The unique perspective and provocative opinions of Joe O’Neill
Florida
Gullibles’ Travels: Ron DiSastrous’ campaign treks outside Florida.
The chief strategist for the Iowa-concentrating, DiSastrous super PAC “Never Back Down” (or is it “Never Not Frown”?) is Jeff Roe, who used to be the campaign manager for Ted Cruz.
OGAC: DiSastrous’s campaign fundraising now includes signed baseball caps with “Our Great American Comeback”—not “Oh, God, Another Candidate” on them.
Unsurprisingly, the Florida Republican Party won’t require (March) presidential-primary candidates to pledge to support the nominee. Trump got what he wanted.
“There are a lot of red flags.” That was Surgeon General Joseph LaDOPEo, in warning against getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine.
“People are lurching toward this insanity” That was part of the contrived-outrage rhetoric employed by Gov. DiSastrous to emphasize that Florida won’t be joining states that are taking precautionary measures to blunt the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases. Too bad there are no vaccines for infectious, self-serving, bumper-sticker leadership.
DiSastrous wants the evangelical vote, and he knows his position on abortion is critical and problematic. He knows the political downsides to all-out opposition. The safest approach: restrictions on the procedure should be left to, yes, the states.
The University of Florida has been rated Number 1 among public universities (and Number 15 overall) in the U.S., according to the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse Rankings. U.S. News & World Report had UF at Number 6 in public universities.
First in Flight: In a recent four-state (Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas) faculty survey, 46 percent of Florida respondents said they planned to seek employment in a differentstate within the next year. Yes, it has everything to do with the governor’s compliant, super-majority lawmakers passing legislation that, among other targets, restricted tenure and gutted diversity programs.
“Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans.” This was a warning from the NAACP. Alas, Florida now seems more welcoming to the Aryan Freedom Network.
Florida’s Brightline is now running trains between Miami and Orlando. It’s the first private intercity passenger service to begin U.S. operations in a century.
“A mean, vindictive, petty man.”—Description of the governor by former GOP strategist Mac Stipanovich.
“It’s way too expensive to insure homes in Florida right now.” –Sen. Rick Scott. Perhaps his successor would agree.