Floridian viewers of Fox News on Sunday may have seen a TV advertisement paid for by California Governor Gavin Newsom issuing a sharp criticism of his Florida colleague Ron DeSantis. In the advertisement, Newsom stated to Floridians that DeSantis was attacking their freedoms and listed several perceived examples. “Freedom is under attack in your state,” he says. The messaging coincided both with Independence Day, and DeSantis’ common branding calling Florida the freest state in the nation.
Newsom invites Floridians to fight back against their Governor, or else simply move to California. Data over the last few years show a number of California residents moving to Florida, a trend Newsom evidently seeks to reverse.
We’re about to celebrate Independence Day — but Freedom is under attack by Republican leaders in states like Florida.
Banning books.
Restricting speech.
Making it harder to vote.
Criminalizing women and doctors.It’s time to stand up. Don’t let them take your freedom. pic.twitter.com/cFI5UzgZzX
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 3, 2022
Newsom accuses DeSantis and fellow Florida Republicans of banning books, engaging in voter suppression, jailing women and medical personnel, and censoring teachers and students in the classroom.
In the case of the books, DeSantis’s education department did receive scrutiny for the rejection of 40 math textbooks from state curriculum over suspicions that they were attempted to imbue ‘critical race theory’ into student’s learning. He has also shown support for groups which advocate for the removal of explicit reading material from school libraries, such as queer memoir ‘All Boys Aren’t Blue’ in Flagler County.
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As for voter suppression, Newsom refers to Senator Rick Scott’s V.O.T.E.R. Act, which would tighten security measures on mail-in ballots and require reported results within 24 hours of the election. It did not advance out of committee. Also controversial in Florida was Senate Bill 90, which before being partially struck down in court, banned handing out water to voting lines and loosened the rules for observers of the ballot-counting process. Both measures were considered responses to former President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election had been stolen away from him by widespread election fraud.
Where women and doctors are concerned, Newsom refers to a Florida law which is currently going through litigation that bans almost all abortion procedures later than 15 weeks of pregnancy. Some legal scholars have said it violates Section 23 of the state constitution, guaranteeing Floridians the right to privacy. The state Supreme Court, which as of next month will have a majority of DeSantis-appointees, may issue a ruling similar to Dobbs v. Jackson which would strike down any constitutional right to abortion in the state of Florida. This could, as Newsom claims, lead to the prosecution of women who receive and doctors who perform abortions outside of what the law allows.
Newsom’s claim that DeSantis is censoring students and teachers stems from the Parental Rights in Education law, known nationwide by its derogatory nickname, ‘Don’t Say Gay’. This legislation is blurry in its exact parameters, but at-large permits school districts to place restrictions against any material which references same-sex relationships or issues, having so far not taking the same effect against heterosexual equivalents in practice. Champions of the bill endorse its hopeful effects against discussion of sex or sexuality in K-3 classrooms, but the text of the law contains no provision explicitly addressing such conversation.
A DeSantis spokesman called the ad ‘a pathetic smear’ and stated that it served to remind Floridians how unappealing it was to live in the ‘hellhole that is California.
The greater context of Newsom’s strike against DeSantis invokes the 2024 presidential election. DeSantis is widely considered to be a frontrunner for the GOP nomination, irrespective of the results of his re-election later this year. President Joe Biden is expected to run for a second term, but in the event he doesn’t, Governor Newsom has been floated by many as a potential Democratic nominee. Newsom has maintained that he is not seeking the White House in 2024, but commentators across the spectrum agree: if you didn’t know any better, his ad would have you think he and DeSantis were already embroiled in a tough general election battle.
TR
July 7, 2022 at 2:21 pm
Newsom has got to be the dumbest person alive. What the heck was he thinking by asking people to move to California? He really is out of touch with what has happened. He made it impossible for a lot of people to live in California that they moved to places like Texas and Florida where the cost of living is a lot cheaper then California. Besides who in there right mind would move there when gas alone is almost 7.00 a gallon. The people that moved out from the Hellhole place did for a reason and the people that are already living in Florida are smart enough to realize not to move to California.
