The Reality -- DeSantis has no power over the cruise industry. The cruises can simply sail from other U.S. ports. Will cruise lines with vaccine mandates be blocked from sailing from Florida? https://thepointsguy.com/news/florida-covid-vaccine-cruise-mandate-order/ Did Ron DeSantis just muck up the cruise industry’s plan to restart cruises from Florida? During a press conference on Thursday, the Florida governor suggested the state might fight efforts to impose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on cruise passengers — something that is at the core of comeback plans at a growing number of cruise lines. “We would object to it,” DeSantis said in response to a question from a reporter about such mandates. “What if you have a reason for why you didn’t get vaccinated? You then can’t participate in society like everybody else? These (cruise ships) are basically public accommodations, and to have different classes of citizens based on vaccine status, I think is a big, big mistake.” DeSantis’s comments came just a week after he signed an executive order banning businesses in Florida from requiring customers to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine. The executive order and DeSantis’s latest comments have raised the specter that some cruise lines might be unable to restart sailings from Florida in the coming months even if they get the go-ahead from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC currently is blocking cruise lines from sailing in U.S. waters, citing the coronavirus pandemic. But in recent days, it has said cruising might be able to resume by mid-summer. Could Florida really stop cruise lines from requiring proof of vaccination to sail? As cut-and-dry as DeSantis’s comments seem, it’s not clear that Florida has the authority to block cruise lines from imposing vaccine mandates. And even if the state does have such authority, many industry watchers think it’s unlikely that DeSantis will stop cruise lines with such mandates from sailing. “I see it as a nonissue,” Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruise Week, told TPG. “It would be extremely unlikely that the state of Florida would sue to keep the cruise companies from operating in any way, fashion or form.” Driscoll said DeSantis “understands the economic implications for his state would be negative for all the stakeholders — ports, travel sellers, etc. — that are vital to the tourism interests. The goal of DeSantis, as it has been since summer 2020, has been to have an open economy in Florida.” Many in the cruise industry believe the executive order that DeSantis signed on April 2 would not legally apply to internationally-based companies such as cruise companies, Driscoll noted. But there is debate on the issue among industry observers. “Strictly speaking, I think the answer (on whether the executive order applies to cruise lines) is yes because the ships call in ports leaving from Florida and thus are subject to the order,” Michael Winkleman, a maritime attorney from Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman told TPG. Still, “practically speaking, I don’t think Gov. DeSantis intends for the order to apply to the cruise lines.” Winkleman added. Winkleman said cruise lines have a right to require passengers and crew to be fully vaccinated, and he suggested that they may have little choice but to require the vaccines. “I don’t see how there can be safe cruising without a fully vaccinated ship,” Winkleman said. “From a legal standpoint, I think the cruise lines expose themselves to liability if they were to sail without requiring crew and passengers to be vaccinated.” Winkleman cited “obvious, significant risks” to cruising on a ship without a vaccine requirement. But many cruise lines in recent months have said they can sail safely in this new age of COVID-19 even without a mandatory vaccine requirement. Still, more than a dozen cruise lines, including such well-known brands as Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Silversea and Viking, have announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all or at least some upcoming sailings. Are cruise lines “Florida businesses”? Whether or not these cruise lines will be allowed to impose such a vaccine mandate on passengers sailing out of Florida ports may come down to whether or not the ships are considered Florida businesses. The typical cruise ship sailing out of a Florida port spends just a few hours each week in the state to drop off and pick up passengers but otherwise is operating an international itinerary that involves sailing in international waters and visiting foreign ports such as Nassau in the Bahamas and Cozumel, Mexico. In a conference call with TPG and several other cruise outlets last week, Harry Sommer, the president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, said the company was unsure how the DeSantis order would affect its future sailings out of Florida. Norwegian and its two sister brands, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, announced last week that they would require all passengers on all sailings to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine when cruising resumes. The policy will remain in place through at least Oct. 31. “It’s unclear to us how (the DeSantis order) would apply to international travel (and, if it did) whether he would carve out an exception (for cruise lines). I’m not in a position to say because I simply don’t know,” Sommer said in response to a question from TPG during the conference call. “But the governor and our interests are aligned in that restarting up cruising in Florida … would be a boost to the Florida economy. I’m confident that we can work together to find a solution.” DeSantis’s executive order says that it applies to “businesses in Florida” but is vague on what constitutes a Florida business. It says, specifically, that Florida businesses are forbidden from “requiring patrons or customers to provide any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the business.” Some cruise industry leaders in recent days have expressed concern that DeSantis’s efforts to block vaccine mandates could have the unintended consequence of slowing down the comeback of cruising in Florida. “The industry’s commitment to requiring passengers and crew to be vaccinated along with universal testing and multi-layered health and safety protocols is consistent with the CDC’s updated travel guidance and are what we hope will result in reopening U.S. ports by mid-July,” David Harris, CEO of Ensemble Travel Group, said Monday when asked by TPG for a comment on DeSantis’s executive order. “Any actions that could delay this will not only disappoint travelers who are ready to go but will have a tremendous negative impact on the 160,000 people in Florida who work in the cruise industry and the thousands of others who are ready to get back to work.” Ensemble Travel Group is a consortium of more than 600 top-tier travel agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada that sells a large number of cruises. Some travel agents who sell cruises have expressed profound anger at the executive order. “The Florida prohibition on businesses requiring customers to provide documentation of COVID-19 vaccination is blatant governmental interference with businesses being able to operate safely and in accordance with science,” said Eric Goldring of Truckee, Calif.-based Goldring Travel. “On the one hand, he states the CDC is preventing the cruise industry from operating, but then – based solely on politics and contrary to science – insists the cruise lines be prohibited from complying with the current CDC guidelines for socialization.” DeSantis’s comments on Thursday about vaccine mandates came as he announced that Florida was suing the federal government and the CDC to allow cruises to resume in U.S. waters. The lawsuit comes as Florida politicians and Florida-based cruise lines have become increasingly frustrated with the CDC for not allowing at least limited cruising to restart out of the state. Florida accounts for more than half of all cruise ship embarkations in the U.S. Cruising around the world ground to a halt in March 2020 after the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic and many countries went into nationwide lockdowns. But since last summer, a number of countries, including Italy, Greece, Germany, Norway, Taiwan and Singapore, have allowed at least some cruise vessels to resume operations as they relaxed national lockdowns and travel restrictions. In the U.S., by contrast, federal officials have blocked all cruising for the past 13 months, with the exception of a handful of sailings on very small river vessels on the Mississippi River and small ships that sail on intracoastal waterways. In addition to banning Florida businesses from requiring customers to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine, the executive order that DeSantis signed on April 2 forbids Florida government agencies from issuing so-called vaccine, or digital health, passports. Bottom line While many cruise lines have indicated that vaccines will be mandatory to sail, they’ve said little publicly about using vaccine passports on ships. To be clear, requiring proof of vaccination is not the same as requiring the use of a vaccine passport. Digital health or vaccine passports are expected to be optional and will likely be leveraged in the travel industry and other large gatherings. However, proof of vaccination could be as simple as showing the CDC card given to people after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Certain destinations, tour operators and travel providers may require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or accept proof of vaccination as an alternative to strict testing and quarantine requirements. Streamlining those processes is something the travel industry has been working on in the form of digital vaccine passports, which will host verified test and vaccine information.
Now that you've read all the fear mongering for the day about DeSantis and Florida, we return you to our regularly scheduled fact based program. The AARP just released the latest data on nursing home patients. Since Florida has the second highest concentration of the elderly in the country, and since COVID primarily attacks the elderly, it naturally begs the question on how Florida is doing with the elderly and COVID. Because, if one were to take the GWB Lie ™ at face value, one could be forgiven for believing Florida was doing poorly. Oh, never-you-mind about the fact that Florida is still better than half the states in deaths and cases per M residents. The griefers like GWB would have you know that, in the last 37 seconds, Florida has had more cases than any other state on every day except those ending in "y". Or something. So, with no further ado... Nursing Home Deaths per 100 Residents - FLORIDA RANKS #14 in lowest deaths Psst...higher than NC! Nursing Home Cases per 100 Residents Middle of the road for Florida. But this is because other states have significantly improved and the average has come down considerably. See chart: DeSantis. For the win!
Sure, and watch what happens to their business when they try to! Show the top origins of cruises by city in the US.
So what happens when you release information in Florida showing DeSantis is not giving out vaccine doses to low income and minority communities. We should all know the answer to this one by now. Florida revokes Orange County’s access to COVID-19 database after release of vaccine information Distribution by zip code shows disparities in lower-income neighborhoods https://www.clickorlando.com/news/l...atabase-after-release-of-vaccine-information/ Orange County health officials no longer have access to a critical statewide database that gives local decision-makers information including on COVID-19 vaccine distribution rates. The move to revoke Orange County’s access to the Florida Department of Health database came after the county turned over three heat maps as part of a public records request. The maps show vaccine distribution rates by zip code and do not disclose any exempt or personal information. WFTV was the first to report the state pulling access to the database. News 6 has been asking for similar public records from the Florida Department of Health since January. However, no records have been provided from the state. Officials at DOH have also ignored News 6′s requests for a status update on when reporters can expect the records. Under Florida’s Sunshine Law, officials are expected to provide public records in a reasonable amount of time. Records can be kept from the public if the information is considered exempt under state law. News 6 reached out to state and county health officials to find out what information might be considered exempt in the heat maps that were provided, but have not received a response. “The County is not pursuing any legal action,” said Orange County Public Information Officer Kelly Finkelstein, when asked if officials were considering pushing back on their revoked access to the database. The maps are several weeks old and show lower-income neighborhoods including Pine Hills (32808 and 32804) have had fewer vaccines distributed than historically higher-income communities such as Winter Park (32789 and 32792). News 6 reached out to Mayor Jerry Demings for a comment about the discrepancies in vaccine distributions. A public information officer said reporters would have to wait until the 4:30 p.m. press conference Thursday for a response. (Article has zip code maps showing vaccine distribution in the county.)
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/16/desantis-trump-gop-donors-481891 'A nicer version of Trump': GOP donors flock to DeSantis The Florida governor has cultivated relationships with many of the party's biggest givers, who admire his opposition to strict Covid mitigation policies.
Let's take a look at the BFFs... Gaetz and DeSantis: A friendship that may become a liability https://apnews.com/article/donald-t...is-campaigns-8c26a4a2c9c98d21e87acd8da4acde3b When he launched his campaign to become Florida’s governor in January 2018, few expected Ron DeSantis to prevail in America’s toughest political battleground. The 39-year-old congressman was largely unknown outside his Daytona Beach district. He didn’t have the professional staff or fundraising prowess typically required to compete in such a large state. And he was going up against a more established rival for the Republican nomination. But at his side, DeSantis had a key ally with strong connections in state politics and the respect of the White House: Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman now embroiled in a federal sex trafficking investigation. Gaetz appeared at campaign events alongside DeSantis, played his Democratic rival Andrew Gillum in mock debate preparations and encouraged then-President Donald Trump to back DeSantis for governor. At one campaign stop in Navarre, Florida, Gaetz jokingly referred to DeSantis as “Batman” to his “Robin.” There is no indication that DeSantis is tied to the federal probe of Gaetz, which has also ensnared several other prominent figures in Florida Republican politics. But the investigation could spark new scrutiny of their political partnership and become a liability for DeSantis as he runs for reelection ahead of a possible presidential bid in 2024. The Associated Press spoke to nearly a dozen people with direct knowledge of how the DeSantis-Gaetz relationship evolved in recent years. Many of them spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations and observations. They describe a friendship of political convenience between two young, ambitious Republicans eager to rise in a party that was quickly being redefined by Trump. Gaetz served as an informal political adviser to DeSantis. But as DeSantis became a more seasoned political player, the people said, the bond changed. “When Ron first got elected governor, he did not have any experience in Tallahassee and Mr. Gaetz did, and so he relied on Mr. Gaetz for his Tallahassee knowledge when he first got there,” said Peter Feaman, a national committeeman for the Republican Party of Florida. “Once Ron got his feet underneath him up in Tallahassee, the only thing they’ve had in common is their support for Mr. Trump and conservative principles. Other than that, I’m not aware of any interaction between the two whatsoever.” Government agents are investigating whether Gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old and other underage girls and violated federal sex trafficking laws, people familiar with the probe have told the AP. No charges have been filed, and Gaetz has vehemently denied the allegations. The governor has not been accused of any wrongdoing. Still, the investigation may be moving uncomfortably close to the governor’s office. Besides Gaetz himself, the influential Florida political figures under federal scrutiny include Jason Pirozzolo, a hand surgeon and DeSantis campaign donor, and DeSantis’ political appointee Halsey Beshears, the state’s former top business regulator. Asked specifically whether DeSantis or his staff had been questioned as part of the investigation, the governor’s spokesperson Meredith Beatrice said: “This is an ongoing DOJ investigation. We have no comment.” DeSantis and Gaetz briefly overlapped in Congress. They were more frequent regulars at Fox News, where Gaetz was a recurring guest and DeSantis used a flood of appearances to gain momentum in the governor’s race. Those Fox News appearances also helped DeSantis get on Trump’s radar. Gaetz built on that growing profile and was among the Republicans who encouraged Trump to endorse DeSantis in the GOP primary. Trump’s ultimate backing unleashed a flood of fundraising dollars that put DeSantis on a path to victory. Throughout the campaign, Gaetz was a steady presence. He was among those on stage with DeSantis when he was declared the winner in the governor’s race. After the victory, Gaetz was one of just four chairmen — and the only current elected official — to lead DeSantis’ transition team. Gaetz, who spent six years in the Florida legislature, advised the governor-elect on hiring and policy decisions and appeared with him in public. And as DeSantis began to fill out his administration, he tapped Gaetz’s father, former Florida Senate President Don Gaetz, to serve on a transition advisory committee on education and workforce development. While the governor and the congressman were close politically, they were in very different places in their personal lives. DeSantis was married with young children. Gaetz was single. Modest signs of tension began to emerge as DeSantis settled into the governor’s office. One issue was Gaetz’s habit of showing up at Republican political events, often with different women, dressed as if they were going out to a nightclub. Critics suggested privately that Gaetz was acting like a “frat boy.” DeSantis’ wife, Casey DeSantis, one of the governor’s closest political advisers, was cooling to Gaetz as well. Trump, who remains deeply popular among many GOP voters, could hold significant sway over each man’s political future. While the former president is said to be fond of Gaetz and DeSantis, he has been more publicly aligned with the governor recently. Over the weekend, DeSantis was the lone presidential prospect invited to share the stage with Trump at a private donor reception at Mar-a-Lago. Gaetz did not participate in the event, which was the party’s biggest formal gathering since Trump left office. As the investigation unfolds, DeSantis is taking steps to position himself for higher office. He recently hired veteran Republican consultant Phil Cox to lead his reelection team as part of a significant political expansion. The team is so far staying hyperfocused on his 2022 reelection, but allies privately acknowledge that a strong showing next year will put DeSantis in a strong standing for the 2024 presidential contest. Meanwhile, Gaetz is continuing to look out for DeSantis’ political ambitions — whether DeSantis wants him to or not. Even as investigators were probing his activities this spring, Gaetz issued three separate press releases from his congressional office promoting DeSantis. “He is a strong potential presidential candidate in 2024,” Gaetz said he told Fox News, according to one of the official press releases. “The Biden team knows that, and so they’re trying to somehow cast aspersions on the Florida experience because you know what, throughout America, there’s a lot of Florida envy right now.”
All US states ranked from best to worst, according to Americans There are endless rankings of the US states: whether they are the best places to live, the best places to do business, how much fun they are. Such judgements are made by economists, companies, and journalists – but what do Americans themselves think? We asked people to choose the better of two states in a series of head-to-head matchups. States are rated based on their “win percentage”, that is: how often that state won the head-to-head matchup when it was one of the two states shown. All 50 states were shown, in addition to Washington, D.C., but territories were not included. Hawaii, which is well-known for its beautiful beaches and warm weather, took the top spot by winning 69% of its matchups. With its scenic mountains, hiking paths, and recreational marijuana industry, Colorado took second place with 65% of matches won. The third-ranking state was Virginia (64%), a destination for American history and ocean coastlines. Nevada, the home of Las Vegas, landed in the fourth-favorite spot (61%), with North Carolina only marginally behind it (61%). Following the top five, Florida snagged the sixth spot with a 61% win-rate. Another retirement destination, Arizona, won 60% of its matchups to take seventh. New York — the destination for Broadway, quality food, and the city’s culture — landed in eighth place (59%). Two other destinations for warm weather and ocean coastlines landed in ninth and tenth place, respectively: Georgia (58%) and Texas (58%).
While not important, a nice tournament (if they could keep it honest) to run yearly over time to see the trends.
"DeSantis for the win" - Minorities don't need to be vaccinated edition. DeSantis Vaccine Slogan Is ‘Seniors First’ – But ‘Rich, White Seniors First’ Is What Happened As Florida’s coronavirus vaccine distribution rolled out, white, well-off communities disproportionately received better access to the shots. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ron-...accines-rich-white_n_6078b7c8e4b0515550223d68
You've tried this angle before. Unfortunately you just don't seem to grasp that the elderly in Florida are overwhelmingly white and the elderly are the ones where the vaccines are going to. Of course, anyone can get a vaccine at any time anywhere in Florida, so there's really no traction that minorities can't. But don't let me get in the middle of your emotional rant.