"Florida blimp executive, brother-in-law of former state Rep. Joe Harding, sentenced to federal prison in pandemic fraud
Before resigning from the Legislature, Harding also was indicted for PPP fraud."

https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/flor ... d-33464500

"Harding, 35, another Williston native, was elected to the House in 2020, representing much of Marion County. He was successfully re-elected to the reorganized 24th District in 2022.

He gained notoriety for being the house sponsor of Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, derisively called by critics the “Don’t Say Gay” Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March.

Prosecutors allege Harding obtained and attempted to obtain over $150,000 in federal COVID-19 relief loans for two inactive companies he owned, The Vak Shak Inc. and Harding Farms LLC. Prosecutors say the fraudulent claims to the Economic Disaster Loan Program took place between Dec. 1, 2020, and March 1, 2021. Harding was first sworn into office in November 2020.

Harding is charged with two counts of wire fraud, two counts of making false statements to a federal agency and two counts of money laundering for which he collectively faces up to a maximum of 70 years in prison. He pleaded not guilty on all charges."

The bill that prevents teachers from teaching sexual orientation before 4th grade is a good bill. Has nothing to do with not saying Gay that is just gaslighting. As for his fraud if he did it then he pays the price. Covid fraud was rampant. I wish all could be caught.

NIKV69 wrote:

The bill that prevents teachers from teaching sexual orientation before 4th grade is a good bill. Has nothing to do with not saying Gay that is just gaslighting. As for his fraud if he did it then he pays the price. Covid fraud was rampant. I wish all could be caught.

Yes and poll tests were just about true'ing the vote--no mention of race whatsoever.

But Florida wouldn't allow that discussion either

Just as "Don't say Gay" was not mentioned anywhere in the text of the bill. Just a fake outrage by the usual crowd. But there's no opportunity for a discussion when they are all screeching it 24/7, because homophobe. Must be a lot of them in FL if DeSantis won by almost 20%.

As to Harding, throw the book at him if he's a thief.

Teachers of any grade are not allowed to have any discussion at all in any way about LGBTQ issues. If a student says "I have two dads" or a male student says "my boyfriend and I..." the teacher can not encourage or ask questions or talk about it other than go to administrators and tell kids how bad and wrong they are and that teacher could even get fired for not saying anything to administrators.

Let's look at another ironic part of this:

Republicans are now complaining about small business loans during covid to keep small businesses afloat but when the very wealthy lied and got more money, meh. That is what this guy was indicted for. Defrauding the government. Making children feel inadequate is just a bonus for Republicans.

seb146 wrote:

Teachers of any grade are not allowed to have any discussion at all in any way about LGBTQ issues. If a student says "I have two dads" or a male student says "my boyfriend and I..." the teacher can not encourage or ask questions or talk about it other than go to administrators and tell kids how bad and wrong they are and that teacher could even get fired for not saying anything to administrators.

Let's look at another ironic part of this:

Republicans are now complaining about small business loans during covid to keep small businesses afloat but when the very wealthy lied and got more money, meh. That is what this guy was indicted for. Defrauding the government. Making children feel inadequate is just a bonus for Republicans.

Nuclear bigotry and stealing is all conservatism is in 2023. This little episode is practically the GOP platform.

NIKV69 wrote:

The bill that prevents teachers from teaching sexual orientation before 4th grade is a good bill. Has nothing to do with not saying Gay that is just gaslighting. As for his fraud if he did it then he pays the price. Covid fraud was rampant. I wish all could be caught.

In addition to what others have said, it's not the prohibition of teaching lessons on sexuality to elementary school kids, it's all the things Florida-Musolini has done afterwards that has pissed many of us off.

For example, the recent book banning policy goes up all the way to 12th grade, where a 10-12th grade teacher or HS librarian can be charged with a *felony* for having LGBT themed books for students to read. Funny - a 16 year old can drive and consent to sex with a 23 year old in FL...

DeSantis also pissed and moaned about some alleged LGBT material in the infamous AP course. We aren't talking about 7 year olds in this case: we are talking about 16/17 year old young adults taking this course who are more than old enough to handle this material. Aren't young adults too coddled these days anyway?

If Ronnie and his minions stopped with the original law (minus the impact on teachers' personal lives), I wouldn't be complaining, but the Florida GOP couldn't help themselves and now include students old enough to drive and consent with an opposite sex partner up to 23. It has turned into state-sponsored censorship.

NIKV69 wrote:

The bill that prevents teachers from teaching sexual orientation before 4th grade is a good bill.

Or you could just trust teachers and schools to do their jobs without a government nanny stepping in and telling them which books and curricula are acceptable. But I guess that wasn't a good enough solution for the party of limited government and personal responsibility.

seb146 wrote:

Teachers of any grade are not allowed to have any discussion at all in any way about LGBTQ issues. If a student says "I have two dads" or a male student says "my boyfriend and I..." the teacher can not encourage or ask questions or talk about it other than go to administrators and tell kids how bad and wrong they are and that teacher could even get fired for not saying anything to administrators.

Let's look at another ironic part of this:

Republicans are now complaining about small business loans during covid to keep small businesses afloat but when the very wealthy lied and got more money, meh. That is what this guy was indicted for. Defrauding the government. Making children feel inadequate is just a bonus for Republicans.

I thought that only currently applies to 4th grade and under "officially", but seeing how the LGBT book and African-American Studies AP course bans came about in the last few months, I would not be surprised if gay HS students start getting expelled later in the year at this rate...

NIKV69 wrote:

The bill that prevents teachers from teaching sexual orientation before 4th grade is a good bill.

So according to the strict literal interpretation of the law, no orientations should be mentioned. This means absolutely no mentions of heterosexual orientations, no asking kids who their “mum and dad” are, kids not being allowed to mention having a “mum and dad”, zero mention of any adult heterosexual relationships. It’s going to make story time very limited.

