free speech tho
Disney--a massive two-faced out-of-state for-profit corporation that is silent on China's abuse of Uygur populations in Xinjiang--had special privileges that only local governments are usually afforded. This bill eliminates the special privileges of this and other similar districts.
This has been a long standing issue that many have wanted resolved. Disney has been known to abuse their privileges and avoid a massive amount of taxes they otherwise would have owed.
If it weren't for Disney advocating against the bill that bans sex-related teaching for K-3rd grade, there might not have been the political will to make this happen. But Disney exercised their free speech rights. And Floridians, through their elected politicians, eliminated an unfair business advantage of a massive out-of-state for-profit corporation. Democracy at work!
DeSantis himself said that the elimination of the special tax district is retaliation for their opposition to his don't say gay bill, on Fox (specifically during his interview with Tucker Carlson)
but the supreme court ruled in the past that retaliation against first amendment protected free speech is unconstitutional https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/547/250.html
it's political theatre and will go nowhere, but if it did: Disney pays for a host of services (police, fire, etc) that would instead be passed on to local counties, so it's possible that the company comes out in the black
But my point is that contemporary "conservatives" (I prefer not to call this bullshit conservatism) rail against "cancel culture" and pretend like they're defenders of free speech, but it's yet another context and instance in which they are hypocrites.
https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/the-third-rail/email/1ef...
^ Actual conservative David French weighing in.
Peak clown world is Leftists defending a company that outright engages in union busting and antagonizing blue-collar workers since its inception.
This is not a free speech issue. Disney is not a person.
There are few elected leftists. They are generally left on social issues and left economically, and have been called populist. (A term I agree with that is a bit better because it does leave room for other party and indie voters to have common ground economically.
Populism opens the door to class politics to a greater degree than either party and or leftist does and does so because it does not yet have tribalism making it hard to talk with others and understand them well enough for further conversation, solidarity and action.
The indie voting group contains the most actual leftists by percentage, and it is currently the largest group of voters, weighing in about 45 ish percent.
The two parties share most of the rest.
All that said, I agree! Disney is not a person. Sadly, the law does tend to treat it as one more than it should.