Staff Reports
In a recent attempt to attack Governor Ron DeSantis, The New Republic published a biased piece titled “DeSantis Rejected $350 Million in Climate Funding Before Hurricane Idalia.” Of course, being a Republican, DeSantis was an easy target for the left to unleash their hatred on. The article tried to frame DeSantis as somehow responsible for the destruction caused by Hurricane Idalia because he apparently refused to accept money from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), cleverly disguising it as a climate change law.
According to the article, DeSantis vetoed a $5 million federal grant in June that would have funded a rebate program for energy-efficient appliances in Florida. This led to the state being unable to access the substantial $341 million allotted by the IRA for the program. The article also claimed that DeSantis rejected additional funding for pollution control and a program to provide solar panels to low-income individuals. The IRA, of course, is part of Biden’s climate agenda, which the left considers to be the greatest investment in climate change in U.S. history.
The article conveniently failed to mention how efficiently DeSantis and other officials managed the situation and worked to restore power and clear paths for emergency vehicles. It seems they were more interested in bashing the governor than providing a fair and balanced account of the situation. But what can you expect from a publication like The New Republic?
"His position on climate change is essentially vaccine denialism at civilizational scale. To Ron DeSantis this existential threat to the peninsula he represents is just another political debate," says @chrislhayes on DeSantis rejecting federal climate benefits for Floridians. pic.twitter.com/asgvTQKTkQ
— All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) August 31, 2023
Furthermore, the article failed to acknowledge the detrimental effect of DeSantis’ climate-related policies on insurance carriers in Florida. Due to the increasing frequency and severity of hurricanes, insurance costs have skyrocketed, and many carriers have been forced to leave the state. But instead of addressing this issue, the article chose to focus solely on criticizing DeSantis’s rejection of climate funding.
Even beyond The New Republic, other left-wing outlets such as MSNBC and its host Chris Hayes joined the chorus of attacks on DeSantis. Hayes went on a hysterical rant, claiming that DeSantis was actively trying to make the situation worse by refusing energy efficiency incentives. But let’s be clear, there is no existential threat to Florida from climate change or any need for the Green New Deal. It was just another useless political debate forced upon us by the left.
Fortunately, there were voices of reason and support for DeSantis amidst the biased media coverage. The press secretary for DeSantis’ presidential campaign, Bryan Griffin, called out the left’s radical government overreach. He highlighted how DeSantis has prioritized successful hurricane responses, improved building codes, and championed conservation efforts, rather than succumbing to the left’s climate alarmism and the disastrous Green New Deal.
Even The Wall Street Journal published an editorial praising DeSantis’s leadership during Hurricane Idalia, while Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) commended his preparedness system. Local resident Amiee Firestien also expressed her gratitude for the quick response and power restoration, calling it “unheard of.”
It is clear that the biased attacks against Governor Ron DeSantis are nothing more than attempts by the left to discredit a conservative leader who dares to reject their radical climate change agenda. We should applaud DeSantis for his focus on practical solutions and his commitment to protecting Florida’s natural resources without falling into the liberal trap of fearmongering and government overreach.
