Editorial roundup

Jan. 24

Stop enabling DeSantis

Gov. Ron DeSantis returns to his day job, where the Florida Legislature is in session crafting new laws and spending priorities. The hope here is that he finds state lawmakers willing to assert their independence — more like the late Dempsey J. Barron than remaining the Governor’s doormat.

Barron, a conservative Democrat from the Panhandle who became a power in both the Florida Senate and state politics, understood the value of an independent Legislature. As senate president, he once ordered then-Gov. Reuben Askew to stay out of the upper chamber in words that remain unprintable for today’s newspapers. No one expects the likes of Barron from any current lawmaker but Florida deserves far more than having the Legislature act as an institutional rubber stamp.

The state is supposed to have three independent parts of government — the executive, judicial and legislative branches. In recent years, though, it’s been the Governor’s office calling the shots, with Republican lawmakers willingly going along, thanks to DeSantis’ appointment powers, his budget-veto pen and the belief he might become this year’s Republican Party presidential nominee.

Unfortunately, DeSantis shows no signs of moving beyond the extremist, culture war antics he still hopes will keep him in play for a future run at the presidency. The reality is that Republican lawmakers will remain lemming-like, following the lead of their party during the 2024 elections.

The challenges Floridians face aren’t partisan. Solutions, however, won’t come by staying the course. If our state is to move forward, the Legislature must re-assert its role in shaping Florida’s future.

Florida ‘one-man-rule’ a far cry from free state

Sky-high property insurance, unaffordable housing, an enduring drug addiction crisis and deteriorating water quality are just some of the issues the Republican-controlled Legislature has ignored while spending too much time trying to keep the Governor competitive in an unproductive bid for higher office. What failed to thrill audiences in Iowa also hasn’t worked in Florida.

Our state has paid a price for DeSantis’ ill-fated foray, and the Florida Legislature served as the Governor’s biggest enabler. New laws backed by DeSantis and promoted endlessly in his campaign ranged from expanded public funding for private schools and eliminating gun permits to new restrictions on third-party voter registration and the imposition of a six-week abortion ban.

The results? Several potentially costly lawsuits, from farming organizations hurt by the state’s ban limiting the transportation of immigrants, to conflict with one of the state’s largest employer, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, for the state’s retaliation after the company supported its employees who opposed anti-gay laws. The tourism boycotts and reports of frightened and frustrated residents and workers fleeing Florida aren’t good for the state’s economy, much less its “free state” branding.

Now that DeSantis is back, state lawmakers should help him by devising policies free of the Governor’s extreme ambitions. Now is the time to dial back the divisive culture war and come up with remedies that will actually help the almost 22 million people living here.

The Governor and Republicans in the Legislature may not be willing to make the wholesale changes they should, like repealing abortion bans or expanding Medicaid. However, lawmakers could consider other ways to help homeowners with property insurance, curb outrageous spending on disingenuous election-security efforts and school-vouchers, and revising programs to more address “the Florida Shuffle” of addiction-care problems

Glimmers of hope exist. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo is at least trying to address affordable housing and accessibility to health care, with last year’s passage of The Live Local Act and the recent passage of SB 7016, respectively. The promise in the House comes not from its current leader, Paul Renner, but from his successor, Rep. Daniel Perez, R.-Miami, who promised that under his leadership the House would be more bipartisan and a more independent chamber.

Let’s face it. DeSantis’ presidential bid failed to convince many voters outside the state that the nation would be better off being more like Florida. Until state lawmakers get a grip on their roles and take the lead in making our state a better place to emulate, that reality won’t change.