Latest news with #SchoolhouseRock
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why Does Dr. Phil Keep Showing Up at ICE Raids?
In his own words, talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is the ' least political person I know.' He describes himself as politically unsophisticated. He says he could watch the Schoolhouse Rock episode about how a bill becomes a law and learn something new every time. And yet, Dr. Phil, as he's commonly known, keeps showing up at political events and with politicians. The latest appearance came amidst ICE raids in Los Angeles. He was briefly present at ICE headquarters in Los Angeles on the day agents spanned out to arrest immigrants in the city, and sat down with Trump border czar Tom Homan for exclusive interviews in advance of and after the largest ICE raid. The operations sparked unrest and protest across Los Angeles over the weekend, and the political fallout continues; on Monday, President Donald Trump said that he'd be willing to arrest California Gov. Gavin Newsom, after Newsom dared Homan to come do so. For McGraw's part, his interest in immigration issues has led to an increasingly close relationship with the tough-talking Homan, whom he recently described as a 'sincere and compassionate man.' McGraw embedded with Homan directly during January ICE raids in Chicago for his new entertainment venture, Merit Street Media, a television network focused on news and true crime. 'I'm very pro-immigration, 100 percent,' McGraw said in March 2024. 'But I think it has to be controlled. We need to know who is coming into our country.' In addition to his seemingly newfound interest in immigration, McGraw has hosted Trump on his show (in the leadup to the 2024 election), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and conservative personality Jordan Peterson. He spoke at Trump's October closing rally in Madison Square Garden (he stated publicly he was available to speak at a Harris rally as well). He and Adams also just appeared at an event together to codify a definition of antisemitism in New York. He also recently appeared on Newsom's podcast, where he pressed the California governor from the right on questions of transgender athletes and cancel culture, in addition to immigration issues. It's an unusual turn for a therapeutic media personality who got his big break with Oprah Winfrey and for most of his career fastidiously avoided partisan politics. But it's also one of the latest and clearest examples of how the American media landscape has changed, with cultural commentators in particular finding purchase within the expanding conservative ecosystem. 'Frankly, I'm not very sophisticated in the political arena. I don't know a lot about it,' McGraw told Newsom on his podcast. 'I really am focusing on cultural issues, and politicians talk about cultural issues a lot.' What McGraw is indirectly describing is a shift online among formerly non-political or apolitical influencers towards openly discussing the political issues that they feel fit under their broad remit. These personalities — which include Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Shawn Ryan and The Nelk Boys — have often been credited with helping to expand Trump's coalition to include young men. McGraw himself is somewhat different, since he's a daytime television stalwart whose audience skews older and more female; he certainly can't be confused for a young man whisperer. But his transition into conservative politics has familiar notes. He still isn't focused on partisan politics writ large, but he's increasingly engaged with the issues of aggrievement and cancel culture that animate the right. His concern, as he states openly, is a cultural shift away from traditional mores and an amorphous idea of 'family values.' 'I'm here to talk to and stand up for the people who have declared their support for Donald J. Trump, or they got found out, or they want to do it but they're too intimidated,' McGraw said at Trump's MSG rally. 'Because you know what happens when somebody in this country says, 'Hey, I'm going to vote Republican, I'm going to vote Donald J. Trump?' They get canceled, intimidated, marginalized, excluded or even fired or boycotted. And you know what that means? In short, that adds up to being bullied.' Even as Republicans have amassed concentrated political power — controlling the presidency and both houses of Congress, with a conservative majority on the Supreme Court — McGraw remains focused on a softer form of cultural power. His public comments suggest that he sees his role as a straight-shooting arbiter of old-school, culturally conservative entertainment who won't be captured by a more progressive entertainment industry. McGraw was not immediately available for comment. A representative for McGraw told POLITICO Magazine in a statement that 'MeritTV news crews were on the ground during the recent ICE operation in Los Angeles on Friday. In order to not escalate any situation, Dr. Phil McGraw did not join and was not embedded, as he previous[ly] was in Chicago.' Asked Monday about McGraw's fly-on-the-wall involvement in ICE raids, Newsom stiff-armed a question from POLITICO, declining to ascribe a motive to the TV personality's increasing fascination with the politics of immigration. 'That's his prerogative,' the Democratic governor said. 