President Joe Biden is offering one of his White House challengers hundreds of millions of dollars to spend in his state. The only problem: that opponent is refusing to take it.
The Inflation Reduction Act makes Florida eligible for some $350 million in energy efficiency incentives. But Gov. Ron DeSantis has rejected the funding and other measures, creating the most prominent blockade by any Republican governor against Biden’s economic agenda.
And there’s nothing the White House can do besides hope he changes his mind.
The rejection has the potential to create significant ripple effects, politically and economically, in the coming months. As the president and his Cabinet members go around the country boasting about the IRA, rebates for energy-efficient purchases — the majority of the funding that DeSantis has refused — have played a particularly prominent role. That’s not just because they underpin the administration’s climate agenda but because they provide direct rebates to consumers.
Sounds to me like it should be an easy PR win for the Administration. Policy is literally in place to ease financial strain on consumers in a difficult time, the help is there, but the people of Florida get to suffer anyway because their governor, instead of actually accomplishing anything or improving anything, is just childishly refusing. There’s no way they can’t figure out how to present this to just make DeSantis look like shit.
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This sounds like something John Oliver would play at the end of an episode and I’m about it.
Open: A children’s birthday party, a bunch of kids milling around, each wearing a shirt with a state flag. Florida flag kid is throwing a tantrum. The Florida child has Ron DeSantis’ face shittily deepfaked onto a child’s body. Florida: [screaming] “THERE’S NO CAKE”
Parent enters the scene carrying a big cake. “Alright everyone! The cake is here!”
[Other children all happily get cake and start eating.]
Florida: [Still screaming] “I WANT CAKE!”
Parent: “Here you go Florida, here’s your cake!”
Florida: “NO! Not THAT Cake! Not YOUR Cake! I WANT CAKE!” [Florida begins to throw a full on kicking and screaming tantrum, screaming at the other kids who are enjoying their cake about how he wants cake but not that cake.]
Parent to Camera: "Under the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction act, Florida is eligible for more than $350 Million in energy efficiency incentives. That’s money that would be easing consumer’s financial troubles in this difficult time, but Governor Ron DeSantis refuses to allow it. Florida is the only state that won’t get their fair share, because Governor DeSantis thinks it’s more important to make a scene than it is to make a difference.
“I’m John Oliver, and I approve this message.”
Honestly, they could probably take some cues from those for political ads. Make them funny and people may actually pay attention, rather than a dry thing talking about what you did.
Should be.
But will it? They seem to drop the ball a lot on presenting these easy wins
They will 100% drop that ball. Democrats are so unbelievably bad at PR and messaging. They’re absolutely going to let DeSantis spin it like he’s fighting “Government Spending” without a shred of meaningful resistance.
Even if they were perfect at it the republican name wouldn’t care and still blame the dems.
Sure, but the independents and the switchers would be able to see who has the stronger case.
For a moment i was very confused what the Irish Republican Army has to do with Biden.
I was wondering why Biden was offering up his Individual Retirement Arrangement.
And I was wondering why the Internal Revenue Administration was cutting Florida a check before I remembered that no, that’s the Internal Revenue Service
Well, he was a significant player in establishing the Good Friday accords, so it would be understandable to have a moment of confusion there.
Does DeSantis really want to make this about campaign finances? Because I’m sure his could absolutely be looked at with much greater scrutiny.
Probably should be looked at with a great deal More scrutiny.
Actually, let’s not make this partisan…. Let’s give everyone some scrutiny and see who’s less Corrupt.
This doesn’t have anything to do with campaign finances. Did you read the article or the summary?
Biden and his team as they tour on the IRA they need to start slipping in condemnations of this action. “Everyone in the country is getting new incentives for cheap, green energy. Except Florida because their Governor has rejected free federal money that would go directly to its citizens.” Or something less heavy handed. This is like denying the medicaid extension: it’s just hurting citizens for a political maneuver.