Joey Callo
July 9, 2022 at 9:01 pm
With regards to Florida, it’s rated the most expensive state to live in when wages vs cost of living are compared. Plus, 6-7 months out of the year is a living hell. Heat and humidity are NONSTOP and not fit for a dog. Between Volusia and St Johns counties, they have equal per capita homeless as SF and LA have. Cal has a 100 billion budget surplus this year. Last year was 68 billion. Blue states like CA, NY, Mass, fund deadbeat red states. In other words, they pay in far more than they get back, red states take out FAR more than they put in.
TR
July 10, 2022 at 10:18 am
Can you please provide links to everything in your comments. I doubt you can. I think Bob is correct, If Fl. is so dame hot for you and your dog and you don’t like it. Why not take Newsom up on his offer and move out there?
Trailer Bob
July 11, 2022 at 3:34 pm
OK, thanks…I will believe whatever you say. I have lived in NY, CA, and FL, so I think I have a little more experience than those just siding with their political masters.
Oh…”Florida is HOT”…No Crap. Everyone already knows that.
Trailer Bob
July 10, 2022 at 7:15 am
I believe your comment is based on political insanity syndrome.
Sounds like you may want to move out of Florida…bye bye.
Joey Callo
July 10, 2022 at 11:05 pm
CBS News, Moneywatch, dated May 2,2022. Article, “Florida is the LEAST affordable place to live in the US.” High housing costs and poor wages are mostly to blame. The housing cost increases are recent. Most of this is because of the pandemic exodus from mainly the Northeast and some Californians driving up home prices and especially rents. If you like the endless summer here, more power to you. Humidity and heat here never take a day off from mid may until mid Oct or later. I lived here in the 70s and it was nicer then. Moved back in 2000. In alot of ways, it’s gone downhill. Racism thrives here as does ignorance due to poor schools. To each his own.
TR
July 11, 2022 at 11:07 am
Hahahaha Joey, so were suppose to believe a liberal channel news station, not for me. But if Florida is the least (capital letters don’t make it true) affordable place to live, why are you still here since 2000? Oh and just so you know Racism thrives throughout the country because of the left pushes it. So maybe a going away party is in order for you, and don’t let the door hit you where the good lord split you.
Trailer Bob
July 11, 2022 at 3:42 pm
I love living in Florida, especially out in the Country.
I agree with you TR…Joey go…we won’t say no.
Joey Callo
July 11, 2022 at 10:19 pm
Hey guys, I’m glad you’re so happy here. You should get a room and celebrate. Have your happy Florida dog join in. I am planning a move when the time for me is right. As stated, I lived here in the 70s, it was a different place. Better.
TR
July 11, 2022 at 10:50 pm
Thanks Joey, However we would probably have to get a hall to celebrate. In fact why don’t you and the rest of your left wing haters who live here and hate Florida soooo much for whatever reason, join us and we can make it a moving away celebration. Oh and bring your dogs also so we can make sure you have all your friends with you on your way north and out of the state. That will definitely be a day to celebrate because then the real people of Florida can live in happiness and not have to worry about haters like you any more spreading your lies, hate and racism.
I’ve been saying for awhile now that if the lefter’s what things their way and the righter’s want things their way in whatever state they live in. Then maybe the USA should be divided in 4 quaters. 2 quarters for the lefter’s and 2 quarters for the right’s. Then they can run their quarters how they see fit. But when the right quarters are doing soooo much better in every way possible to the counter quarters, don’t come crying to the other side for help.
Joey Callo
July 12, 2022 at 7:54 pm
That’s actually a great idea. However, hate and racism already thrive here and would only get alot worse. Red states are already leeches on the US budget as they take out far more than they put in. California would be the 5th largest economy in the world on it’s own. The southeast would be a fabulous place for red nation. Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky. Arm everybody in red nation and let the inbreeding and mass shootings commence. Have your imaginary friend permeate all aspects of redville with religion. Make trump ruler of all dumb southerners. He would be in grifter heaven.