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Sorry Desantis, but I think Disney may have gotten the last laugh

Discussion in 'Too Hot for Swamp Gas' started by G8tas, Mar 29, 2023.

  1. Orange_and_Bluke

    Orange_and_Bluke Premium Member

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    That’s cool and I agree that outdoor stuff is much better than Disney.
    But I don’t give my kids options. We took them to Disney for 5 years, universal for the past 2. We throw in Sea world and Busch Gardens as well…
    But I also take them on many local fishing adventures. My kids have caught tons of crappie and bass.
     
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  2. Gator715

    Gator715 GC Hall of Fame

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    Most conservatives (and probably many independents) I know have a love-hate relationship with Disney. They have fond memories of what Disney was. They still give Disney their money, have a Disney+ subscription for their kids, and take their kids to the parks.

    But they hate what they have become and they hate the direction the company is going. And they understand why the direction is going that way. A vocal minority in Disney applied pressure to take the company in this direction, and over time, took control of the company. The only way for that to change, for this politicization of children's entertainment to change... is by applying pressure in the other direction.

    I'd say Democrats have been applying pressure in a wide variety of ways to these corporations both legally and culturally for decades. Republicans realized they've been asleep at the wheel, and now they're reacting strongly to correct it.

    As far as "wars with the Mouse" I think DeSantis would obviously like to win in court, but I think the bigger picture is applying that pressure to corporations that many Republicans like myself and DeSantis feel have been applied in blue areas to incrementally increasing degrees for decades.

    If corporations start considering that "going woke" in Florida is more trouble than it's worth, it's a win for DeSantis, even if he loses in court.
     
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  3. tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    Well said. I still hate the underlying bill. It was and is cruel and unwise. Chapek didn't want to say anything but was forced to stand up for employees. But it was such a nothing statement, easily ignorable. Now it feels like a bilateral August 1914
     
  4. gator_lawyer

    gator_lawyer VIP Member

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    "Going woke" is protected political speech. Think about what you're suggesting here as a "win."
     
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  5. mrhansduck

    mrhansduck GC Hall of Fame

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    From what I've read, Disney started the gay pride week back in 1991 - at a time when being gay was even less widely accepted. I imagine many social conservatives wrote Disney off a long time ago. To be fair, I conceded that I don't watch Disney movies, so they could be far different than I am imagining. I do recall fairly recently that there was backlash about Disney choosing a Black actress for the Little Mermaid, but that anger seemed absurd (at best) to me. I'm not sure about nationally, but my understanding is that in Florida at least, Disney has given more political donations to Republicans than Democrats. I don't think it's some sort of extremist left-wing company. It cares about money. It's just that it has been progressive on the issues of sexual orientation and race. The fact that it is a special district just provides the pretext and leverage to go after it for opposing the education bill.
     
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  6. Gator715

    Gator715 GC Hall of Fame

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    I already mated you, go back to whatever cave you crawled out of.
     
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  7. gator_lawyer

    gator_lawyer VIP Member

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    What's that old adage about never playing chess with a pigeon? It'll knock over the pieces, shit on the board, and strut about like it's won anyway.

    Anyways, the fact that you'd call chilling speech a "win" is sad. You and Ron hate freedom.
     
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  8. wgbgator

    wgbgator Premium Member

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    How old are these people? They had "Gay Days" when I was a kid.
     
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  9. danmanne65

    danmanne65 GC Hall of Fame

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    How is not being able to hire young people going to work? Women of child bearing age will not be moving to Florida. UFs hard earned ranking is going to plummet. The Republican base is 40 percent of the population. 20 percent religious whackos who think what they think god said should be law and 20 percent the wealthy who don’t care about anything but paying lower taxes. Winning the Republican nomination is going to result in an unelectable candidate.
     
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  10. tampagtr

    tampagtr VIP Member

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    Those two sentences logically follow for their target audience worldwide, especially to the younger generation.

    Florida Republicans don't realize that the rest of the world is very different from them. Or maybe they do and they don't care - they just like being authoritarian.
     
