The Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida launches its Save Florida 2027 Plan with a goal of forming a Liberty Caucus in the Florida Legislature, specifically in the Florida House of Representatives. This Liberty Caucus will operate similar to the Freedom Caucus in U.S. Congress. The goal is to keep Florida free, business friendly, and under true conservative leadership. For far too long, legislators in Tallahassee have gone along to get along with leadership and special interests at the expense of Floridians. Currently, our Governor or Floridians have to take a huge stand in order for our Florida legislature to act against their big special interest donors.
An example of this special interest and big donor support over that of Floridians is the situation with Disney maintaining for many, many years special tax exemption privileges, while its long been known that Disney appeals to the woke minority, prefers to indoctrinate children, and greatly funds many establishment candidates on both sides of the aisle in the Florida Legislature. Just recently, coined by a small but loud group of opponents, mostly democrats, as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill”, the Parental Rights in Education bill was attacked by Disney. Disney CEO Bob Chapek put the full weight of the Walt Disney Company against this Florida public-school curriculum law. The law restricts teachers in Florida schools from initiating classroom discussions about sexuality or gender identity topics during the primary grades. In other words, it barred sex talk to five to nine-year-olds. The law did not mention any specific sexualities or sexual identities; in fact, the law itself did not say gay, or any synonym of the word gay.
Yet, Disney followed the unscrupulous and melodramatic Human Rights political playbook in labeling this anti-grooming bill the “don’t say gay” law. Chapek called on Governor DeSantis to threaten and to demand for DeSantis to surrender or else have Disney seek legal action. In today’s special session, democrats screamed and loudly protested, instead of debating the Disney bill and Redistricting maps. This eventually shut down the Florida House. Since when do Democrats support corporate greed and welfare of big globalists? I guess Disney should not have to “pay its fair share.” RIP to the ‘Tax the Rich’, ‘Eat the Rich’, ‘Occupy WallStreet’ and ‘Breakup Big Corporations’ leftist movements…
The privileges that Disney received, as part of exemptions created in 1967, are for an area known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The exemption in effect allows Disney to govern itself on Disney World grounds, including having its own fire department and board of supervisors, as well as its ability to oversee land and environmental regulations. The creation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, and the control it gave Disney over 27,000 acres (11,000 hectares) in Florida, was a crucial element in the company’s plans to build near Orlando in the 1960s. Company officials said they needed autonomy to plan a futuristic city along with the theme park.
The city never materialized, however; instead, it morphed into the Epcot theme park. Past estimates have suggested that Disney saves 10s of millions a year in regulations, taxes and fees because of the privileges, and repealing the exemption could put a big strain on the company. The Reedy Creek district spans over 27,000 acres, including Disney World’s four theme parks, two water parks and other hotels and retail outlets in the area. And the district was key in helping Disney World set up shop in Orlando back in the ’60s, as well as for the theme park that would become EPCOT Center.
Luis Valdes, Florida Director for Gun Owners of America, took to social media expanding on what many seem to either not be aware of, or perhaps have forgotten, that Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District was an agreement between Walt Disney and the State of Florida because of EPCOT, otherwise known as the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Walt Disney’s plan was to build a legitimate functioning community not just a bunch of theme parks; however, his death put the proverbial nail in the coffin for these plans. The Disney corporation took everything from that deal and left Florida high and dry. EPCOT was never a functioning community and every other development within Reedy Creek never happened either. There is no real community in which people actually live in Reedy Creek. It appears that Disney has imagineered a sham to continue their special deal without upholding their end of the deal.
Disney has scored other economic wins from the Republican-controlled Legislature over the years, including a $570 million tax break for its new regional hub in Orlando’s Lake Nona community that is expected to generate more than 2,000 jobs for the region. It took our Governor asking for a Special Session and many Floridians calling on Florida legislators to return donations to Disney while holding protests outside of Disney for our Florida Legislature to finally take action to undue this long held mistake. The Senate passed S. 4-C, which is the legislation that would dissolve the Reedy Creek Improvement District, otherwise known as the special tax and governing jurisdiction for the Walt Disney World Resort. The legislation passed with 23 votes in favor of the bill, and 16 against the bill.
Governor Ron DeSantis has asked the Florida Legislature to put a Constitutional Carry bill on his desk for him to sign in response to Floridians speaking up. The A++ Rated Legislator, Anthony Sabatini, filed HB103 in the last session which received dismal support from “Republican” legislators and zero support from the weak RINO Florida House Speaker, Chris Sprawls. Most legislators in our Florida House have been more open to firearms regulation than allowing Floridians to open carry without a fee or permit. Then, there was representative Michelle Salzman that stood remarkably honest to her RINO ways and loyalty to the Tallahassee leadership.
In a discretely recorded video, Rep. Salzman stated that Republican leadership, “will not bring up the bill for a vote since that very leadership is the one that pushed the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Safety Act (gun control bill passed in 2018 by Republicans) after the Parkland shooting.” Yet, Salzman contradicted herself while saying that the 2nd Amendment is her favorite and she would like to see a Bradley fighting vehicle parked in her front yard. Salzman stated that the bill was really important to her but that it, “isn’t the right time,” and she is unwilling to go against the leadership that is killing Constitutional Carry. Salzman later threatened the organization in that public large conference room meeting with her and the person that recorded this video interaction.
