Florida is one of the states affected most by climate change. Hurricanes, flooding, and intense heat are damaging the ocean, the lakes, and the beaches, as well as the sea life and coral, while raising insurance rates and imperiling some beachfront communities. May 2024 was the hottest May on record.
Yet Governor DeSantis signed legislation downgrading the significance of “climate change,” pandering to the ignorant in his party’s base.
Some Floridians who care about science are upset.
Dan Stillman of The Washington Post reported:
Television meteorologists are usually reluctant to weigh into policy matters, instead adhering to their role as science communicators. But after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill removing most references to climate change in state law, Steve MacLaughlin, a meteorologist for the NBC affiliate in Miami, could not restrain himself.
MacLaughlin publicly unleashed a scathing critique of the measure Saturday, earning praise from peers and perhaps paving the way for more meteorologists to speak out about the urgency of climate change action.
“As Florida is on fire, underwater and unaffordable, our state government is rolling back climate change legislation and language,” MacLaughlin wrote on X — the prelude to a passionate minute-long video explaining why he felt the measure was unwise.
“The world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change, and our government is saying that climate change is no longer the priority it once was,” MacLaughlin said in his video, which was also posted on his station’s website.
As MacLaughlin spoke, statistics appeared next to him highlighting April as the planet’s “11th straight hottest month” on record, and Wednesday’s 115-degree heat index in Key West as the city’s “hottest-feeling day on record.”
“Please keep in mind the most powerful climate change solution is the one you already have in the palm of your hands — the right to vote,” MacLaughlin continued. “And we will never tell you who to vote for, but we will tell you this: We implore you to please do your research and know that there are candidates that believe in climate change and that there are solutions, and that there are candidates that don’t.”
The legislation and MacLaughlin’s response came as numerous heat records are being set across South Florida. In Miami, the past 10 days have seen four calendar-day records for high temperature and five for heat index, according to University of Miami meteorologist Brian McNoldy.
The Florida heat wave recently reached a level 5 on Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index — the highest level — indicating “that human-caused climate change made this excessive heat at least five times more likely.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
An example of leadership by those addicted to power for the votes of the moronic or the dumb leading the dumber.
DeSantis’ willful ignorance is like a toddler that sticks his fingers in his ears and screams, “I don’t hear you.” All of this supercharged heat will result in supercharged hurricanes. There is some talk of adding a category 6 to the storm intensity ratings. I live in a 2100 square foot home in Florida, and I just got my new homeowner’s insurance bill with a 67% increase and a payment due for $7500. This is in addition to increases in flood insurance. Lots of people are complaining. but most of these folks will continue to vote for the corrupt willful idiots in the GOP that have mismanaged insurance in Florida. Of course, insurance rates would have gone up from climate change anyway, but the state of crisis in the state is due to corrupt mismanagement.
No offense to any Florida natives but this is the one state that always tops my “do not visit” list.
Relative to elevation, Florida is a very flat state that probably can’t withstand rising sea levels (as deGrasse Tyson noted recently).
I often wish Bugs Bunny had really sawed the state off of the North American mainland.
I used to visit Florida in the winter. I won’t return until its leadership changes, and the state is run by responsible people, not power-hungry charlatans.
On the bright side, smart entrepreneurs are already planning to organize dive trips to visit the former Mar-a-lago.
Laugh out loud!!
Ofc, there is one sense in which it is already a dive trip. Is this the tackiest place in the galaxy, after Trump’s apartment in Trump tower?
“The world is looking to Florida to lead in climate change…” How the “world” missed the memo, on the past practice of DeSantis, is odd. If this isn’t an example of looking for meaningful change in all the wrong places, what is? It’s high time for the climate to capitulate to the voters.
Ron DeSantis, a black hole of willful ignorance, anti-science boobism and far right reactionary performance art.
Thank you, Joe Jersey. Now that you have said precisely what I think, I don’t have to comment. ROFL!
His followers see him as “strong,” but he is simply an insecure, mean spirited, loud mouth con artist like so many other right wing extremists.
“…anti-science boobism,..”
sounds like a Mencken phrase
Mr. Steve MacLaughlin better be careful. DeSantis with his fascist way of thinking may have Mr. MacLaughlin thrown in jail for telling the truth and saying bad but truthful thinks about him. It is unbelievably how low politicians like DeSantis and Trump will go to stay in office.
Florida is definitely off my buck list forever
Gonna be hard to ignore when they are under water. Florida’s new state motto: “Glug, glug.”
Steve,
How about “Swim or drown: your choice”
A couple a things are going to happen:
1. DeSantis has now set it up with this legislation so that the Florida government will not be responsible for help citizens of the state with a hurricane blows through.
2. Insurance companies start taking a harder look at Florida and will again raise insurance rates even higher to the point that owners of property will not be able to afford insurance.
3. Companies who have smart leadership and investors will start to move out of the state or not move to Florida in the first place.
4. Fewer people with any mental abilities will leave the state or not move to Florida in the first place.
5. The list of negative things that will happen under DeSantis’ beyond stupid legislation is endless.
The GOP does not serve the interests of the little people. They serve the interests of big everything and then pander to the gullible little people with some token gibberish.
The Ten Commandments, a Supplement to the Trump Bible
Trump is the Lord thy God and is more mistreated than even Jesus was.
Thou shalt have no other gods before Trump, such as Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis or Chris Christie.
Thou shalt put an image of Trump on Mount Rushmore and shalt purchase Trump superhero NFTs on the Trump website.
Thou shalt ignore the fake news media, which is all lies, especially about Trump.
Remember Election Day and keep it Trumpy; if Trump loses, it’s because the election was rigged using mules and machines from Venezuela—just ask Mike Lindell or Rudy Ghouliani, who have the evidence.
Honor Fred and Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, especially the former, who made a tiny, tiny, tiny little loan of 600 million dollars to Trump at the start of his incredible business career unlike any other business career ever.
Thou shalt not kill unless it’s innocent asylum seekers. Or Democrats. Or BLM protestors. Or the fake news media. Or hecklers at Trump rallies. Or Vice Presidents who will not follow orders. Or anti-Nazi protestors, who are best dealt with by the Nazis themselves, who are the good people standing back and standing by.
Thou shalt deny committing adultery and make hush money payments disguised as legal fees as necessary if you absolutely have to.
Thou shalt not steal but rather give to Trump by a) making campaign contributions for supposed Trump legal fees (when these are actually being paid by the RNC) and b) buying Trump-branded bibles and straws and sneakers and cut-up suits and c) going to Trump casinos and losing your money if Trump starts some up again and d) contributing to fake Trump charities and e) attending fake Trump universities, none of which is theft on Trump’s part because nobody is as honest as is Glorious Leader Donald Trump.
Thou shalt bear false witness, like Glorious Leader, every time thou openest thy cheeseburger and pie hole because it owns the Marxist Libs.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house because having an apartment in a Trump tower or at Mar-a-lago is so, so much better because Trump might crash your daughter’s wedding and give a long speech about Biden between the dance and the cutting of the cake.
Thou shalt covet thy neighbor’s wife AND daughter. And everything else he or she has.