Florida governor Ron DeSantis learned recently that Disney had already legally neutered the planning board he stocked with cronies in an effort to punish it for criticizing his anti-gay policies. His new plan? Toll the roads going into Disneyworld and hike hotel taxes. A statement delivered Thursday made clear that it's completely personal at this point, too: "They can keep trying to do things. But ultimately we're going to win on every single issue involving Disney I can tell you that," DeSantis said at Hillsdale College, a conservative school in Michigan.
In a separate speech hosted by the Midland County Republican Party in Michigan, the governor said "Disney tried to pull a fast one on the way out the door. That story's not over yet. Buckle up. There's more coming down the pike." … Through the final meeting of the Reedy Creek Improvement District's board, which was controlled by Disney, the board passed a number of restrictive covenants which handed most of the District's power to Disney for a period of at least thirty years, but also lasting until after the death of the final living descendant of King Charles III. The move shocked DeSantis and his board, who expressed disbelief at Disney's actions and retained multiple law firms to fight the agreement in court.
I know that personal vendettas are now presidential, but this shows a key difference between him and Trump, too: Trump picks general, abstract fights with weak enemies, but DeSantis picks specific, concrete fights with powerful ones. In a credible leader it might be admirable, but DeSantis already has the Rubios.
