Here ’s something you do n’t hear every twenty-four hour period : there ’s good news show out of Florida . Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed poster on Wednesday that make serious exploit to call the impacts of ocean level procession in the res publica . But do n’t take that as a star sign that Trump - lite DeSantis is now some sort of correct - wing mood savior . Rather , this is the latest in his high - telegram act to desex some of Florida ’s climate job without doing anything about their causes .
Thepair of billsestablishes an annual stock worth tens of million of dollars to help local community hold out with ocean level rise , road map for regular flood risk assessments and resiliency plans , and mould local “ resilience coalitions ” to help communities make . “ We ’re really putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to protecting the United States Department of State of Florida and particularly our coastal communities from the peril of implosion therapy and storms , ” DeSantis allege at the signing .
Most of DeSantis ’s political view are pretty guessable from anyone with an offhand knowledge of the types of material Fox News commenters care to regularly effervesce themselves into a rage about . In late weeks , DeSantis has offered immediate payment to cops and trumpeted that he need to “ fund the police ” ( OK?),announcedthe state would ban vaccinum passports ( weird),thrown a fitbecause a coronavirus control board he hosted that was full of scientific misinformation was taken off of YouTube ( lol ) , and said he would sign a billbanning trans fille from playing women ’s sportsin the state ( fuck you , dude ) .
Then-candidate Ron DeSantis takes a tour of the Everglades in September of 2018.Photo: Wilfredo Lee (AP)
But in a deviation from the normal pablum that passes for Republican policymaking these day , DeSantis ’s environmental and mood phonograph record has some bright topographic point . In one of his first movement after hire office , DeSantissigned a sweeping executive orderthat , among other thing , organise the nation to “ adamantly oppose ” offshore boring and fracking and appointed a chief science officer “ to help prepare Florida ’s coastal community and habitat for impact from ocean spirit level rise . ” From the guy who oncefeatured his babe boy in a campaign adteaching him how to “ ramp up a wall ” out of blocks and put the Thomas Kyd in a “ Make America Great Again ” onesie , it was a blunt departure from the Trumpian blueprint ofclimate denial . This unexpected move as well as other motion to protect the Everglades also got DeSantis accolades about being “ bold on clime change ” early in his tenure .
The most late visor is a striking illustration of the type of tightrope DeSantis is essay to take the air that may cater a blueprint for other Trumpy Republicans question how in the world they can call climate change without being call antifa by theMyPillow guymaking anappearance on Newsmaxor whatever . DeSantistold reportersduring his campaign that he ’s “ not in the church bench of the Christian church of the global thawing leftist . ”
But as he set to fight for reelection next year — and possiblyeyes a 2024 presidential run — he seems to realize that he needs to find some way of peach about the increasingly clear threat that clime change poses . This late Seth of bills talks a big talk on mitigating the impacts of sea level rise — but does nothing to explore the causes of why that sea storey boost is happening , make any sort of goals for get down statewide emissions , or encourage the development of renewable energy .
“ I think the irony of the proposal was that he list all the impacts of climate change but never actually said ‘ mood change , ’ ” state Rep. Anna Eskamanitold the Sierra Club Magazine in February . ( It ’s true in the final bills , too : The phrase “ climate change ” does n’t seem once ineitherbill . ) “ And so we ’re going to continue to spend money on resiliency over the years where we could also be making investment in taking the state off fossil fuels and really tackling the climate change crisis in front of us . ”
Ultimately , what may be labor DeSantis “ left ” on mood modification is the simple fact that ocean degree rise is hitting Florida , well , now . Areportpublished last year found Miami “ faces the gravid risk of any major coastal city in the world . ” When one of your major cities is projected to beone - fifth underwater by 2045(Miami , it was nice to know you ) , it ’s unknowing to not address that elephant in the way .
As more and more Republican politico taste to figure out how to seem concerned about clime change , DeSantis is showing one way to do it : Talk big on cleaning up the mess , but rest smooth about what caused it in the first place .
mood changeFlorida Republican River
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