Gold, Silver To Be Recognized As Legal Tender In Florida

For those living in Florida and, I presume, those visiting the state, can use gold and silver as legal tender under a law just signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

According to the Florida Daily:

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 999, a bill that recognizes gold coins and silver coins as legal tender for the payment of debts.

“Florida stands firmly for freedom, economic self-determination, and resistance to government overreach,” DeSantis said. “But for too long, outdated regulations and unnecessary sales taxes have made it impractical for Floridians to enter the gold and silver market. I signed HB 999 today to change that, by initiating the process to recognize gold and silver as legal tender in our state and, with rule ratification from the legislature, free from sales tax.”

According to the official legal summary of the bill, gold coin and silver coin are defined as the solid, pure form of gold or silver in various physical forms.

The gold coin and silver coin must be imprinted, stamped, or otherwise marked with the coin’s weight and purity and may be imprinted, stamped, or otherwise marked with only the name or symbol that identifies any refiner or mint of the gold coin or silver coin. The bill provides for statutory construction to clarify the scope of gold coin and silver coin being recognized as legal tender.

The use of gold coin or silver coin for payment is optional.

To read more, go here. 

Florida Looters Could Meet Shooters, Gov. DeSantis Warns

Potential looters taking advantage of Hurricane Milton to loot someone's business or home may find themselves staring down a gun barrel, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

During a press briefing, the governor issued a warning that since Florida is a Second Amendment state, looters wanting to loot in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton had better think twice.

According to Florida Politics:

'You don't know what's behind that door.'

Another hurricane brings another unambiguous assertion of Floridians’ right to self-defense from the state’s Governor.

“If you think you’re going to go in and loot, you got another thing coming,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a briefing at the state’s Emergency Operations Center.

“If you go into somebody’s house after the storm passes, think that you’re going to be able to commit crimes, you’re going to get in really serious trouble. And quite frankly, you don’t know what’s behind that door in a Second Amendment state.”

Variations of this theme are a staple of storm press conferences for DeSantis, and Hurricane Milton continues the tradition familiar to Floridians who were around for 2023’s Hurricane Idalia and 2022’s Hurricane Ian. 

To read more, go here. 

Trump Wins Iowa; Haley Falters

It appears that Nikki Haley, who some call "Liz Cheney Lite", is not faring too well. She was edged out of second place in the Iowa Republican Caucuses last night by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his campaign (that ends it) for President and quickly endorsed Trump.

According to Newsmax:

Donald Trump muscled past his rivals to capture the first 2024 Republican presidential contest in Iowa on Monday, according to Edison Research projections, once more asserting his dominance over the party as he seeks a third consecutive nomination.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis edged out former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley for second place as they sought to emerge as the chief alternative to Trump, according to Newsmax projections.

Based on projections, Trump was notching a win by a record-setting margin, based on early results, which would bolster his argument that he is the only Republican candidate capable of taking on Democrat President Joe Biden, despite facing four criminal cases that could go to trial before the Nov. 5 general election.

With better than 94 percent of the count done, Trump had 51% of the vote, while DeSantis was at 21.3 and Haley 19. The largest margin of victory for an Iowa Republican caucus was 12.8 percentage points for Bob Dole in 1988. The day's tallies were via Edison Research.

To read more, go here. 

DeSantis and Cruise Ships In Key West

Above, the Majesty of the Seas docked at Key West in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Four and a half years ago, I took a cruise to Havana, Cuba. Along the way, our cruise ship made a stopover in Key West, Florida where we were able to tour the town and do some shopping and eating.

However, the locals in Key West have been complaining about the sizes of cruise ships and the numbers of people flooding into town, despite the fact they also have been providing plenty of tourist dollars to the local economy.

Gov. Ron DeSantis faces a "critical decision" on the future of cruise ships stopping at Key West.

According to The Union Journal:

From the early stages of the Covid-19 outbreak, inhabitants of Key West, Fla., campaigned to decrease the volume and capacity of holiday cruise ships docking at their small island. The push started when U.S. ports denied entry to cruises filled with infected passengers. They have leveraged the context of the pandemic to push for ongoing restrictions on such vessels.