In practice of course it’ll only be enforced on non straight orientations.

Bricktop wrote:

Must be a lot of them in FL if DeSantis won by almost 20%.

Well there has been a supposed right wing influx into Florida in the last 4 years due to DeSantis’s conservative policies. And I suppose leftists moving out. But conservatives moving into Florida means less chance they’ll be able to influence elections in other states, Georgia now electing Democrats at two consecutive elections

sierrakilo44 wrote:

Bricktop wrote:

Must be a lot of them in FL if DeSantis won by almost 20%.

Well there has been a supposed right wing influx into Florida in the last 4 years due to DeSantis’s conservative policies. And I suppose leftists moving out. But conservatives moving into Florida means less chance they’ll be able to influence elections in other states, Georgia now electing Democrats at two consecutive elections

Oh how many "I'm moving to Florida!" cycles have there been now?

They like the policies, but they'll hate the humidity and the mosquitos.

phatfarmlines wrote:

sierrakilo44 wrote:

Bricktop wrote:

Must be a lot of them in FL if DeSantis won by almost 20%.

Well there has been a supposed right wing influx into Florida in the last 4 years due to DeSantis’s conservative policies. And I suppose leftists moving out. But conservatives moving into Florida means less chance they’ll be able to influence elections in other states, Georgia now electing Democrats at two consecutive elections

Oh how many "I'm moving to Florida!" cycles have there been now?

They like the policies, but they'll hate the humidity and the mosquitos.

The human or insect kind?

Actually the biggest movers to Florida have been from high tax states. A lot of my relatives (who are liberal) have done so. I suspect most have far more devotion to their wallet or pocketbook than their politics.

My wife and I (from liberal high tax Maryland- the wannabe California of the East) are considering Tennessee. We'd like to leave some money for the heirs- check out Maryland's estate taxes. But I hate humidity and big bugs hence Florida is out.

sierrakilo44 wrote:

Bricktop wrote:

Must be a lot of them in FL if DeSantis won by almost 20%.

Well there has been a supposed right wing influx into Florida in the last 4 years due to DeSantis’s conservative policies. And I suppose leftists moving out. But conservatives moving into Florida means less chance they’ll be able to influence elections in other states, Georgia now electing Democrats at two consecutive elections

It is actually the Latinos vote that really push the margin. DeSantis win Miami-Dade County by 11.3%. For comparison, Biden won Miami-Dade County by 7.4% in 2020. Miami is definitely not where the "right wing influx" moves to anyway.

And DeSantis ran against freaking Charlie Crist...we all know rehash almost never work.

zakuivcustom wrote:

sierrakilo44 wrote:

Bricktop wrote:

Must be a lot of them in FL if DeSantis won by almost 20%.

Well there has been a supposed right wing influx into Florida in the last 4 years due to DeSantis’s conservative policies. And I suppose leftists moving out. But conservatives moving into Florida means less chance they’ll be able to influence elections in other states, Georgia now electing Democrats at two consecutive elections

It is actually the Latinos vote that really push the margin. DeSantis win Miami-Dade County by 11.3%. For comparison, Biden won Miami-Dade County by 7.4% in 2020. Miami is definitely not where the "right wing influx" moves to anyway.

And DeSantis ran against freaking Charlie Crist...we all know rehash almost never work.

Latinos? Is that really the case in Miami-Dade? I thought that region leaned more Democrat?

SEAorPWM wrote:

zakuivcustom wrote:

sierrakilo44 wrote:

Well there has been a supposed right wing influx into Florida in the last 4 years due to DeSantis’s conservative policies. And I suppose leftists moving out. But conservatives moving into Florida means less chance they’ll be able to influence elections in other states, Georgia now electing Democrats at two consecutive elections

It is actually the Latinos vote that really push the margin. DeSantis win Miami-Dade County by 11.3%. For comparison, Biden won Miami-Dade County by 7.4% in 2020. Miami is definitely not where the "right wing influx" moves to anyway.

And DeSantis ran against freaking Charlie Crist...we all know rehash almost never work.

Latinos? Is that really the case in Miami-Dade? I thought that region leaned more Democrat?

It traditionally has but many Cuban-Americans who were already GOP-lean but had changeable positions on some issues took the MAGA bait hook, line, and sinker.

Aaron747 wrote:

SEAorPWM wrote:

zakuivcustom wrote:

It is actually the Latinos vote that really push the margin. DeSantis win Miami-Dade County by 11.3%. For comparison, Biden won Miami-Dade County by 7.4% in 2020. Miami is definitely not where the "right wing influx" moves to anyway.

And DeSantis ran against freaking Charlie Crist...we all know rehash almost never work.

Latinos? Is that really the case in Miami-Dade? I thought that region leaned more Democrat?

It traditionally has but many Cuban-Americans who were already GOP-lean but had changeable positions on some issues took the MAGA bait hook, line, and sinker.

It is mainly the Cubans (who do lean GOP)...but ultimately you are talking a 18% shift the other way.

There is definitely a prevalent feeling somehow that Trump is against commies...meanwhile cozying up to fatty Kim.

zakuivcustom wrote:

Aaron747 wrote:

SEAorPWM wrote:

Latinos? Is that really the case in Miami-Dade? I thought that region leaned more Democrat?

It traditionally has but many Cuban-Americans who were already GOP-lean but had changeable positions on some issues took the MAGA bait hook, line, and sinker.

It is mainly the Cubans (who do lean GOP)...but ultimately you are talking a 18% shift the other way.

There is definitely a prevalent feeling somehow that Trump is against commies...meanwhile cozying up to fatty Kim.

Being descendants of white Europeans from Spain, I've always considered Cuban-Americans to be white TBH...