embarrassment instead. The corporation leaned on a clever legal loophole to prohibit DeSantis from gaining power over the company’s tax district, and he’s now prepped to once again go to war with one of the world’s largest, and most influential, companies.
DeSantis is now threatening to build a prison near the child-oriented park, prompting a collective eye-roll from the masses of online onlookers. The threat quickly prompted a wave of reactionary memes, as people seized the opportunity to poke fun at DeSantis and champion Disney CEO Bob Iger. Considering the absolutely massive reach, pockets, and influence of Disney as a whole, people are betting that Iger isn’t overly concerned with DeSantis’ continued attempts to intimidate the corporation.
Noting that “Disney is living rent-free in DeSantis’ mind,” most people are completely writing off the Florida governor’s threats. Disney, and by extension Bob Iger, really don’t have the time or attention to spare for his latest political stunt.
Commenters also pointed out the massive financial pull Disney has in Florida and noted that DeSantis’ continued attacks are most likely to hurt people in his own state.
Instead of focusing so much attention on Disney and its support of the LGBTQ+ community, you’d think DeSantis might find some time to address the historic flooding many of his constituents continue to suffer from.
The entire DeSantis/Disney debacle has made Florida’s issue clear — and it isn’t Disney. The country’s biggest amusement park has been around for more than 50 years, and a bit of ineffective bullying from Florida’s governor isn’t going to impact it much. His continued failure in standing up to a corporation he’s made into his enemy is certainly impacting DeSantis, however, and many U.S. citizens couldn’t be happier to see him fail.