On Sunday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was met with thunderous cheering as he addressed crowds at the Gulf Coast Jam concert festival. DeSantits’ address occurred on the last day of the show, marking the largest concert since the end of COVID restrictions in the state.
Nothing says Florida is open like a night of live music at the @Pepsi @GulfCoastJam, the largest music festival since the pandemic began. pic.twitter.com/z07xMrS8JM
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) June 7, 2021
DeSantis, who has always opposed strict lockdowns, took the stage before a country singer was poised to begin his set. DeSantis took the opportunity to criticize Fauci for enforcing oppressive lockdowns when they were not needed.
DeSantis remarked that Florida chose freedom over Dr. Fauci, to which the crowd responded with loud cheers.
Watch it here:
My Governor is a rock star. #FreedomOverFaucism pic.twitter.com/tRGIbBlnA7
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) June 7, 2021
#DontFauciMyFlorida pic.twitter.com/qGwYcXD2h3
— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) June 7, 2021
DeSantis Has a Message for Democrats
The Florida governor said other states should end lockdowns, open schools, and let the people live their lives. He added that people should stop wearing masks. The remarks were again met with loud cheering and applause.
"Let people live their lives."
Governor DeSantis made a guest appearance at Gulf Coast Jam Sunday night with a message to other states about reopening. pic.twitter.com/Vl4LtWPZaw
— WJHG-TV (@WJHG_TV) June 7, 2021
DeSantis has been a vocal critic of Fauci, the CDC, and other federal organizations and authorities who have advocated for (and continue to advocate for) severe COVID-19-fighting measures. DeSantis accused the CDC of politicizing its standards for reopening schools in May.
The GOP governor claims that if you look at some of the work the CDC’s done on school openings, you’ll see that they’re essentially doing the teachers’ unions’ bidding when suggesting kids should be masked in summer camp outside.
During a recent press conference, DeSantis cited this as politics, rather than science.
Because of Florida’s service sector and tourism foundation, DeSantis added, the state was anticipated to be hurt worse economically by COVID than any other state.
Also, by keeping Florida open, the state was able to safeguard hundreds of thousands of jobs in the restaurant, hotel, and hospitality industries. Thousands of businesses were saved as a result of the efforts.
He went on to say that these enterprises are dead in various sections of the country. They’re never going to return. This is the government’s strong hand crushing family businesses, killing jobs, and wrecking the lives of millions of people.
In Florida, they selected a different course; it was the right road; it was the victorious road.
The 2020 Lockdown In Florida Was Nothing Like New York
In response to the COVID-19 epidemic, DeSantis imposed lockdown orders in March 2020. However, his directive was far less stringent than those enacted in states like New York, Michigan, and California. He also loosened laws on individuals and corporations considerably more quickly than his counterparts.
Fauci expressed his displeasure with DeSantis’ response to the pandemic and the general conduct of Floridians and tourists in March of last year; this happened especially as beaches and restaurants continued to draw large crowds of young adults.
On March 19, Fauci expressed his unhappiness in an email to a Florida doctor.