'I don't know what to say about that.' But McGraw's aw shucks attitude about his own acumen — and his insistence that he'd talk to anyone, anywhere about questions of American culture — belies his power in the politics space. In fact, his ability to rely on his background as a politically neutral observer amplifies his voice amid the cacophony and provides a sheen of apolitical authenticity. McGraw's transformation into a generally conservative influencer does not appear temporary, even as he continues to call himself a political non-combatant. No matter the outcome of the latest blockbuster news moment to capture America's attention — the ICE raids in Los Angeles — McGraw has promised he'll be along for the ride. 'We're embedded with ICE, and they've allowed us full access at Merit TV. And when I say full access, there are no guidelines,' McGraw told Newsom. 'We can show every case. They're not cherry-picked cases, and we're able to show everything that's going on.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Dr. Phil Became ICE's Ride-Along Partner
In his own words, talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is the 'least political person I know.' He describes himself as politically unsophisticated. He says he could watch the Schoolhouse Rock episode about how a bill becomes a law and learn something new every time. And yet, Dr. Phil, as he's commonly known, keeps showing up at political events and with politicians. The latest appearance came amidst ICE raids in Los Angeles. He was briefly present at ICE headquarters in Los Angeles on the day agents spanned out to arrest immigrants in the city, and sat down with Trump border czar Tom Homan for exclusive interviews in advance of and after the largest ICE raid. The operations sparked unrest and protest across Los Angeles over the weekend, and the political fallout continues; on Monday, President Donald Trump said that he'd be willing to arrest California Gov. Gavin Newsom, after Newsom dared Homan to come do so. For McGraw's part, his interest in immigration issues has led to an increasingly close relationship with the tough-talking Homan, whom he recently described as a 'sincere and compassionate man.' McGraw embedded with Homan directly during January ICE raids in Chicago for his new entertainment venture, Merit Street Media, a television network focused on news and true crime. 'I'm very pro-immigration, 100 percent,' McGraw said in March 2024. 'But I think it has to be controlled. We need to know who is coming into our country.' In addition to his seemingly newfound interest in immigration, McGraw has hosted Trump on his show (in the leadup to the 2024 election), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and conservative personality Jordan Peterson. He spoke at Trump's October closing rally in Madison Square Garden (he stated publicly he was available to speak at a Harris rally as well). He and Adams also just appeared at an event together to codify a definition of antisemitism in New York. He also recently appeared on Newsom's podcast, where he pressed the California governor from the right on questions of transgender athletes and cancel culture, in addition to immigration issues. It's an unusual turn for a therapeutic media personality who got his big break with Oprah Winfrey and for most of his career fastidiously avoided partisan politics. But it's also one of the latest and clearest examples of how the American media landscape has changed, with cultural commentators in particular finding purchase within the expanding conservative ecosystem. 'Frankly, I'm not very sophisticated in the political arena. I don't know a lot about it,' McGraw told Newsom on his podcast. 'I really am focusing on cultural issues, and politicians talk about cultural issues a lot.' What McGraw is indirectly describing is a shift online among formerly non-political or apolitical influencers towards openly discussing the political issues that they feel fit under their broad remit. These personalities — which include Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Shawn Ryan and The Nelk Boys — have often been credited with helping to expand Trump's coalition to include young men. McGraw himself is somewhat different, since he's a daytime television stalwart whose audience skews older and more female; he certainly can't be confused for a young man whisperer. But his transition into conservative politics has familiar notes. He still isn't focused on partisan politics writ large, but he's increasingly engaged with the issues of aggrievement and cancel culture that animate the right. His concern, as he states openly, is a cultural shift away from traditional mores and an amorphous idea of 'family values.' 'I'm here to talk to and stand up for the people who have declared their support for Donald J. Trump, or they got found out, or they want to do it but they're too intimidated,' McGraw said at Trump's MSG rally. 'Because you know what happens when somebody in this country says, 'Hey, I'm going to vote Republican, I'm going to vote Donald J. Trump?' They get canceled, intimidated, marginalized, excluded or even fired or boycotted. And you know what that means? In short, that adds up to being bullied.' Even as Republicans have amassed concentrated political power — controlling the presidency and both houses of Congress, with a conservative majority on the Supreme Court — McGraw remains focused on a softer form of cultural power. His public comments suggest that he sees his role as a straight-shooting arbiter of old-school, culturally conservative entertainment who won't be captured by a more progressive entertainment industry. McGraw was not immediately available for comment. A representative for McGraw told POLITICO Magazine in a statement that 'MeritTV news crews were on the ground during the recent ICE operation in Los Angeles on Friday. In order to not escalate any situation, Dr. Phil McGraw did not join and was not embedded, as he previous[ly] was in Chicago.' Asked Monday about McGraw's fly-on-the-wall involvement in ICE raids, Newsom stiff-armed a question from POLITICO, declining to ascribe a motive to the TV personality's increasing fascination with the politics of immigration. 