Engaged citizens attended City Commission meetings in large numbers, held protests at the dock, collected signatures and were successful in pushing stricter regulations through three ballot measures in 2020. These laws aimed at safeguarding the marine ecosystem and limiting the number of tourists to 1,500 per day. However, the new laws were scrapped by the state Legislature the following year, backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Currently, the affluent hotel magnate running the cruise ship dock in Key West aims to further develop the port, to legally allow larger ships with more passengers.

This issue will head to Gov. DeSantis soon. With nearly $1 million in funding for his campaign coming from the owner of the port, the Governor has a tough decision to make while being a presidential candidate for 2024. He’s also been supporting Florida’s tourism sector, despite his proclaimed focus on the environment.

To read more, go here.

Gov. DeSantis Preps For 2024 Campaign

 

DeSantis Opposes Central Bank Digital Currency Scheme

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that he opposes central bank digital currencies (CBDC).

According to Reuters:

May 24 (Reuters) - Florida Republican Governor and U.S. presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis on Wednesday pledged to support people's right to trade in digital assets like Bitcoin and said he opposes establishing a central bank digital currency.

This is a plus, in my opinion. Any candidate who supports CBDCs is not worth anyone's consideration.

Some People Have No Sense of Humor

Over the past few years (likely longer), it has been plainly obvious that liberals and leftists have absolutely no sense of humor. They're generally unhappy people.

Here's something new that's gotten them riled up.

Trump Running In 2024...But

Above, President Trump at the Albuquerque Sunport.

Former President Trump is running for president in 2024.

Although he made his formal announcement yesterday, this really comes as no surprise. If he gets the GOP nomination and wins, he will be the second president after Grover Cleveland to not serve two consecutive terms of office. 

At present, I am just going to take a wait-and-see attitude. I am also leaning towards Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, should he decide to throw his hat into the ring.

After the midterm elections, things are a bit topsy-turvy right now. A lot of election results make no sense. The Republican Party needs to see what went wrong and make corrections during the next two years. It appears at this point that the Republican Party will be in control of the House of Representatives with Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, replacing Nancy Pelosi.

One thing is for certain, the financial markets should be happier now that we have a divided government. 

Things are going to be mighty interesting over the next two years. 

No "Red Wave" Unless You Vote!

Today is Election Day.

To begin the process to end the madness of the past two years, every Republican and like-thinking Democrats and independents have to get out and vote. 

We have a country to save! Vote!

DeSantis Warns Looters "We're A Second Amendment State"

 

Florida is a law and order state.

Looting and lawlessness will not be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/8Ma9RuSlPq

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) October 1, 2022

Leftists are having fits over a press conference by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis when he warned people thinking about taking advantage of the Hurricane Ian disaster to loot homes and businesses.

Some leftists are screaming "racism" over the governor's warning. 

From the Daily Caller:

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a stern warning during a Friday press conference in Fort Myers to would-be looters in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

“I can tell you in the state of Florida, you never know what may be lurking behind somebody’s home,” the governor cautioned, according to Fox News.

“And I would not want to chance that if I were you — given that we’re a Second Amendment state.”

 To read more, go here.

Biden Cancels Alaska Oil and Gas Leases

His Fraudulency is intentionally making the gasoline price crisis even worse. Vladimir Putin can't be blamed for this. I bet Interior Sec. Deb Haaland was involved.

Sen. Tom Cotton:

Gas prices are at a record high, and Biden just canceled oil and gas leases in Alaska and the Gulf. 

Joe Biden is directly responsible for the high cost of gas.

 ***************************************

Gov. Ron DeSantis:

Americans are struggling with record gas prices – up over 50% since Biden took office – but he doesn’t care. Rather than expand domestic energy production, he continues to reduce U.S. production capacity (increasing our reliance on foreign oil) by canceling our oil & gas leases.

****************************************

CBS News reported:

The Biden administration has canceled one of the most high-profile oil and gas lease opportunities pending before the Interior Department. The decision, which halts the potential to drill for oil in over 1 million acres in the Cook Inlet in Alaska, comes at a challenging political moment, when gas prices are hitting painful new highs.

In a statement shared first with CBS News, the Department of the Interior cited a "lack of industry interest in leasing in the area" for the decision to "not move forward" with the Cook Inlet lease sale. The department also halted two leases under consideration for the Gulf of Mexico region because of "conflicting court rulings that impacted work on these proposed lease sales."

