Non-Compliance, Manatees & Maps – Top 3 Takeaways – September 6th, 2023
- We will not comply. One of the many great things about living in the Free State of Florida is an awareness that even if Fauchists emerge seeking a sequel of mask and vaccine mandates, the state of Florida will not comply. DeSantis don’t play that. And that means you’ll not find yourself in a situation for the foreseeable future in which that kind of nonsense will happen to you here even if attempts are made elsewhere. This conversation has gained steam this week as the Fauch himself reemerged for a CNN interview over the weekend in which he said this in response to potential future federal COVID-19 guidance: I am concerned that people will not abide by recommendations. I would hope that if we get to the point that the volume of cases is such and organizations like the CDC recommends — CDC does not mandate anything — recommends that people wear masks, I would hope that people abide by that recommendation and take into account the risks to themselves and their families. Well, Fauch, most Americans have taken into account the recommendations by people like you and have determined that people like you and your “recommendations” are the bigger threat to our society of the two. And that’s evidenced in the most recent polling to inquire on this question. In answer to Sinclair’s national poll, Will you comply with new mask mandates if they’re implemented? 73% of Americans said no. In what’s proved to be a fool me once type of situation, it’s clear most Americans won’t be fooled twice by those seeking to assert control over us in the name of a virus. And speaking of the virus... First, COVID-19 is now nothing more than the seasonal flu, following the same pattern as the H1N1 virus which caused the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 and remained the dominant strain of flu for the next 100+ years until COVID. Second, the recent attempt at some hype for a rise in cases is a joke. Have COVID cases been rising? Yes. Substantially? Not at all. Consider that in Florida right now there are a total of 3,422 known active cases. How does that compare? On this date a year ago there were over 6,100 cases. Two years ago, there were nearly 19,000 cases and three years ago today there were over 3,700 cases. In our fourth September of COVID, cases are about half of what they were a year ago and we never had fewer active cases on this date. The hype surrounding the rise in COVID cases, is as phony as the “recommendations” by Faucists in terms of protection. There will be a rise in COVID cases, as flu cases always do rise in the fall and winter, but all current signs point towards the most benign start to the season yet. And in the event the Governmental Fauchists do rise, only about a quarter of Americans are still sheep. About three-quarters of this country, starting with Florida, will not comply.
- Progress or a sign of bigger problems? I’ll take the glass half full approach with Florida’s manatees and say that the latest report showing the fewest manatee deaths in three years, is likely to be improving news as opposed to an indication of bigger problems. The FWC’s most recent manatee mortality report shows that manatee deaths due to all causes are below the five-year averages for this time of year, and down substantially from the record setting mass starvation events of the previous couple of years. Also, the leading cause of death thus far this year has been natural, though they only account for 17% of the 431 documented manatee deaths thus far this year (172 are undetermined). Knowing what the actual number of manatees is at any given time is an educated guessing game driven largely by arial surveys. But current estimates suggest that somewhere between 6,000 to 7,500 still exist. It stands to reason that after two years in which we lost well over 2,000 manatees, deaths are down because there are simply fewer of them around. That reality takes a bit of the shine off of the improved manatee mortality report. But following an expanded and successful manatee lettuce feeding program this past winter, numerous and increasingly successful sea grass restoration projects, and now with fewer toxic east-west discharges from Lake Okeechobee, the decline in manatee deaths is probably a bit more than just relative. It’s likely a sign that we’re making some real progress in the preservation of Florida’s favorite kind of cow. And what’s good for our manatees is good for all of the marine life that’s considerably smaller as well.
- Back to the drawing board. Florida’s Congressional Map, which was in place for last year’s midterm elections, was ruled unconstitutional last weekend and must be redrawn according to a state Circuit Judge’s ruling. The judge found in favor of numerous groups challenging the map’s constitutionality after the redrawing of a majority Black district in North Florida. The judge sent the map back to the state legislature with instructions to follow Florida’s Constitution in the redrawing of the district. The state of Florida has filed its appeal of the ruling, which has the potential to be decided in Florida’s Supreme Court. But with a Rick Scott appointed state Circuit judge issuing this most recent ruling, there’s no guarantee of how the case would go at Florida’s Supreme Court, let alone with the US Supreme Court. And that’s key because in addition to the state challenge – federal challenges to the map remain with similar concerns. And following the US Surpreme Court’s ruling striking down Alabama’s map earlier this year for cracking Black representation within the state...there’s a pretty good indication of how Florida’s map case would go in that court. In fact, just yesterday, Alabama’s recently redrawn map, done in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling, was likewise struck down in federal court for failing to go far enough to provide consideration to Black voters in the state. Appeal or no appeal, state courts or federal courts, the writing appears to be on the wall for Florida’s Congressional map and one way or another it appears that there will be a standing order to go back to the drawing board. It’s just a matter of which court and exactly when will be the first to make that final determination.