A.G. Gancarski
Sen. Rick Scott said Monday that he has no plans to go back to Disney World and that he’s canceled his subscription to the Disney+ streaming service in the wake of the company’s opposition to the state’s Parental Rights in Education law.
The Senator, during an appearance on the Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria,” contended that he’s done giving his money to the house that Mickey Mouse built.
“I got rid of my Disney+. I’m not planning on going back to the park,” Scott told host Maria Bartiromo.
Scott hailed the “commonsense” law, saying “our kindergarteners shouldn’t be taught about sex in school.”
“So why Disney wants to go and engage in some social issue, it doesn’t make any sense to me,” Scott said. “In a company that is reliant on a special tax status, it doesn’t make any sense.”
Since Disney’s opposition to the Parental Rights in Education bill emerged during the 2022 Legislative Session, Scott has had to recalibrate his previously friendly dynamic with the company.
Earlier this month, he characterized Disney as a “responsible corporate citizen” when he was Governor through 2018, but his attitude has clearly changed since.
“I don’t understand why Disney would be doing what it’s doing. I’m a business guy. You would not go engage in social issues like this if you wanted to keep all your customers. But I said the same thing about Coke and Delta when they lied about the election security laws in Georgia. I just don’t get these companies, what they’re doing,” Scott said.
“Go do your job. Take care of your customers. Treat your employees with respect. Figure out how to be a better company,” Scott urged. “Don’t engage in all these social fights.”
Last week’s Special Session included legislation (SB 4C) to repeal the now-controversial Reedy Creek Improvement District, which grants Disney functional autonomy to govern itself, in the wake of the company pledging to work to repeal the Parental Rights in Education bill. The sunset is slated for June 2023, leaving the incoming Legislature the job of implementing its precise terms.
A second bill (SB 6C) removed a carve-out for Disney from a bill cracking down on Big Tech, which had passed in 2021.
The new Parental Rights in Education law limits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“Instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity” is banned for students in kindergarten through third grade, as is instruction for all students “in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
6 comments
TJC
April 25, 2022 at 10:41 am
Three things come to mind:
1. “So why Disney wants to go and engage in some social issue… a company that is reliant on a special tax status, it doesn’t make any sense.” Taking an honorable stand on a social issue is something Scott never has and never will understand.
2. “I’m a business guy…Take care of your customers. Treat your employees with respect. Figure out how to be a better company”…says the man who was CEO to a health care company that committed massive Medicare fraud and was forced to pay a record $1.7 billion fine for doing so.
3. If Rick Scott isn’t going to Disney World any more, who the hell is going to play Goofy?
No you didn’t
April 25, 2022 at 12:01 pm
“I got rid of my Disney+”
“Cue Disney plus logo showing up behind him”
Andres Mainkein
April 25, 2022 at 8:17 pm
What a backwards, messed up point of view. Disney is supporting its staff and its patrons by including and allowing everyone to enjoy their entertainment. Why is this such a big issue for republicans? If you don’t like the content, DONT LOOK AT IT. Of course the company is going to take a stand. You can’t go around pretending anything you don’t like is just ‘politics’. That is a such a childish way of looking at life. I’m happy Disney is taking on the right side of history. These old people with 1940’s ideals are slowly becoming obsolete and making fools of themselves.
rass
April 26, 2022 at 12:22 pm
It is fitting that Alien Rick appeared on Fix Entertainment television to spout his anti-Disney rant. I watch that network on occasion. You know, where the legal defense of Tucker Carlson was, in essence, that no reasonable person would believe that he was presenting factual news; rather, his programming is merely “entertainment.” Comedy or tragedy, I can’t say. So, go ahead and star on Fox, Rick, you play the clown part quite well, especially with your bald head. Hopefully, someone will gift you a red ball nose!
Paul Jadrich
April 26, 2022 at 3:19 pm
This “law” was done to scare corporations from supporting opposing views. (This “law” was pushed through their system in days, from their Governor, not from the legislators.) Freedom of speech (or opinion) scares Republicans and they will try anything to suppress any opinion that criticizes them. This is the lesson Republicans learned from Putin. The next “law” will only let Republicans vote so they can maintain their power over people. (They are already restricting voting in many states.)
Margaret Koscielny
April 27, 2022 at 5:53 pm
Dear Mr. Scott: Coke, Delta, and Disney are doing fine, and won’t miss your subscription to their offerings. You give the appearance of always trying to catch up with the “big” boys in politics who know how to spew venom with more timely hits. It’s pathetic that you don’t do anything FOR Floridians, but use your office for attention-getting. By the way, how is that “tax the poor” idea working out for your political future?
Comments are closed.