In historic first, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoes most arts funding in Florida

https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/entertainment/arts/2024/06/14/desantis-vetoes-most-florida-arts-funding-for-first-time-in-history/74087269007/

49 comments

  1. Manchild is still mad at thespians.

    What else is new to Desantis’ childish brain

  2. >DeSantis vetoed nearly $1 billion from the $116.5 billion state budget before signing it in Tampa on Wednesday, including nearly $90 million the legislature earmarked for 669 different arts and culture projects and for special line item programs.

    >It is the first time that **no money** will be allocated for arts and culture programs by the state.

    (Emphasis in bold mine, not author of article.)

    But also:

    >Economic studies have shown that every $1 spent on arts and culture programs generates about $9 more in related spending.

    So, I know this is mildly oversimpllified, but more or less, if $1 spent on arts and culture generates $9 more in related spending for our state/local economy, then the $90 milion he vetoed could have generated **$810,000,000** ($810 million) for the state/ local economy, but he chose instead to defund it all.

    (edited for math; thanks to the user below for checking my math, it won’t let me tag you)

  3. How the hell can Floridians tolerate this no class douchebag. What’s next…no finger painting in kindergarten. What a clown!

  4. I would say this is unbelievably stupid and shortsighted but it’s DeSantis so it’s actually pathetically par for the course.

  5. art can tell the truth – there’s nothing republican evangelicals hate more than that.

  6. Ron’s *entire* identity seems to revolve around an obsession with ‘owning the libs’. He really does need therapy. Or a cult deprogrammer.

  7. The withdrawal of financial support for the arts will have far-reaching economic and cultural consequences, diminishing the quality of life, stifling innovation, and weakening social cohesion.

    The economic impacts includes: Job Losses: Tourism Decline: Economic Multiplier Effect on other areas of the economy: Innovation and Creativity in design, advertising, and media.

    Cultural Impacts include: Cultural Identity and Heritage and diversity: Social Cohesion and Community Engagement and increased social fragmentation.Access and Inclusion, the arts could become the preserve of the wealthy: Education and personal development including of future generations.

    Yeah, go for it Ron..

  8. Has any governor ever actively and intentionally sabotaged their own constituency as much as DeSantis?

    It’s not even a matter of opinion or politics. He’s pretty upfront about how this is basically all done out of spite.

    Do better, Florida.

  9. The civilian volunteer force was originally planned as a non-military mission meant to provide relief after disasters like hurricanes but it has quickly evolved. Lawmakers expanded from 400 to 1,500 members and allowed DeSantis to deploy them out of state, while also allocating $100 million for planes and boats.

    Who needs culture when you have your very own civilian militia.

  10. I laugh at this because you can’t suppress art. Like life, it finds a way.

  11. Hey, everybody knows the arts is full of libruls
    and wokeness. No surprise here from the nations worst governor.

  12. This motherfucker has destroyed this state so quickly, with full consequences not going to be seen for years and will take decades to probably fix.

  13. Florida is arguably the worst place in America. It’s cool that you have sun and beaches…but beyond that, nada. I won’t spend another dime in Florida.

  15. Disdain for the arts, education, and intellectualism.

    Contempt for “the other”.

    Obsession with authority and “tradition”.

    Yep. We’re here alright.

  16. Most of what we know about human history is because humans make things, create things, copy each other, expand on each other, borrow from each other and learn from each other. Most of this comes from art (lower case). It is understandable that right-wing simpletons dislike Art (capital A) as it is somewhat institutionalized and can certainly be elitist. However, this is really just another attack on diversity and DeSantis learned from Disney to only punch down.

  17. ronnie giving disney another easy win i see. he can’t help it, can he.

  18. >And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. – John Keating | *Dead Poets Society*

    Not if you’re anti-woke and live in God’s waiting room.

  21. When your Governor gets his ass handed to him and acts out.

  22. It’s Florida, High Art is a tattoo that says No Regerts!

  23. what a cretin and philistine: the kind of man who would eat pudding with this fingers

  26. Well people who like the arts are more likely to be well-educated and thus less likely to vote for this idiot.

  27. Fascists hate free expression and displays of art unregulated by the ruling state party. 

  28. I think a giant 100 foot tall mural of Desantis licking Hitler’s ass is in store.

  29. Ron is pulling a Sue Sylvester in real life, except Sue actually had a soul and Ron doesn’t

  30. This is also the pool of money *museums* get their funding from. It really is just an attack on intellectualism and empathy.

    Keep em broke, keep em sick, keep em stupid, right Rhonda?

  31. Republicans hate art, because art encourages free, out-of-the-box thinking that threatens their strict Christian nationalist dogma, and they fear anything that’s different.

  33. Well DeSantis believes the Arts are Gay and will corrupt society

  34. >It is the first time that no money will be allocated for arts and culture programs by the state.

    >Economic studies have shown that every $1 spent on arts and culture programs generates about $9 more in related spending.

    I feel a Leopards ate my face post coming on soon.

  36. I can think of a different leader that showed disdain for the arts and built/expanded his own military force. It didn’t end well for anyone…

  40. **Rule #1** – Nothing should interrupt or impede the transfer of wealth from society and it’s lower classes to the wealthy.

    The difference between the wealthy and the poor? The wealthy are willing to steal from anyone and everyone.

  42. Can’t have a culture war if you don’t have culture. *taps head

  43. Fucking Philistine

    DeathSantis MUST go!
    Vote Blue to Save Florida 💙

  44. TIL Florida is filled with dumb voters (sorry thats mean )

  45. Besides men’s high heels, what does Ron support?

  46. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Fascism!

    Spoiler: it is. It’s fascism.

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