As Twitchy reported a couple of weeks ago, it looked like the memo had gone out, and Christina Pushaw posted a collage of headlines all pushing back against the “groomer” label that conservatives were using against those arguing that kindergarteners should be taught about sexual orientation and gender identity.
The last 24 hours in DC corporate media: pic.twitter.com/VR29ClrnvG
— Christina Pushaw 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) April 6, 2022
We did a post on the argument over the word “groomer”: Liberals, obviously, were deeply offended by such a disgusting homophobic slur, but there were plenty of conservatives and Principled Conservatives™ who also thought the Right should back off, as the battle had already been won. David French, for one, said redefining the word was “pure malice,” and NRO fellow Nate Hochman warned conservatives against throwing the “groomer” word around because it made us sound like the crazy ones.
In late March, Florida state legislators held meetings discussing the repeal of the 1967 Reedy Creek Improvement Act, which essentially allowed the Disney theme park to act as its own government. As we learned Wednesday morning, though, the Florida Senate, on a 23-16 vote, passed legislation ending Disney’s tax privilege, self-governing power, and special exemption status.
Charles C. W. Cooke writes in National Review that the battle over the Parental Rights in Education Act has already been won, and there’s no need for DeSantis or the legislature to salt the earth.
DeSantis and the legislature pushed through a sensible education bill, and then stared down Disney’s ridiculous, hysterical criticisms. They fought. They won. There is no need for them to salt the earth, take revenge, or make Florida’s policies worse. https://t.co/fmVkfhUVU7
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) April 20, 2022
Cooke writes:
… advocates of further retribution tend to switch gears and contend that Walt Disney World is not “entitled” to the setup it enjoys in Florida, that no law is guaranteed to “last forever,” and that Disney’s special status, granted before 1968, was probably due for “reconsideration” anyway. In a vacuum, these arguments are all defensible, but in context, they represent an extreme form of gaslighting. Until about a month ago, Walt Disney World’s legal status was not even a blip on the GOP’s radar. No Republicans were calling for it to be revisited, nor did they have any reason to. Yes, Disney isn’t “entitled” to its arrangement. But Disney wasn’t “entitled” to it in 2012, 2002, 1992, 1982, or 1972, either, and yet, amazingly enough, the legislature showed zero interest in rescinding it when given the opportunity on those occasions. That it’s doing so now is ugly. That it’s pretending that it’s doing so out of a concern for “good government” is grotesque.
Ugly? Grotesque? What do you think … should the DeSantis administration just take the win and move on?
Of course you'd say "stop it, stop trying to win!"
If you described their setup without mentioning "Disney" or "DeSantis", you'd argue against that kind of special privilege as cronyism.
Instead, you make an excuse and call it "salting the earth."
This is leveling the field.
— Jack O'Neill (@Jack2LOneill) April 20, 2022
No other attraction/park has the same carve outs … all others have to abide by local and state codes & etc … a level playing field is fair for all
— Tom Martino (@tom_martino1) April 20, 2022
Scorch the earth and destroy them.
— Stephe96 (@Stephe96) April 20, 2022
No, there is a need to salt the earth.
— Don Schaum (@don11cs) April 20, 2022
ABOLISHING MEDDLING MEGACORP WELFARE IS A STEP TOO FAR.
— D.W.Robinson – ANTI UTOPIAN KILLJOY (@_DWRobinson) April 20, 2022
This should've happened regardless of everything. There are other large theme park/resort operators in the state, and none of them get the special privilege of operating their own city government. Only Disney, and only due to their intense lobbying. Just get rid of it.
— Kyle Prescott (@thep3rcival) April 20, 2022
Nope this is un-salting the earth and making Florida better.
— The Phoenix Tome (@ThePhoenixTome) April 20, 2022
Read the room Charles
— Proposition Joe AKA Doga (@propjoebmore) April 20, 2022
This is the (conceptual) pattern: conservative interests are attacked by the left, initial pushback stops 1% of it, then we're told to be 'reasonable' and surrender on the other 99%. Every day fewer of us fall for it.
— Username (@the_problem_is_) April 20, 2022
Eh. Tend to disagree. Disney bit the hand that fed it, now will see the ramifications of it.
If making an example of Disney prevents other companies from thinking they can influence power over the people, it’s a fight worth having
— Mailman 📬🇺🇸 (@_Mailman_) April 20, 2022
They should be made an example of, so others think twice. The time for winning graciously has long long passed.
— Elizabeth Sheehy (@elizamsheehy) April 20, 2022
No this is exactly what needs to happen. They will never learn if it doesn't cost something. I just didn't believe the GOP had it in them. Something has changed for the good.
— Mark Brown (@brownmp) April 20, 2022
I feel like traditional conservatives are uncomfortable with winning.
— CS (@WPChris25) April 20, 2022
Or, and here me out, Republicans can actually win and make a difference. I'm sorry, but "lose with dignity" lost its allure after the last twenty years.
— Sol Racht (@sol_racht) April 20, 2022
The thing about the “groomer” tag is that it hurt, and the reaction from the media was proof. Cooke is getting ratio’d by both sides for calling the Parental Rights in Education Bill “sensible.” You can’t win. Well, you can’t win that way.
Related:
Whiplash: Symone D. Sanders puts all her ‘money […] on the Disney lobbyists, honey,’ right before Chuck Todd bursts her bubble https://t.co/8SXuaEW1Nh
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 20, 2022
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