In January, Senate President Wilton Simpson told the Florida Republican Liberty Caucus board members in a meeting in front of his staff that he challenges his Senators to file a Constitutional Carry PCB (proposed committee bill) and he would vote “yes” to support Constitutional Carry if it reached the floor for a vote. Simpson backed off much of this in his later press release while stating he is a proud member of the NRA. This is concerning since he is weak on gun rights and running for Florida Ag Commissioner. Wilton Simpson supports to this day the Red Flag Laws (Risk Protection Orders used to confiscate your guns).
Simpson is the reason that 18 to 20-year-olds can join the military to fight for our country but cannot legally purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer. He is personally responsible for the firearm purchase age change from 18 to 21+ in Florida. Remember, he lied about supporting Constitutional Carry in the first legislative session of this year. Poor Crooked Wilton Simpson did not even know that Risk Protection Orders are civil, not criminal, and as a result, Floridians are denied their right to legal counsel in these cases. About 90% of these cases are handled without legal representation resulting in Floridians losing their Second Amendment right for at least of one year. If a judge finds by “clear and convincing” evidence that you pose a danger, you will lose your right to possess a firearm for up to twelve months, or longer if the order is extended and, in most cases, it is extended. You will have to surrender all firearms and ammunition in your possession to law enforcement, as well as your concealed weapons permit. We cannot allow a person with this record to take charge of the issuing of concealed carry permits in Florida!
The Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida had originally publicly endorsed Chuck Nadd for Ag Commissioner. However, Nadd dropped out of the race and RLCFL duly rescinded its endorsement. The Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida, Bob White, recently announced at a rally in front of Disney that he has thrown his hat in the ring.
As a result, the Republican Liberty Caucus has formally voted unanimously to endorse Bob White in his campaign for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. Bob White is a true conservative that will not go along to get along like Simpson has as an elected official. Bob White will fight for the rights of Floridians, including our right to constitutional carry. Bob is no stranger to fighting for Liberty as he has for many years including his push for campaign finance reform.
Unlike Bob White, Wilton Simpson is a pay for play type of guy that overfills his lobbyist funded war chests, PACs, while strongarming other Republicans with these raised funds in exchange for passing the paying special interests’ desired legislation. It does not take too much digging to see the writing on the wall form as a clear pattern of corruption and greed – everything that is wrong with government. It is unknown how small, local farmers and average Floridians will be able to compete against huge AG and Lobbyist conglomerates that already have Simpson’s attention through their 5 and 6 figure donations to his campaign.
Simpson has demonstrated on record that he cares more about appeasing the needs of his special interests over the needs of everyday Floridians. It appears he was not honest about his support of Constitutional Carry as a PCB was never filed and Constitutional Carry never made it to Governor DeSantis’s desk for him to sign as he requested. If Simpson was genuine in his support, he would have made effort as he has for his special interests. However, our intel has provided quite the contrary. We’ve heard from both House and Senators members that supported HB 103 Constitutional Carry bill and the hostile environment under which both House and Senate leadership opposed it.
What happens in Florida when constituents let their representatives know they want to see a constitutional carry bill that’s been languishing in a House committee come up for a vote? Did you hear about the Florida representative whose aide trashed petitions just delivered to him from his constituents? Well, he threw the voice of his constituents in the garbage! I bet you didn’t. Rep. Chuck Brannan’s legislative aide was caught red-handed, by the Republican Liberty Caucus of Florida, after throwing away signed petitions for Constitutional Carry delivered not long before by Gun Owners of America’s Florida Director, Luis Valdes, and other GOA members and friends.
To make matters even worse, the Republican Liberty Caucus was there to deliver an Oath Breakers Award to Representative Brannan. Rep. Brannan was the chairman of the House Criminal Justice & Public Safety Subcommittee where HB 103, a constitutional carry bill, was bottled up to die. It could go nowhere without Rep. Brannan’s say-so. Clearly Rep. Brannan’s legislative aide hasn’t been trained well enough to know that you don’t throw away constituent petitions in his boss’s front office. He was supposed to do that in the back rooms, out of sight, so the public can’t see that no one in the state’s GOP legislative leadership has any intention of moving a constitutional carry bill forward.
The legislative leadership in Tallahassee seems to have forgotten who elects them to office. They go along to get along in hopes of political career growth aspirations. They act as grifters ready to appear as fighters ahead of elections and when they are unable to ignore the silent majority. The time is now to start supporting liberty-minded grassroots candidates and be the change we want to see in the great State of Florida. If we don’t act now, we could see a less free Florida in the future. Our Great Governor, Ron DeSantis, needs true conservatives to stand behind him in his agenda to Put Florida First and Keep Florida Free. Our Mission is simple, we will fight to restore liberty in legislation and form a liberty caucus in our Florida Legislature.
Problem
Florida has a 2:1 ratio of Republicans to Democrats in our Florida House of Representatives. However, most of these Republicans are Establishment or RINO (Republican in Name Only). Using our Scorecard (Liberty Index), Florida has only 6 solid “A” Rated Legislators in our State House.
Solution
Raise funds to recruit and help to elect 27 “A” Rated Liberty Legislators by 2027. Identify, interview, endorse support and GOTV (Get Out The Vote) initiatives to help elect true conservative liberty candidates while raising $500K in 2022.
We are looking for liberty minded partners to help us achieve our goal of forming a liberty caucus in the Florida Legislature. The path to securing our country starts with securing each state. Will you help us and our Great Governor, Ron DeSantis, put Florida First and Keep Florida Free?