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  11. Gator715

    Gator715 GC Hall of Fame

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    There's also an adage that says "never take criticism from people you wouldn't take advice from."

    There's also "the pot calling the kettle Black" and all sorts of other ones that apply here.
     
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  12. Gator715

    Gator715 GC Hall of Fame

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    LMAO. You really don't have a clue.
     
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  13. swampbabe

    swampbabe GC Hall of Fame

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    You're missing another component in all of this. Disney has a lot of cast members that are gay as they are a creative entertainment company, pure and simple.

    Disney's favorite color is green, period.
     
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  14. wgbgator

    wgbgator Premium Member

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    Yes, the Mouse gives a lot of money to Republicans. Just like AB gave money to DeSantis, but to conservatives it seems like giving a trans influencer free beer to promote their brand says more than donating $50k to elect a anti-trans politician.
     
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  15. G8trGr8t

    G8trGr8t Premium Member

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    Disney has been working on affordable housing plans for a while and jsut announced an increase from 1000 to 1400 units they will be building on district property.

    Disney To Open Affordable Housing Near Walt Disney World, Company Notes After Pounding By Gov. DeSantis; New Reedy Creek Board Has A Plan (msn.com)

    Disney said Wednesday that “affordable and attainable housing” around Walt Disney World, which it first announced a year ago, will be ready to open in 2026. “This type of land contribution is unique and is one of many ways we are making a lasting impact in Central Florida,” according to a post on the Disney Parks Blog. It comes two days after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis included a lack affordable housing in the area on his list of reasons to slam the House of Mouse.

    Said Disney: “We’ve been making more and more progress on this initiative every day, and now, we’re thrilled to share that groundbreaking on this development is targeted for next year, with the first units anticipated to be completed in 2026.” It has expanded the project by 100 units to about 1,400.

    “To be able to offer more units means even more Florida families will get access to attainable housing, in addition to creating new Florida jobs as part of the construction and operation.” It said the property is several miles from Magic Kingdom, near schools and shopping. The development will be privately financed and limited to applicants within a certain income range.

    WDW President Jeff Vahle met earlier this week with developer The Michaels Organization “and we discussed how we hope this development inspires others in the community and across the country to support this important issue in innovative ways.” Disney also noted it recently joined Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida for the opening of a newly renovated youth center that included a $100,000 Disney grant. It also said Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort donated more than $300,000 to local community food banks.
     
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  16. Gator715

    Gator715 GC Hall of Fame

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    They also have a lot of cast members who are Christian and traditional, as well as the most important part... the audience.
     
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  17. gator_lawyer

    gator_lawyer VIP Member

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    And yet, here you are. You're the one who characterized a powerful government official using his office to chill political speech as a "win." I didn't put those words in your mouth, Comrade Stalin. You said it.
     
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  18. Gator715

    Gator715 GC Hall of Fame

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    From the Article:

    "To pretend DeSantis was defeated or outmaneuvered by Disney requires an epic shifting of the goalposts. The objective was never about destroying Disney. That would be stupid. It’s a major employer and economic driver of Florida tourism. Likewise, Disney’s special tax district was always an issue of leverage to get the desired outcome of Disney backing off its plan to inject its left-wing ideals into Florida schools and law."

    This is basically correct.
     
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  19. Gator715

    Gator715 GC Hall of Fame

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    You LOVE the chilling of political speech. You just don't like DeSantis doing it.

    That's why you've characterized me as a Nazi, Communist, and Antisemite all in one thread, and a racist, bigot, homophobe, and transphobe in others.

    You're not doing that to inform anybody or to change my mind. And you don't genuinely believe any of those falsehoods. You're lying to damage my credibility and intimidate me into shutting up.
     
    Last edited: Apr 20, 2023
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  20. ursidman

    ursidman VIP Member

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    How many could accurately and knowingly report on these things. Would seem to require a good deal of experience to know what they saw or what the numbers mean and be able to compare.