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Sunday, October 22, 2023

He's going to bar Iranians from visiting Disneyland? What? Deny them Crocodile hunting permits?

CBS News:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to call special session to consider sanctions on Iran in show of support for Israel - Updated Oct. 20

Ron, news to you: It is not going to resuscitate your dead Presidential campaign, so why piss away legislative time and money?

Quoting from the item:

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to call a special legislative session to bolster state sanctions against Iran, as he and lawmakers continue taking steps to show support for Israel during the war with Hamas.

[...] "I can confirm that the strongest sanctions against Iran by any state in the nation, as proposed by Governor DeSantis, will be part of an upcoming special session," DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said in a prepared statement. "The details, including the date and scope, are being worked out between legislative leadership and our office. We look forward to working with the Legislature to show Florida's continued support for Israel."

Florida targets Iran's support of Hamas

[...] Florida already lists Iran as a "foreign country of concern," along with China, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Syria. Since 2008, Florida has prohibited state agencies and local governments from contracting for goods and services of more than $1 million with any business that has contracts with the Iranian government.

In addition, a state law passed this spring placed land-ownership restrictions on people from Iran and the other foreign countries of concern. Also, the federal government has imposed numerous sanctions on Iran.

Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, issued a statement Friday tying the planned special session to DeSantis' presidential bid.

"This looks like yet another case of Ron DeSantis using the Legislature to try to help his failing presidential campaign," Driskell said. "We will be watching closely to make sure Floridians' tax dollars aren't wasted trying to impress out-of-state GOP primary voters. DeSantis' policy failures at home have left Floridians paying the most for homeowners insurance, auto insurance, and rent in the country. I think Floridians would prefer their governor spend as much time addressing these pocketbook issues here as he spends on his ambitions."

When will special session occur?  

While a date has not been released for the special session, one possibility would be to hold it in conjunction with upcoming legislative committee meetings. Lawmakers will hold such meetings the weeks of Nov. 6, Nov. 13, Dec. 4 and Dec. 11.

Like Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, indicated, Ron is reaching, like a drowning man gasping for air. The difference, the drowning man's gasps do not waste anybody's time and money, while also more likely successful.

What level of trade exists between firms doing business with Iran and Florida now, what was it before the token sanctions, and who cares, define a range of questions.

Crabgrass cares. Seeing Ron's day-to-day governance-insightfulness is news, of a kind, worth notice. Trump is not in any official position to impose sanctions on Iran or anybody else; so Ron is a step up! 

Right. Sure. If this is something Ron is doing as an act of conscience out of care for Israel, okay. If he's more concerned and motivated about voting patterns of Florida's Jewish population segment, something he'd never admit to as primary motivation even it were so; it's quintessential Ron at work. (Showing how really presidential he is?) 

If Ron thinks it's a step that will boost his Presidential ambitions, then he shows an understanding of reality unfit to the office he seeks.