A Crossroad

 When I retired to Florida I had several good reasons in mind, and after four years still believe they were and still are valid. The weather, cost of living, taxes, and attractions all make it a great place to live. When I first arrived, we had to endure the last year of the Trump "dynasty" and the beginning of the covid pandemic. The transition to Joe Biden and the democratic government has been rough, particularly with Trumps allegations of a rigged election and the riot at the capital, caused by it. But now my concern turned to what comes next. 

Our governor, Ron DeSantis has an agenda that I am more fearful of than Trump's. Trump was basically a narcissist, racist, and individual with no real knowledge of government. A bully who had power, leading those who had been undercover in their fear of losing it. DeSantis, on the other hand is intelligent, with knowledge of how politics work, while still having the desire for power and control. His "culture war" against what he calls as the "woke" establishment is horrifying, particularly for those who look back over history with a purpose of learning from our mistakes and successes.

While Florida has a critical need for property tax reform, an insurance network which is in catastrophic trouble, a teacher shortage and a public school system which continues to get worst, environmental issues, along with a health department that rails against prevailing science, our governor is off on a cultural based on "us versus them". Since he has obtained a Republican/conservative majority in the legislature, he has gone about his work with surgical precision, taking control of local and state boards. Overriding the vote of the people in many cases to put those in charge who will do his bidding. He has used the pretense of giving parents more control in schools and over their children, with his anti LGBQ policies, banning books, and any efforts to teach anything that does not show white America in a positive light. He incited people at the teaching of "critical race theory" (which by the way was not taught in elementary classes) when he didn't even know what it is and has never even taken an African American Studies program his career.

This is a politician who has persuaded individuals that they live in the free state of Florida when at every turn they are having government interjected into their lives. How they can/cannot vote, what they can read, what they can say, what medicines they can use, and many other things. Many policies are pushed based on the governor's agenda and not from the majority of the population. It is easy to see how a move to charter schools a plan is to eliminate the public school system or at least change it to a second-class system for poor and minority studies who can't afford anything else. The "state" will be able to teach history it sees fit and "indoctrinate" our children, just the way they say they are being indoctrinated by liberals today. In the meantime, average people will suffer from devasting climate events with no coverage, raising taxes and interest rates forcing them from their homes, limited health care and assistance from their government, and forced to toe the line or else.

I fear for the future of my grandchildren, when this type of leadership is the alternative for America's future. And that is only if we don't succumb to World War 111. Remember history and how the last two World Wars began? The opponents to the Trump's and DeSantis's of America are not out there now, but they will need to be developed if we are to survive. At least in my mind. While both sides of our political arena talk about the "policies of the elite" on the other side, there aren't many average Joe's in positions of power. Racist policies and those like gun policies based on misrepresented constitutional amendments, will keep us from realizing the dream for this government experiment.