John Hinderaker presents in Powerline a recent New York Post poll concluding, “A government that can’t keep its citizens reasonably safe is a failed regime…the poll, released Wednesday by Fontas Advisors/Core Decision Analytics, presented voters with this statement: ‘My family would have a better future if we left New York City permanently.’ The poll found 59% of respondents strongly or somewhat agreed with the statement, while 41% somewhat or strongly disagreed…a 12 percentage-point jump from voters who were asked the same question a year ago. Why do a clear majority of New Yorkers say they would be better off somewhere else… New York has become hellish for the same reason that a number of other cities are increasingly unlivable: the criminal justice system has broken down…A government that can’t keep its citizens reasonably safe is a failed regime”
Driving around in our home state, Florida, we are seeing an inordinate amount of two things. The first are license plates from blue states, especially New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois. States that are hopelessly progressive with all the attendant accoutrements like street crime with gun violence, exorbitant taxes and schools run by teacher unions advancing CRT. In past years, Florida visitors are usually snowbirds who come south to avoid the frigid weather and hazardous driving conditions. Of course, we have our own hazardous driving conditions that are uniquely Floridian—a panoply of elderly drivers on the road who, to use a Led Zeppelin song, are “Dazed and Confused.” They love to drive 10 miles per hour under the posted speed limit…in the left lane!
Second, we also have observed a growing number of Florida cars with bumper stickers with a map of Florida and a “Don’t New York” on it. The only failing of these stickers is that you would have to add states like the ones we mentioned above including Minnesota, our nation’s entire west coast, especially Maize Hirono’s Hawai’i, Delaware if only because its citizens kept voting for Biden since all the way back to 1973—that’s thirty-six years of buffoonery prior to him trading in his senatorial position for the Obama White House number two slot and gaining prominent mention on son Hunter Biden’s laptop as “The Big Guy.” Let’s also include “Taxacuttes”, home to Harvard and their version of Sitting Bull--Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, since we are also seeing more Massachusetts license plates in Florida. Recently, Pennsylvania is also front and center proving the state’s adeptness at allowing dead people’s votes to count in elections and of course Larry Krasner to continue to work his progressive, George Soros magic in Philly on jailed felons by giving them get out of jail free cards.
Here's the rub. We occasionally survey these interlopers from the aforementioned, progressive states, at the grocery store, restaurants or walking to the beach and ask them what they find so attractive about this state. They supply the usual reasons—great weather, friendly people, comparatively low prices, low crime, warm weather, good roads, etc., etc. We follow that up with, “What do you think of our Governor, Ron DeSantis?” This is where their rubber meets the ideological road with these intruders. Their smile turns into a frown or scowl as they proceed to tell us how he is a Nazi who takes people’s freedoms away from them, hates gay people, restricting what they can be or do, won’t allow the President to relocate homeless illegal immigrants to his state but actually busses them to Washington, D.C. or Delaware, doesn’t read the Washington Post or New York Times, and is an all-around miscreant or as Arlo Guthrie said in Alice’s Restaurant, “mother raper…father stabber.”
Now if these scapegrace northern interlopers aren’t smart enough to see that Governor DeSantis is a compelling factor for why Florida is such a great state in which to live, then they should remain in their own troubled state. If they burden us with their full-time presence they will undoubtedly vote for Charlie Crist to replace Ron DeSantis, who has a long history of doing exactly the wrong thing for Florida. The last progressive candidate to run against DeSantis was Andrew Gillum who, days after losing the election, was found inebriated and unconscious in a Miami hotel room with another man who had overdosed on crystal meth that police found scattered on the bed and floor. Gillum only lost by 90,000 votes and it’s a sure bet if “Porcelain Charlie” doesn’t get the nod, the Florida Democrat party will pick someone even less savory than Gillum, with even more progressive bonafides. Had Gillum won, we’re sure he would have applauded, and probably helped implement Disney World’s child gender indoctrination and CRT programs on all Florida residents.
This kind of blue state transplant has no place in our wonderful and free red state of Florida! Let them go back to New York and bring Andrew Cuomo out of retirement so, with the new, B.A.2 strain of Covid, he can send all their newly infected patients into nursing homes to reprise his Emmy-winning “leadership” from 2019-2020…or maybe head to California where they can enjoy $8/gal gasoline, forest fires in the summer and fall, and all the illegal immigrants they’ve been clamoring for in their progressive home state, so America becomes Mexiamerica (apologies to VHD for appropriating his term).
If you are a progressive, contemplating a move to Florida or any of the other red states, thanks but no thanks and don’t let the door slam you on your backside on your way back home!
So let’s not forget all the wonderful reasons we chose to live in Florida and what makes it so attractive to others. Although not perfect, many of our elected officials have done a great job over the long run when it comes to affordability to live here, public safety and support of our police and God-given liberties.
For those individuals looking to relocated to Florida, think and more importantly, reflect on all the reasons you so desperately decided to get out of your state. Be sure to leave behind the idea of government dependency or endless social programs that contribute to waste and high taxes along with the idea that government knows better than you do how to live your and your family’s lives.
As individuals, we are more effective at getting things done then any government agency, and we can do it better, quicker and for less money.
Loyd Pettegrew is a Professor Emeritus at the University of South Florida and Robert Miller is a retired beverage executive.
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