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Floridian here. I've lived here all my life, and DeSantis is the first Governor under whom I have felt that the entire agenda is piss off people who aren't poli

Floridian here. I've lived here all my life, and DeSantis is the first Governor under whom I have felt that the entire agenda is piss off people who aren't politically aligned with his values. Not a week goes by without some inflammatory new policy making it into the news cycle, and it saddens me because Florida has a ton of problems that we could be collaborating on legislatively, but instead, it's just partisan brinkmanship day in and day out. I'm a fourth generation Floridian, and I've lived in the state for 42 years. I plan on moving my family out of here sometime in the next few years, as I don't think the future holds anything better here. This is the first time in US history where a Governor has unilaterally drafted map redistricting an entire state, and it will give the GOP a 4:1 advantage. That's not democracy, it's a rigged system, and removes the will of the people from the equation. For me, it's not a liberal/conservative issue, it's a representation issue, and an issue of priorities. Basically, I'm tired of the bullshit, and I think there are better places to raise a family, so I'll be taking my talent and tax dollars elsewhere.

spacemanmatt 5y ago
Texan, here. I know exactly what you mean.
usrn 5y ago
That's a good thing. There are a number of mutually exclusive positions the left and right simply don't agree on. At this point the only way to achieve peace is if like minded people moved together and the ones that don't get along separate. That goes for California as well as Florida. It's painful in the short term but everyone will be happier long term. That's why it's the "United States" and not a "homogeneous nation state."
- tmountain 5y ago
  I take your point, but it elides a significant cohort of the population that doesn't have the financial resources to make such a choice. The proposed redistricting eliminates black/brown districts from the current electoral map, and those populations won't have the representation they have today as a result. A lot of these folks don't have the financial means to go elsewhere, so they're on the losing end with nowhere to go.
  - usrn 5y ago
    That's happening everywhere on both sides though. It's unfortunate but there's no easy solution.
  - robbedpeter 5y ago
    I think you might be conflating significant discomfort with financial inability. People used to uproot their families and migrate while scavenging, or dad would move to a place with better prospects while sending money back home until they'd saved enough to move. There are places where the cost of living is less than half what it is in Florida. Disrupting your family's life over a two year period to make a move is risky and painful, but far more feasible than people usually say. Given modern food banks, charity, gofundme, etc, not wanting to move is a decision rooted in comfort, not survival.
    - beepbooptheory 5y ago
      Just a gentle suggestion: next time you have a chance, talk to someone who is in the kind of economic situation you allude to here. Talk to the cleaners or security guards at your office, talk to people who perhaps clean your home or cut your grass, talk to any server or cook you interact with. You will hear lots of stories, I'm sure, but not many that fit into your picture here. More people than not are absolutely unable to make progress in their life, they are not "uncomfortable" with it, they are postponing medically necessary surgery to get the hours, they are working 60hrs a week gladly to just make rent, they are trying so hard to be smart with their time and opportunity, with little actual reward. Really, just ask! It will open your eyes, I promise you.
      - robbedpeter 5y ago
        I'm not speaking from ignorance, but a place of brutal pragmatism. I understand that mobility comes with risks and disruption and is not always a good move. It is, however, far more possible and feasible than many make it out to be, and sometimes the best choice still isn't a good one.
- sigspec 5y ago
  So I need to pack up and move my entire family history across the US because some Bozo got 54% of the vote? Ridiculous
  - falcolas 5y ago
    46% of the state, roughly 10M people, should move, apparently.
    - usrn 5y ago
      It's similar to the idea that's popular here: people in single family housing need to move to make way for multi family housing so we can bring in more immigrants.
xwdv 5y ago
And yet, blue state liberal democrats are clamoring to move to Florida. New Yorkers and Californians trying to escape their failed states with outrageous taxes, is it any wonder then that states like Florida and Texas are purposely trying to seem as unattractive as possible to these people. Way too many people in Florida these days.
- JaimeThompson 5y ago
  "Texas had a population in 2017 of 28.32 million. On a per capita basis then, the percent of people leaving Texas was 0.016. California lost just over 661,000 people to domestic migration in the 12 months ended in July 2017. Given California’s population in 2017 of 39.4 million, the per capita basis of people leaving California was 0.016, approximately the same rate as in Texas." https://drgregmaguire.org/2020/02/06/why-are-so-many-people-leaving-texas-and-why-are-most-of-them-coming-to-california/ https://drgregmaguire.org/2020/02/06/why-are-so-many-people-...
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- mcphage 5y ago
  > And yet, blue state liberal democrats are clamoring to move to Florida. Old people are looking to move to Florida for the weather. I don't think that many liberals are looking to move there for the politics. Especially if you have a family—who on earth would want to give up the New York State school system, to raise your kids in the Florida school system? I can't imagine any blue state liberals would want that.
jmcgough 5y ago
I found it really upsetting that, after an overwhelming number of Floridians voted to reinstate voting rights for some felons, DeSantis signed a law that prevented them from voting if they had any unpaid fees (Florida loves to bill convicts so most do). Regardless of ones political stance, the ruthless drive to win at all costs is causing serious damage to our society.
- tmountain 5y ago
  Yeah, this is a perfect example of overriding the will of the people in the interest of continuing to hold political power. It's ironic given the "stop the steal" narrative of recent, but here we are.
chmod600 5y ago
Where?
chmod600 5y ago
While what you say makes sense, the only solution is if people start calling out politicians within their party. Criticizing the other party doesn't promote internal change.

