The State of the State of Florida is... – Top 3 Takeaways – March 8th, 2023
- Florida is #1. Yesterday America’s Governor, whose day job is to still be Florida’s, delivered his fifth State of the State address. It wasn’t just the most anticipated of his administration. It was the most anticipated of any administrations’. But while most in media were busy attempting to read the tea leaves in his speech in an effort to spin stories about how his messaging was code for I’m running for president... My top takeaway from Governor DeSantis’ address is where he started the annual State of the State address. Talking about all of the ways in which Florida is #1. And even as someone who covers this stuff regularly, when you hear it all strung together it’s an impressive list. As DeSantis explained... Florida’s the fastest growing state, we’re number one for net migration, we’re number one for new business formations, we’re number one in economic growth among large states. Florida has record employment. We have the largest budget surpluses over the past two years in the country. And while a handful of other states don’t impose personal income tax, we’re number one for having the lowest per capita state tax and lowest per capita debt in the country – cool new stats I wasn’t even aware of. We’re number one nationally for tourism, number one for law enforcement recruitment, while Florida’s crime rate is at a 50-year low and likewise, the lowest of any large state. We’re number one for school choice options in K-12 education and our public colleges are the highest rated in the country. The quality of our infrastructure is the best, we have the top three cruise ports in the world. We’re number one for space manufacturing and flights. Again, it really is an impressive list. And as DeSantis said, we don’t complain, we just produce results which is probably the reason we don’t necessarily realize the extent to which Florida is leading the way until we leave it. That was most true during the peak of the pandemic, but it’s still evident today. And my biggest takeaway from today’s top takeaway is that all of that doesn’t just happen.
- It’s a byproduct of putting the right people in the right places in government who’ve created policies allowing us to live our lives free from as much nonsense as possible. It’s the irony of irony about the current line of attacks on DeSantis. That he’s authoritarian, that he’s a dictator...yes, that line of attack is absurd on its face given that he came to prominence on the national stage by quite literally mandating the freedom of Floridians from government at all levels during the pandemic. You’d have to go back to the time of Lincoln to find a politician who’d more effectively used their post to fight government repression of its citizens. And of course, most get it which is why Florida is number one in so many different categories in the first place. In DeSantis’ words: We defied the experts, we bucked the elites, we ignored the chatter, we did it our way; the Florida way. And the result is we are the No. 1 destination for our fellow Americans who are looking for a better life. And then with that he said it’s time to make America Florida. Just kidding. Though the way his speech is being covered nationally you’d have thought as much. As for what’s next? As he said, in speaking directly to the legislature, November’s election results represent a vindication of our joint efforts over the past four years and the results vest in us the responsibility to lead and the opportunity to shoot for the stars.
- We have a lot we need to accomplish. And what can we expect to be accomplished... In laying out his agenda and expectations from the legislature over the next two months. Those issues are... An additional $2 billion in tax cuts over last year’s tax cuts including permanently eliminating sales tax on all baby supplies. Pharmaceutical drug reforms. Tort reform. Accelerating infrastructure projects by a decade. Affordable housing. Accelerating the Everglades Restoration Project and establishing The Indian River Lagoon Protection Program. Permanently banning vaccine, mask and related mandates. Establishing protected medical speech, whereby physicians can’t be punished for offering a contrary medical opinion to the consensus. Increasing teacher’s salaries, passing a Teacher’s Bill of Rights (protection from union pressures), expanding school choice (notably he didn’t say Universal School Choice) and expanding parental rights in education. He called for preventing minors to have gender reassignment procedures, and one of his guests, who happened to sit directly next to first Lady Casey DeSantis, was someone who underwent the procedures as a child and is now an advocate against them. Increased penalties for drug trafficking and human smuggling. Passing mandatory E-Verify and related disincentives for illegal immigrants. Instituting mandatory bail minimums for crimes, passing Constitutional Carry, or the permitless carrying of firearms and banning Chinese land purchases. It’s an ambitious list and it is a lot to accomplish. It is also, importantly, Florida focused – regardless of what you read or hear to the contrary. DeSantis promised going into the session that he’d help deliver “big wins” for Floridians. If this agenda passes as planned, there will be. Though, I want the biggest win of all to be on the issue of school choice. I don’t just want more of it. I want all of it. And today’s a key day for that issue for Universal School Choice as it’s scheduled for a third House Committee hearing at 1:00. DeSantis referred to swinging for the fences in this session. It’s my hope they follow through.