In war, there are casualties. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “war on woke” is no exception, writes Dean Obeidallah, as groups cancel gatherings in the state.

Governor DeSantis’s policies targeting the LGBTQ community, restricting academic freedom, and banning diversity programs have negatively impacted Florida’s economy. Several organizations have canceled conventions and events in Orlando due to concerns over DeSantis’s “anti-woke” agenda, resulting in an estimated $20 million loss in revenue for the state. Despite this, DeSantis’s spokesperson dismissed the economic impact as a “media-driven stunt.” However, boycotts in the past have caused enough economic pain to lead to policy changes, so organizations avoiding Florida are doing the right thing by not spending money there while these policies remain in place.

  • @sparkl_motion@beehaw.orgEnglish
    9•1 year ago

    Is there anywhere specific in WA that you’re looking?

    I’m a native and happy to provide any information that might help in deciding where to land in the state.

    There’s a huge variance in economic, social, and political views. Finding the right one for your needs will go a long way in assuring you’re happy.

    Oh, weather too. The East half of the state is a highlands desert with forests in areas. Lots of high and low temperatures depending on the season. West side is VERY temperate but summers can be tough due to the way the Puget Sound and Olympics can cause heat domes where air doesn’t circulate well. That’s less common though.

    • Frog-Brawler
      6•1 year ago

      I’m a native and happy to provide any information that might help in deciding where to land in the state.

      That’s awesome! Thanks for the offer!

      I think I’ve mostly ruled out the east half of the state. Olympia was what I had in mind after doing about 3 minutes worth of research. My approach to moving across the country is rather clueless.

      I think the primary consideration for me is going to be cost of living, so that’s likely going to rule out Seattle and the surrounding area (based on my assumptions). Maybe not though… 🤷‍♂️For context, the median household income where I currently live is ~ $60k. When I looked up Seattle, it’s just shy of double that.

      Politically - I find the Democratic party to be a bit too conservative for my personal preferences.

      I think I’ll likely be able to retain my current job (which I like) when I move, but if for some reason that goes south, I also don’t want to necessarily be a small fish in the huge pond. I work in IT, and I suspect that I’d be in the older half of the “people working in IT” population.