AVENTURA, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has battled big companies over everything from diversity training to environmental, social and governance investments. He even took over family favorite Disney by removing the company from municipal status. It’s a surprising approach to business for a Republican who has the support of more than 40 billionaire donors, and one that some critics have called heavy-handed and polarizing. Republicans have historically given big tax breaks to corporations while eschewing regulation in favor of a more hands-off stance. But on Sunday night, in an hour-long speech before the National Conservative Conference, DeSantis said Republicans’ approach and thinking about big business needs to change, arguing that his experiences in Florida provide a “lesson for the people of the right”. “Corporatism is not the same as free enterprise, and I think too many Republicans have seen limited government to mean that what’s best for corporate America is how we want to do the economy,” DeSantis said during the during his keynote speech before a friendly crowd. participants at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort. “And my point is — obviously free enterprise is the best economic system — but this is a means to an end. It’s a means to a good life and a prosperous society. It’s not an end in itself.” DeSantis has pushed numerous controversial policies as governor that have earned him national headlines and criticism from the Biden administration. With the attention has come speculation that he might run for president in 2024. First, however, he must win re-election in Florida in November. He will face former Rep. Charlie Crist, a Democrat who was Florida’s Republican governor from 2007 to 2011. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks during the inaugural Moms For Liberty Summit at the Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 15, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. DeSantis is running for re-election in the 2022 race for governor against Democrat Charlie Crist. Octavio Jones/Getty Images
DeSantis’ list of actions against companies grows
DeSantis has taken numerous actions against what he refers to as “woke companies.” More recently, he pushed the state board to ban the consideration of “social, political or ideological interests” — such as ESG — when deciding which investments to make for the state pension fund. The governor also revoked Disney World’s home rule status after the company asked the governor to oppose the Parental Rights to Education Act. The bill limits discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation in a way that critics say is too vague and will harm LGBTQ students, parents and teachers. Critics called the law the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Another law, the Stop WOKE Act, would limit how private companies conduct mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training. Companies with 15 or more employees could face civil lawsuits if an employee accuses them of violating the law, which says businesses can’t hold training saying members of a particular ethnic group are inherently racist or that people should to feel guilty for acts committed by predecessors. And soon after former President Donald Trump left office and was removed from social media platforms for his role in the violent attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, DeSantis signed a bill to prevent tech companies from censoring politicians candidates. “There are some people who criticize us in Florida because we’ve taken steps to stand up to big tech companies,” DeSantis said Sunday night. “They say you know what, it’s private. Let them do what they want to do. First of all, they can’t be seen as private actors, since we know without a doubt that they do the regime’s bidding when it comes to censorship.” A mock-up is shown of a “SAY GAY” billboard that activists in Florida are putting up in response to the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Courtesy of Southern Progress PAC
But not all of his plans work
Some of the business laws in Florida are in litigation. The business portion of the Stop WOKE Act remains after a judge cited free speech violations. The technology law has been blocked by an appeals court, with Judge Kevin Newsom writing that “the government cannot tell a private person or entity what to say or how to say it.” Other Florida laws have been confusing to navigate. This week, for example, a Miami school board rejected a measure to observe LGBTQ History Month, even though the governor’s office said it would not have violated the Parental Rights Act. But DeSantis doubled down on his actions during a speech Sunday night and predicted his administration would prevail against the legal challenges. He accused “corporate America” of having too much power in America and “exercising almost public authority in terms of using their economic power to change policy in this country.” “What I’m doing is using government to give space to the individual citizen to be able to participate in society to be able to have their say,” DeSantis said. “And I think that’s a perfectly appropriate use of government power.”
