DON'T MESS WITH THE MOUSE!

 

Who better represents the will of the American people – the government or corporations? In the last presidential election, 70% of the voting-eligible population was registered to vote and about 61% voted. Almost 9 in 10 registered voters cast a ballot. I’m confident that the percentages are generally lower for state and local elections. But nearly every one of us votes every day with our dollars. Biden vs. Trump – many Americans will abstain on this question, but Coke vs. Pepsi – our cumulative buying power determines the winner!

In a battle of epic proportions, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has taken on “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” aka Walt Disney World, the largest employer in his state. Many in Florida and elsewhere see this tit-for-tat as DeSantis’s retaliation for Disney’s opposition to “Don’t Say Gay” (Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act).

With annual revenues above $82 billion, The Walt Disney Company is one of best-known corporations in the world, ranked number 53 in the Fortune 500 list of the biggest companies in the US. Whichever team (reactionary or woke) in the American culture wars you support, I would not hesitate to assert that Disney, one of America’s and the world’s favorite brands, is likely to outlast the political career of Gov. DeSantis.

I further dare to speculate that among the 58 million or so annual visitors to Disney’s Florida resort, the chances of finding a patron donning a MAGA hat are at least as great as finding one who displays a “Vote Blue” lapel pin or t-shirt.