Federal law requires the Department of the Interior to stick to a five-year leasing plan for auctioning offshore leases. The administration had until the end of the current five-year plan — set to expire at the end of next month — to complete these lease sales.

To read more, go here. 

Bill Introduced To Strip Disney of Self-Governing Power

The mousetrap in Florida that the Walt Disney Company fell into is getting tighter.

A special legislative session called by Gov. Ron DeSantis will include eliminating self-governing privileges that the company has enjoyed since 1967.

According to Fox News:

Florida State Rep. Randy Fine announced Tuesday that he has filed a bill that would eliminate special privileges The Walt Disney Company has in the state of Florida.

The move comes after Disney came out in opposition to Florida's parental rights bill. Gov. Ron DeSantis called on state lawmakers to take action that would dismantle certain protections for Disney during an ongoing special session of the legislature

"Disney is a guest in Florida. Today, we remind them," Fine tweeted. "@GovDeSantis just expanded the Special Session so I could file HB3C which eliminates Reedy Creek Improvement District, a 50 yr-old special statute that makes Disney to exempt from laws faced by regular Floridians." 

 WESH reported:

“I was shocked to see some of the stuff that’s in there. They can do their own nuclear power plant. Is there any other private company in the state that can just build a nuclear power plant on their own?” he [DeSantis] said. “They’re able to do certain things that nobody else is able to do. So I think they’re right to be looking at this and reevaluating and having an even playing field for everybody, I think is much better than basically to allow one company to be a law onto itself.”

Disney’s independence has been under the microscope in the wake of the company denouncing Florida’s new "Parental Rights in Education" law, or the "Don’t Say Gay" law.

In a tweet, state Rep. Spencer Roach, who represents the North Fort Myers area, wrote that lawmakers have already met twice to talk about repealing the Reedy Creek Improvement Act.

"If Disney wants to embrace 'woke' ideology, it seems fitting that they should be regulated by Orange County," Roach said.

Good!  

Protest Held At Disney H.Q. In Burbank

Protesters gathered at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank last evening to protest the company's woke stance on the Parental Rights in Education law in Florida.

Fox News 11 Los Angeles reported:

BURBANK, Calif. - Conservative groups are boycotting all things Disney over what they claim is the entertainment titan leaning too far left.

Hundreds protested outside of front gates of Walt Disney Studios in Burbank Wednesday evening.

The demonstration was organized by a group, Hold The Line.

The protest was tied to Disney’s response to Florida’s Parental Right’s Education Bill which is also known as the "Don’t Say Gay" bill by its critics.

The bill which became a law in March prohibits teachers from addressing gender identity and sexual orientation in certain classrooms.

To read more, go here. 

Disney "Stepped In Quicksand" In Florida Feud

The feud between the state of Florida and the Walt Disney Company is escalating.

According to one Florida state representative, the company has stepped into quicksand by getting itself involved in opposing the "Parental Rights in Education" law that was recently enacted.

The Epoch Times reported:

As the battle between Florida and Disney escalates following Gov. Ron DeSantis signing the “Parental Rights in Education” bill into law, one Sunshine State lawmaker says Disney “stepped in quicksand and made a drastic unforced error.”

As The Epoch Times reported April 1, DeSantis floated the possibility at a March 31 press conference in Ponte Vedra Beach that lawmakers in the Sunshine State might repeal the 1967 Reedy Creek Improvement Act in response to Disney’s ongoing opposition to the recently signed “Parental Rights in Education” law, dubbed by liberal opponents as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. State Rep. Spencer Roach, a Republican, revealed through social media that lawmakers had already met twice to discuss the idea, saying “if Disney wants to embrace woke ideology, it seems fitting that they should be regulated by Orange County.”

The announcement came as part of the ongoing feud between Disney and the state of Florida since the governor signed the bill into law. Previously silent about the bill until he faced backlash from a minority of Disney’s LGBT employees, Disney CEO Bob Chapek issued a statement on March 11, apologizing to them for not being a “stronger ally.” In a show of action, Chapek also announced Disney would put an immediate stop to all political donations in Florida. In a subsequent demonstration of solidarity, Disney Corporation issued a statement vowing that its new goal was to have “this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts” and to support organizations working to make that happen. DeSantis quickly reminded Disney that Florida “is governed by the interests of the people of the state of Florida—it is not based on the demands of California corporate executives.”

