Remember epic loser Ron DeSantis? It wouldn’t be surprising if non-Floridians already forgot the forgettable face-planter who set $160M aflame only to come in a very distant second in the Iowa caucuses.
But those of us who have to share a peninsula with the failed pretender to the MAGA moron throne get frequent reminders of his existence as he grasps for ongoing relevance. As reported in this space, formerly obsequious statehouse minions are already giving Ron the “new phone who dis?” treatment.
To remove the sting, DeSantis is trying in vain to spin his losses into wins. Here’s an editorial from the Tampa Bay Times that notes a wipeout in a recent settlement over Ron’s signature “Don’t Say Gay” law:
OK to say ‘gay.’ The DeSantis administration wasted no time this week spinning a settlement over Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act — also known as the Don’t Say Gay law — as some kind of victory for state-sponsored bigotry. The agreement between the state and parents, teachers and advocates who challenged the 2022 statute keeps the law in place. But it clarifies that the restrictions on classroom instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation were not sweeping bans on discussions about LGBTQ+ issues in the schools. By removing that uncertainty, the settlement defangs a key component of the Don’t Say Gay law. By leaving the restrictions purposely vague, lawmakers all but invited parents and school districts to overreact. The result was a chilling effect that caused teachers to clam up, administrators to remove books with LGBTQ+ content and school districts to pull their support for anti-bullying and other programs. As part of the deal, the Florida Department of Education will send a memo to all Florida school districts explaining that the law is not as restrictive as some schools have interpreted. We’ll withhold judgment until we see that letter; the Education Department has sent out rotten guidance lately. But this is a huge step in the right direction toward restoring some fundamental human dignity.
Emphasis mine since “purposely vague” is the key here – it’s a tactic adopted by hard-right totalitarians everywhere to intimidate opponents, and it works. For two solid years, this crappy law created chaos in Florida schools. The settlement intends to rob it of its power by introducing clarity.
DeSantis and allies like the Moms for Liberty degenerates will keep lying about the outcome, but make no mistake: This settlement is a huge win for groups like Equality Florida, which demonstrated that with perseverance, it is possible to claw back rights, even in a state run by corrupt Republican authoritarians.
That’s worth celebrating!
Open thread.