spacemanmatt 5y ago

Texan, here. I know exactly what you mean.

usrn 5y ago

That's a good thing. There are a number of mutually exclusive positions the left and right simply don't agree on. At this point the only way to achieve peace is if like minded people moved together and the ones that don't get along separate. That goes for California as well as Florida. It's painful in the short term but everyone will be happier long term. That's why it's the "United States" and not a "homogeneous nation state."

tmountain 5y ago
I take your point, but it elides a significant cohort of the population that doesn't have the financial resources to make such a choice. The proposed redistricting eliminates black/brown districts from the current electoral map, and those populations won't have the representation they have today as a result. A lot of these folks don't have the financial means to go elsewhere, so they're on the losing end with nowhere to go.
- usrn 5y ago
  That's happening everywhere on both sides though. It's unfortunate but there's no easy solution.
- robbedpeter 5y ago
  I think you might be conflating significant discomfort with financial inability. People used to uproot their families and migrate while scavenging, or dad would move to a place with better prospects while sending money back home until they'd saved enough to move. There are places where the cost of living is less than half what it is in Florida. Disrupting your family's life over a two year period to make a move is risky and painful, but far more feasible than people usually say. Given modern food banks, charity, gofundme, etc, not wanting to move is a decision rooted in comfort, not survival.
  - beepbooptheory 5y ago
    Just a gentle suggestion: next time you have a chance, talk to someone who is in the kind of economic situation you allude to here. Talk to the cleaners or security guards at your office, talk to people who perhaps clean your home or cut your grass, talk to any server or cook you interact with. You will hear lots of stories, I'm sure, but not many that fit into your picture here. More people than not are absolutely unable to make progress in their life, they are not "uncomfortable" with it, they are postponing medically necessary surgery to get the hours, they are working 60hrs a week gladly to just make rent, they are trying so hard to be smart with their time and opportunity, with little actual reward. Really, just ask! It will open your eyes, I promise you.
    - robbedpeter 5y ago
      I'm not speaking from ignorance, but a place of brutal pragmatism. I understand that mobility comes with risks and disruption and is not always a good move. It is, however, far more possible and feasible than many make it out to be, and sometimes the best choice still isn't a good one.
sigspec 5y ago
So I need to pack up and move my entire family history across the US because some Bozo got 54% of the vote? Ridiculous
- falcolas 5y ago
  46% of the state, roughly 10M people, should move, apparently.
  - usrn 5y ago
    It's similar to the idea that's popular here: people in single family housing need to move to make way for multi family housing so we can bring in more immigrants.

xwdv 5y ago

And yet, blue state liberal democrats are clamoring to move to Florida. New Yorkers and Californians trying to escape their failed states with outrageous taxes, is it any wonder then that states like Florida and Texas are purposely trying to seem as unattractive as possible to these people. Way too many people in Florida these days.

JaimeThompson 5y ago
"Texas had a population in 2017 of 28.32 million. On a per capita basis then, the percent of people leaving Texas was 0.016. California lost just over 661,000 people to domestic migration in the 12 months ended in July 2017. Given California’s population in 2017 of 39.4 million, the per capita basis of people leaving California was 0.016, approximately the same rate as in Texas." https://drgregmaguire.org/2020/02/06/why-are-so-many-people-leaving-texas-and-why-are-most-of-them-coming-to-california/ https://drgregmaguire.org/2020/02/06/why-are-so-many-people-...
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
mcphage 5y ago
> And yet, blue state liberal democrats are clamoring to move to Florida. Old people are looking to move to Florida for the weather. I don't think that many liberals are looking to move there for the politics. Especially if you have a family—who on earth would want to give up the New York State school system, to raise your kids in the Florida school system? I can't imagine any blue state liberals would want that.

jmcgough 5y ago

I found it really upsetting that, after an overwhelming number of Floridians voted to reinstate voting rights for some felons, DeSantis signed a law that prevented them from voting if they had any unpaid fees (Florida loves to bill convicts so most do). Regardless of ones political stance, the ruthless drive to win at all costs is causing serious damage to our society.

tmountain 5y ago
Yeah, this is a perfect example of overriding the will of the people in the interest of continuing to hold political power. It's ironic given the "stop the steal" narrative of recent, but here we are.

chmod600 5y ago

Where?

chmod600 5y ago

While what you say makes sense, the only solution is if people start calling out politicians within their party. Criticizing the other party doesn't promote internal change.