Ron DeSantis' cynical appeal to ignorance.
It is a year away from the presidential primaries.
But having spent a couple of weeks down in Florida I can’t help thinking about Ron DeSantis.
He’s a terrible man.
There is DeSantis’ attack on teaching history in the state’s public schools as part of his “anti-woke” agenda.
Florida teachers are removing books from their classrooms, fearing a felony charge.
A new Florida law requires all books in a school to be reviewed and later put into a database. Teachers report that they're incredibly worried and they say the law is vague. Some teachers are removing all books from their shelves for fear of risking jail time.
It’s like something out of Fahrenheit 451.
Recent polls showing DeSantis leading in the race for the Republican nomination for president.
It’s not too early to take notice even though the first primaries are a year away.
Then there is his attack on trans students, which has received less national attention.
Last summer DeSantis enacted a rule to stop Medicaid payments to medical providers for such treatments as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender-reassignment surgery after deciding the treatments are “experimental.” The costs of such surgeries, services and medications can run to thousands of dollars per month.
DeSantis is demanding information on individuals who receive gender-affirming treatments at Florida universities.
In a blanket request to 12 state universities, top officials with the DeSantis administration are seeking data on the number of individuals who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria or received treatment in campus clinics across Florida.
While I’m glad that President Biden pushed back against the proposals by “some” Republicans to sunset Social Security and Medicare, I wish he would speak up more against these attacks on public education and transgender rights.
It’s not to soon.
DeSantis is not concerned with the science. He is appealing to anti-trans bigotry.
The anti vaccine part if the DeSantis message is what bothers me the most. The science has been considered settled for two hundred years.
The rationale for vaccines was supposed to be taught in primary school.
In re Medicaid payments for transgender expenses, the issue is less settled. So, it's more understandible that there might be objections to spending thousands every month.
I know someone who deals with transgender and gender dysphoric people on long term follow up. Apparently the only thing clear is that it's costly, both in monitary terms, but also on a human level.