I think the heavy handedness is actually good. Like it really is exactly that simple. It doesn’t have strings attached. “The choices you’ve already made are good for the long run, here’s your subsidy check.” Every other state gets that.
They don’t even have to use the word “green” just say “upgrades” or “modernization”.
“Bipartisan legislation is providing millions of dollars to help American families offset the cost of appliance upgrades, home renovations, and modernization that will save Americans thousands of dollars each year on energy costs. While Americans in nearly every state in the country are benefiting from this program, Governor Ron DeSantis is playing politics and blocking Floridians from these incentives and rebates. Under DeSantis leadership, Florida is experiencing the highest inflation rates in the nation, so why is DeSantis blocking relief for millions of Floridians? Florida’s legislature overwhelming approved participation in this program, only for DeSantis to veto it to appeal to the extreme elements of the Republican party as he runs for the Republican nomination. It seems like providing relief for Floridians and helping them upgrade their homes and aave energy costs is “too woke” for Desantis. Tell Ron to stop playing politics and start working for everyday Floridians”
The ads write themselves. ChatGPT could do it. It not only highlights DeSantis putting politics ahead of people as he runs for president, it helps to shift the narrative on the economy in Florida to put blame on DeSantis for his policies. But you can always count on Democrats to blow a clear messaging win.
Part of me is okay with this not because I don’t want green initiatives, but because it would be wasted on a state that will need a large population exodus. If we are thinking about climate change long term, we should not be encouraging people to be in or stay in Florida. Build the infrastructure elsewhere.
The same should be going for Arizona, where they’re building all the new chip fabs. And where there are already water shortages and not enough people to staff them.
Arizona is very efficient with water usage for the most part - especially in terms of residential and industrial usage. The big problem and water suck is agriculture in the region.
Wait until you learn how much water fabs use.
Hard agree. Idk what the hell they are thinking.
Tectonic stability is actually really important for chip fabrication, and the most stable location in the country happens to be Arizona.
Oh neat, appreciate that info. That makes more sense.
Yeah! Can’t have even the slightest tremors when making parts that need nanometer-level precision!
How does that work in Taiwan then? They have the best fabs in the world and are incredibly earthquake prone. I know Taipei 101 has the huge earthquake dampener, I wonder if there something similar stabilizing TSMC plants?
Not quite sure. This article seems to brush the issue aside with “semiconductor fab building techniques help minimize risk of damage from earthquakes” but doesn’t explain what those techniques are.
You know what place is essentially just as stable and isn’t suffering a catastrophic water shortage? The entire great lakes region. There isn’t a valid excuse anymore for frivolously increasing the water useage in Arizona.
That’s also part of why a lot of large telescope mirrors get made in Tucson, at the University of Arizona!
Hadn’t heard that before, very cool!
Yeah, another big disaster or two and it’ll be impossible to get homeowner’s insurance policies - and therefore, mortgages - on a large portion of Florida real estate.
I think the new hurricane coming their way in a few days will do it. It’s already been upgraded from a cat3 to cat4 and possibly may be even cat5 by landfall.
This guy has committed political suicide so often that he should have his own hotline.
Florida taxpayers apparently love losing money to pay for his political stunts. You can add this “tax” to what Florida residents are paying to trick immigrants in Texas to go to other states.
More for the rest of the states. If Florida wants to be poor and backward, they picked the right governor.
What ripple effects? Poorer states are not refusing federal funds. This is a DeSatan move only.
Every dollar handed out to a state should be called a “Biden Buck”. Let’s see how many conservative states would rather starve.
Conservative states are leaching from the normal states while yelling about how welfare should be discontinued. I think Biden Bucks would encourage them to get off the government teat and “stop being so lazy”.
$350 million in savings to the federal government, Florida doesn’t get the economic stimulus and thus looks worse longer term, great item to run against for the next Democrat governor candidate, great boogeyman for Biden to rail against on the campaign trail.
I see this as an absolute win for Biden and Democrats. Sucks for the environment and Floridians.
