Gov. DeSantis threatens to pull coronavirus vaccine from communities that criticize distribution

[left-of-center2012]

Gov. Ron DeSantis defended his decision Wednesday to steer COVID-19 vaccine to a planned community with family ties to a Republican power couple, threatening to pull doses if local officials criticize his distribution methods. DeSantis is facing questions over his decision to provide seniors living in two of Manatee County’s wealthiest ZIP codes with special access to the vaccine. The pop-up vaccination site is serving residents of Lakewood Ranch, a planned community in Southwest Florida with family ties to Liz and Dick Uihlein.

The New York Times dubbed the pair “the most powerful conservative couple you’ve never heard of.” The couple’s list of political contributions includes $900,000 Dick Uihlein gave to DeSantis’ political committee in 2018 and 2019.

DeSantis brushed aside concerns of political favoritism during a news conference Wednesday and then issued a warning to local officials complaining about his plan. “If Manatee County doesn’t like us doing this, we are totally fine with putting this in counties that want it,”

DeSantis said. The governor arranged for 3,000 doses to be delivered to a vaccination site for Lakewood Ranch and other wealthy neighborhoods in Manatee County. The state has set up similar sites at the 55-and-up Kings Point community in Palm Beach County, Sun City Center in Hillsborough and The Villages mega-retirement community, DeSantis said.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said on Wednesday she has concerns that DeSantis has shown favoritism to political supporters and wealthy communities. “To threaten that he would pull vaccine if people don’t like the way the distribution system is working is vile and shows the callous indifference he has had in how the vaccine has been handled,” she said.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-ron-desantis-vaccine-politics-20210217-cgew27q23fhknh7rpr3h4sf5dy-story.html

[DBoon]

1. "callous indifference" is how republicans work

[TDale313]

2. So fucked up. n/t

[KentuckyWoman]

21. It is very Republican.

They used to at least try to paint over the hatefulness. Not anymore

[Irish_Dem]

3. This is how a corrupt government works.

Bribes for services and goods.

[JDC]

4. He really is garbage

[qazplm135]

5. welp, so...

how do we beat him next time? What are we doing to get him out of office?

Because odds are, he wins again unless we figure out how to get better in Florida.

[patricia92243]

6. He is training to be a little Trump.

[A HERETIC I AM]

8. He's not training, he is already there.

He did a press conference a few weeks back and had an interaction with a reporter that went kind of south, and I swear, if you just listened to what he said, it was a carbon copy of how Trumpy treated the press.

He's a dangerous, pompous, arrogant asshole who I absolutely guarantee will run for president, if not the next cycle, the one after.

[Lucinda]

7. Vote him out.....

[BootinUp]

9. I guess he likes the evil characters in most

Stories and wants to emulate them.

[Vivienne235729]

10. Wow. And if he isn't voted out, then the people of FL deserve this

[Lochloosa]

12. No we fucking don't.

[Vivienne235729]

14. Apparently you guys like and tolerate these jackasses otherwise they wouldn't be there.

[Phoenix61]

18. No, just no. There are lots of us who don't

Ever heard of gerrymandering?

[Vivienne235729]

19. Ok. All of Florida is a big victim of gerrymandering and not bc you have

You have a disproportionate amount of whackadoos.

[Phoenix61]

20. Guess you deserved the last 4 years then, right?

Based on your logic, that is.

[Vivienne235729]

23. Hillary had 3 million more in popular votes. But the fact that

SO MANY people voted for Trump, that it came down to a flawed electoral college, yeah. We deserved it. We realized in the last 4 years we don’t have the luxury to vote anything but straight blue. It woke us up. And made us stronger.

But really.... are you guys really that defensive that you can’t acknowledge your state has a disproportionate amount of batshit crazy people? Why do you take it so personally? Florida is well known to have more than its share of crazies. And those batshit crazy people put up crazies like DeSantis. Am I wrong? Or are you guys voting for DeSantis?

[Phoenix61]

25. When you post

“Apparently you guys like and tolerate these jackasses otherwise they wouldn't be there.” how is that not personal? Do you really think any DeSantis supporters are posting on this board? And no, Florida doesn’t have anymore crazy people than anywhere else although they certainly get more press.

[Vivienne235729]

26. No, DeSantis supporters wouldnt be here so it should go without say that it isn't personal.

When I say you guys, I mean Floridians in general. I thought that was obvious but apparently not. But I disagree w you that Florida doesn’t have more crazies. I’ve heard too many stories not in the press.

[ornotna]

22. Well, there it is

So you liked and tolerated tRump with that logic. Talk about wackadoodle.

[Vivienne235729]

24. No need to get personal. Much of my state sure did vote for that POS

It’s undeniable that we DID like him enough to vote for him bc he won AZ. Y’all are so tender.

[ornotna]

28. Don't take it personal

It's just where you're from, you're home. No big deal right? Look in the mirror lately?

[Vivienne235729]

29. I did. In my previous post. Did you not read it? We have crazies in my state.

Thank god for Californians coming here. So it’s home. You can’t point out the warts bc it is home? Maybe you shouldn’t take it so personally. Or are you just trying to be passive aggressive and attack me personally by calling me a crazy?

[ornotna]

32. Really?

That's funny. It's your State it's not you.

Don't take it personal.

[Vivienne235729]

34. I'm not. But you are quite passive aggressive. I am sorry I hurt your feelings.

Peace out.

[ornotna]

35. You attacked a whole state

But I'm passive aggressive. Whatever. Be well.

[Vivienne235729]

31. And another thing, feel free to point out the warts from AZ.

It won’t hurt my feelings none. Bc I probably see them too and will agree w you. At least I didn’t point fingers at YOU personally.

[Crunchy Frog]

11. The feds need to get directly involved with vaccine distribution in some states.

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Playing God, now?

[Celerity]

15. just like big daddy diaper don

[superpatriotman]

16. Try and stop him

That’s the problem down here.

This state is fucked up.

[sarcasmo]

17. Trump Junior.

[kacekwl]

27. I can't remember the name of the movie

with Charles Bronson where he "deals with" assholes like DeSantis, trump, Cruz, Jim Jordan, Rand Paul etc. You know, scum of the earth types. We need a guy like this around these days.

[flamingdem]

33. This is the community where Mick Jagger bought his GF a house

He might be regretting that..