There are rumblings of Disney shareholder discontent over the company's woke actions. One shareholder publicly suggested:

It’s a sentiment shared by DisneyBizJournal.com editor and Disney shareholder Ray Keating.

“Here’s a suggestion for Disney CEO Bob Chapek: Get back to business, that is, excellence in storytelling, and stop wasting shareholders’ money on political crusades that have nothing to do with Disney’s business,” Keating told Fox News Digital. “We all have the right to have our voices heard on issues, but not on the shareholders’ dime.”

To read the full article, go here. 

Going "Woke" Puts Disney Company In Deep Do-Do

Walt Disney would be spinning in his grave if he knew what a mess the company that bears his name has become.

It is speculated that far-left employees have successfully pressured Walt Disney Company executives into caving in to their "woke" positions in opposing the Parental Rights In Education bill that was recently signed into Florida law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The blowback against Disney has been loud and intense. It may even cost them governing privileges they've enjoyed for over 50 years. 

Fox News reported:

Some families across the country are reconsidering their previously Disney-friendly stance in their homes or their lives — including the movies, the streaming service, the theme parks and other offerings from the entertainment and media conglomerate. 

That's partly because Disney's CEO, Bob Chapek, has opposed a new bill signed into law this week by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; it's known as the Parental Rights in Education bill.

The law prohibits Florida teachers from instructing very young students — those in kindergarten through third grade — about gender identity and sexual orientation. Initially, Chapek had not taken a public stance on it, but some people believe he ultimately caved to a minority of far-left "wokers" who are upset about the new law.

To read more, go here. 

The New York Post reported:

During an appearance on Fox News’ morning show Fox & Friends on Friday, DeSantis accused Disney of trying to “impose a woke ideology” on his state.

He said that Disney should be stopped because if left “unabated” it would “destroy” the country.

In 1967, Florida created the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a semi-private, independent governing entity controlled by Disney. It gave the company the power to approve construction projects for its theme parks as well as build and manage the necessary infrastructure to support its operations.

The district was also empowered to levy its own taxes and then use the revenue to build public services and maintain roadways and bridges.

If the GOP-led state government repeals the law, Disney World and all of its properties would be regulated by Orange and Osceola counties in central Florida.

The Disney company may be the latest to find that "go woke, go broke" also applies to them.

To read more, go here. 

Cruise Ships Return To Key West

Above, the Majesty of the Seas after arriving in Key West in 2019. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After 20 months, cruise ships have finally returned to Key West, Florida.

The Miami Herald reported:

Two cruise ships arrived in Key West over the weekend, ending a 20-month absence during the COVID-19 pandemic that brought the industry to a halt. 

The Crystal Serenity docked Saturday morning at the privately owned Pier B at the Opal Key West Resort and Marina. The smaller Azamara Quest arrived at the nearby Mallory Pier, which is owned by the city. 

The return marked a milestone in Key West, where the relationship between cruise ships and locals is complicated.

Voters last year approved three referendums to restrict ships by size and capacity. That vote, however, was canceled by legislation signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in June.

Above, yours truly enjoying a margarita in Key West in 2019.

I'm sure that the majority of the locals like having their cash registers filled with passengers' cash again despite the malcontents.

To read more, go here.

Cruise Lines To Follow CDC Guidelines Voluntarily

Above, a Florida sunset from a cruise ship. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The battle between the state of Florida and the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has gotten murkier.

TravelPulse reported:

If you’re having trouble keeping up with the latest developments in Florida's legal battle against the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to overturn its Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) for cruise lines, you’re not alone.

Since Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis filed a lawsuit against the federal agency in April, multiple conflicting rulings have been handed down. First, on June 19, Federal District Judge Steven Merryday sided with DeSantis by issuing a preliminary injunction order against the CDC, preventing the agency from enforcing its CSO regulations in the state of Florida.

One month later, a panel of three judges in Atlanta’s 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision, upholding the CDC’s right to impose COVID-19 regulations on the cruise ship industry. Florida’s government promptly appealed this ruling, which would have stayed Merryday’s original injunction. Less than a week later, on July 23, the same three-judge panel said it was withdrawing its earlier decision, stating that the CDC had, "failed to demonstrate an entitlement to a stay pending appeal."

