The bond issue is interesting, at least to me. The other stuff is just so stupid and evil it's not even worth discussing. But the little bit I know about municipal bonds is that it has to be a default event. I cannot imagine the covenants would not work that way. Which would mean that Orange county would immediately have to assume them or whatever the proper legal name is. And I think there's a legal process under State statute which provides a few veto points before that can happen, but I haven't dealt with the issue in 25 years. This is all just so stupid and evil.
I'm not defending it, I'm actually on the fence about this decision. If it were me, I would have just said "we disagree with Disney, if they don't like the Bill then too bad." That said, I'm curious as to why a lot of folks on the left are so alarmed by this. This seems like something they would do. "Big corporations need to pay their fair share." Corporations then are cudgeled into echoing woke talking points in the hopes that Democrats leave them alone. Democrats do the same thing that DeSantis just did all the time, the difference is they are more subtle about it. I don't see official statements coming out of his administration saying that this was retaliatory, but it's hard to imagine this as anything else.
The Department of Health and Human Services gets to define what is health misinformation. So yes. I'm going to assume that DeSantis did this in retaliation to Disney's stance on the Parental Rights in Education Bill. DeSantis revoked tax privileges for Disney saying something the government doesn't like. Klobuchar sponsored a bill threatening liability on social media companies if they proliferate what a department of the executive branch believes qualifies as misinformation. Democrats embellish every crisis to justify a power grab. Then, when the crisis is over, they never revoke that power. The only difference here is in subtlety.
Why is Desantis yanking this particular Mouse's tail, I wonder? This 40 square miles, 2 county entity that has been the tent pole for the entire Central Florida theme park industry for over 60 years, bringing in 70 million cash-dispensing tourists a year? Over an issue of gender identity? I know DeS is preparing for a presidential run, but I can't help but think there's more downside than upside for him here. He would be an attractive candidate even if he didn't try to burn Florida's economy to the ground.
I mean, it would be alarming if a liberal governor was also raising taxes just on Disney as punishment for saying something about an unrelated policy choice. I'm sure some people would talk themselves into it, but its no way to run a state/country.
Retaliation to be treated equally with other corporations I guess is what you are getting at? :shrug:
I think DeSantis mentioned this has been in place since like 1968. I don't think about 54 years of special tax privileges despite left-leaning views qualifies as an expectation of "unconditional loyalty."
I agree with your first paragraph. That’s the way a democratic republic operates. And Disney can choose to switch horses. But retribution legislation for disagreeing is absurd and they flatly admit that’s what their doing. The other aspect of this is that we have no income tax in this state because state government (not municipal) is funded by sales tax, which is directed at tourism. And Disney is a huge cause of that revenue stream. So yes, retribution against a company that disagrees with the state on behalf of its employees is a cause of concern when this state touts being “open for business.”
And that's the problem we find ourselves in now. Democrats turn every issue into an emergency, then they use that to quell normal political speech they don't like through retaliatory methods. Republicans notice this, they do the same, and Democrats cry. I agree this is no way to run a country. But the only thing worse than both sides doing it, is one side doing it and the other just taking it.
I notice that you didn't comment on anything else. Shocker What about these corporations? Which you can't even see because they're shielded. Are they special? Charlie Crist joins Democratic state lawmakers in condemning corporate tax refunds So it's okay to get sweetheart deals from the legislature as long as you kiss Ron's butt? You do love an authoritarian, though.
Sorry, but normal political speech is being able to say a policy is bad, and even to raise hyperbolic alarm about it, or talk boycotts, etc. What's not particularly normal is a government passing a policy getting what it wants, and then basically deciding someone didn't bend the knee enough by keeping their mouth shut and singling them out for retribution. You cant blame Democrats getting mad at things for that.
Disney is the largest taxpayer in Central Florida, paying 566 million dollars a year in state and local taxes annually. I don't know what their tax rate is, but they seem to be paying their "fair share," or at least more than many of their financial peers.
Disney has engaged in politics for decades. They have been donating money, which is also speech according to our legal system. You didn't have a problem with that. In the end, you are cheering on political retribution for stating a political opinion that you didn't like. And you are threatening that it will keep happening if somebody else says something that you don't like. This is your version of authoritarianism.
Respectfully, I think the problem here is that DeSantis didn't use the magic words. If he said something to the degree of "we have a child abuse crisis in this country, largely promulgated by activist teachers inculcating kindergarteners third graders in their values on sexuality and gender. With respect to organizations who spread misinformation about these issues or promulgate the abuse, it's time such organizations started paying their fair share." Does that sound familiar to you? Sound like anybody?
I just shared an article where Klobuchar sponsored a bill supporting liability on social media companies who don't "keep their mouth shut," which would likely go even further in prompting social media companies to muzzle users who don't echo public health talking points from the government.
He isn't trying to be a generally attractive candidate. He is trying to attract a very specific kind of voter, and they want a fighter, so he has to appear to be a fighter. He isn't, but he is smart enough to say the words and take the actions that get him to where he wants to be. Unfortunately he is willing to damage the state of Florida and its citizens to get there.
I look forward to you correcting Democrats in the future claiming corporations and the wealthy don't pay their fair share. You're clearly capable of learning who pays the lion's share of America's taxes. Let's see if you're honest about it.
What is there to respond to. Are you saying Disney has represented the bill as the “Parental Rights in Education Bill” and not the “Don’t Say Gay Bill”? Again…guess you are about favorable corporate treatment? :shrug:
