On that January day in 2019, when Ron DeSantis took the oath of office as Florida’s next Governor, he left no doubt what he believed. It was straight out of the Federalist playbook.
“Our rights are endowed by God, not government; that we the people loan power to government under the Constitution in order to protect our rights,” DeSantis said.
“That government’s role is not to run our lives for us but to provide what Lincoln called an ‘open field and fair chance for one’s industry, enterprise, and intelligence.’ “
That’s fine when things are going well, but no single governing philosophy fits every situation. When a global pandemic strikes though, urgent, decisive leadership is required. Sometimes, you just gotta be the boss. DeSantis found out the hard way what that means.
What he could have accomplished with the stroke of a pen instead became a calamity of tentative, fumbling missteps that put people at risk.
He let beaches stay open, then complained when the video of spring breakers practicing unsafe distancing went viral. He discouraged public gatherings but hesitated to follow the lead of other big-state governors by ordering them halted.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases skyrocketed in Florida.
As late as Tuesday, DeSantis said he had not essentially shut down the state because the White House had not called for that. Even when he finally caved on Wednesday with a statewide stay-at-home order, he declared churches could be open for worship because they are “essential.”
Churches are essential to many people, but most of them have put safety first. Throughout Florida, churches from all major denominations have suspended in-person worship in favor of online telecasts of services. The independent River at Tampa Bay Church was a notable outlier last Sunday when pastor Rodney Howard-Browne defied the public health risk and opened the church doors.
Law authorities arrested Howard-Browne and charged him with two misdemeanors. He said his church would not conduct public worship this week.
“At this point, we believe it is prudent to take a pause by not opening the church doors this Sunday. This will allow an opportunity for people to take a deep breath and calm down,” he said in a statement.
Until recently, DeSantis has enjoyed wide bipartisan popularity throughout the state. He has been free from any serious criticism, either here or beyond the state borders.
That has changed.
NBC’s Joe Scarborough tweeted: “Can anyone explain why Ron DeSantis has been so reckless during the crisis? He’s playing with fire and the deaths of so many Florida seniors. He has ignored health care officials from the pandemic’s outbreak. With so many seniors in the state, I just don’t get it.”
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat to hold statewide office, told Slate that DeSantis wouldn’t take her calls.
“Not to put words in his mouth, but I don’t know whom the Governor is talking to for advice purposes as far as the direction he’s taking the state right now,” she said.
“I don’t know who his advisors are. I think he has become very isolated, and really doesn’t want to hear opposing positions or opinions on what should be done in the state of Florida.”
DeSantis could be standing as a decisive leader and uniting presence, but he is instead coming across as the opposite. It’s a new look for him and not a good one.
This might be what happens when a person’s philosophy doesn’t fit the moment, though. Maybe we should have seen it coming.
From Florida Politics
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