The ruling was flipped shortly after Florida's attorney general asked the Supreme Court to step in on an emergency basis to block the CDC’s COVID-19 cruise protocols the very same day that, arguing that the state was, "all but guaranteed to lose yet another summer cruise season while the CDC pursues its appeal," Reuters reported.

The CDC explained in a statement issued Tuesday that, as a result of the appeals court’s reversed reversal, the CSO’s detailed safety measures and technical instructions, "have become nonbinding recommendations for cruise ships arriving in, located within, or departing from a port in Florida. CDC will continue to operate the CSO as a voluntary program for these ships."

It also reported that, despite the latest ruling, "All Florida-porting ships have chosen to voluntarily follow the [CSO]."

This should be looked upon as a victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis who said this isn't about restarting the cruise lines, it is all about power of a federal agency by overreaching its authority "not explicitly delineated by law."

To read the full article, go here.

Gov. DeSantis Deep-Sixes Key West Cruise Rules

Above, Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas at Key West. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The whims of some in Key West, Florida were thwarted when Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed some referendums limiting cruises lines that stop at the port.

I visited Key West two years ago as part of our cruise down to Havana, Cuba.

According to Florida Politics:

Gov. Ron DeSantis deep-sixed a series of referendums passed by Key West voters. Three local measures could have significantly limited cruising capacities there. The Republican Governor signed seaports legislation that makes clear ballot measures won’t set maritime rules in Florida.

Opponents of the new law (SB 1194) say this ensures a vital industry won’t be subject to political whims. Critics say the Governor just landed a blow to home rule and hurt an effort to save coral beds to boot.

Meanwhile, city officials in Key West plan to meet next week, where they well could change the course of ships and start this battle for the seas all over again. The city announced a special meeting will be held Tuesday where City Commissioners will discuss local direction around cruise activity.

Lawmakers this year embarked on the seaports legislation in response to three voter-approved referendums passed last November in Key West. The measures in part prohibit ships with 1,300 or more passengers from docking there and limit visitors from ships to 1,500 cruise passengers per day.

That could have an enormous impact on cruise lines deploying to one of the most popular docks on the Eastern U.S. Seaboard.

To read more, go here. 

Florida Governor vs. CDC

Above, the Fort Lauderdale cruise ship terminal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is trying to use its "iron boot" to make the state of Florida comply with its regulations concerning the cruise ship industry and vaccinations. Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued an executive order banning the use of so-called Vaccine Passports.

TravelPulse reported:

As cruise lines prepare to return to service in the United States, there is a showdown brewing in Florida between Governor Ron DeSantis and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) over COVID-19 vaccinations.

Governor DeSantis signed an Executive Order in April banning businesses operating in the state from asking for proof that customers received a COVID-19 vaccination, a ruling with major implications on Florida’s cruise industry.

Travel advisors and legal experts weighed in on the ongoing battle.

“I firmly believe that the CDC will be able to override Florida Governor DeSantis on the vaccine requirement,” Florida-based travel advisor Scott Lara told TravelPulse. “While I appreciate the Governor resisting so-called Vaccine Passports, we must keep cruise passengers healthy.”

Earlier this week, the CDC approved Celebrity Cruises to become the first cruise line to set sail with paying passengers on board. The ship is scheduled to depart from Fort Lauderdale on June 26.

It will be interestng to see how this one turns out.

To read more, go here. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis: “Lockdowns” Turning Democrats Into Republicans

Above, a sunset along the Florida coast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The state of Florida may be becoming "redder" if Gov. Ron DeSantis is correct.

He says people moving into Florida from other states due to lockdowns and are registering "overwhelmingly Republican."  And, that includes Democrats.

According to Florida Politics:

Media's 'phony narratives' aren't swaying people, says the Governor.

Gov. Ron DeSantis believes “lockdowns” are turning Democrats into Republicans.

During a Republican Governors Association town hall on Fox News Wednesday night, DeSantis made the case that Florida freedom is drawing people from blue states rejecting the media’s “phony narratives” about the state’s pandemic performance.

“The people (who) buy these phony narratives from these media; they’re probably not coming to Florida. But most people see through it. And the people who see through it, they think like us. So I think a lot of these people are coming. I think they’re registering as Republicans overwhelmingly. And I’ve come across a lot of people who quite frankly were Democrats,” DeSantis said. “The lockdowns turned them into Republicans.”

To read more, go here.