'That's his prerogative,' the Democratic governor said. 'I don't know what to say about that.' But McGraw's aw shucks attitude about his own acumen — and his insistence that he'd talk to anyone, anywhere about questions of American culture — belies his power in the politics space. In fact, his ability to rely on his background as a politically neutral observer amplifies his voice amid the cacophony and provides a sheen of apolitical authenticity. McGraw's transformation into a generally conservative influencer does not appear temporary, even as he continues to call himself a political non-combatant. No matter the outcome of the latest blockbuster news moment to capture America's attention — the ICE raids in Los Angeles — McGraw has promised he'll be along for the ride. 'We're embedded with ICE, and they've allowed us full access at Merit TV. And when I say full access, there are no guidelines,' McGraw told Newsom. 'We can show every case. They're not cherry-picked cases, and we're able to show everything that's going on.' Melanie Mason contributed to this report.
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
How Dr. Phil Became ICE's Ride-Along Partner
In his own words, talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is the 'least political person I know.' He describes himself as politically unsophisticated. He says he could watch the Schoolhouse Rock episode about how a bill becomes a law and learn something new every time. And yet, Dr. Phil, as he's commonly known, keeps showing up at political events and with politicians. The latest appearance came amidst ICE raids in Los Angeles. He was briefly present at ICE headquarters in Los Angeles on the day agents spanned out to arrest immigrants in the city, and sat down with Trump border czar Tom Homan for exclusive interviews in advance of and after the largest ICE raid. The operations sparked unrest and protest across Los Angeles over the weekend, and the political fallout continues; on Monday, President Donald Trump said that he'd be willing to arrest California Gov. Gavin Newsom, after Newsom dared Homan to come do so. For McGraw's part, his interest in immigration issues has led to an increasingly close relationship with the tough-talking Homan, whom he recently described as a 'sincere and compassionate man.' McGraw embedded with Homan directly during January ICE raids in Chicago for his new entertainment venture, Merit Street Media, a television network focused on news and true crime. 'I'm very pro-immigration, 100 percent,' McGraw said in March 2024. 'But I think it has to be controlled. We need to know who is coming into our country.' In addition to his seemingly newfound interest in immigration, McGraw has hosted Trump on his show (in the leadup to the 2024 election), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and conservative personality Jordan Peterson. He spoke at Trump's October closing rally in Madison Square Garden (he stated publicly he was available to speak at a Harris rally as well). He and Adams also just appeared at an event together to codify a definition of antisemitism in New York. He also recently appeared on Newsom's podcast, where he pressed the California governor from the right on questions of transgender athletes and cancel culture, in addition to immigration issues. It's an unusual turn for a therapeutic media personality who got his big break with Oprah Winfrey and for most of his career fastidiously avoided partisan politics. But it's also one of the latest and clearest examples of how the American media landscape has changed, with cultural commentators in particular finding purchase within the expanding conservative ecosystem. 'Frankly, I'm not very sophisticated in the political arena. I don't know a lot about it,' McGraw told Newsom on his podcast. 'I really am focusing on cultural issues, and politicians talk about cultural issues a lot.' What McGraw is indirectly describing is a shift online among formerly non-political or apolitical influencers towards openly discussing the political issues that they feel fit under their broad remit. These personalities — which include Joe Rogan, Theo Von, Shawn Ryan and The Nelk Boys — have often been credited with helping to expand Trump's coalition to include young men. McGraw himself is somewhat different, since he's a daytime television stalwart whose audience skews older and more female; he certainly can't be confused for a young man whisperer. But his transition into conservative politics has familiar notes. He still isn't focused on partisan politics writ large, but he's increasingly engaged with the issues of aggrievement and cancel culture that animate the right. His concern, as he states openly, is a cultural shift away from traditional mores and an amorphous idea of 'family values.' 'I'm here to talk to and stand up for the people who have declared their support for Donald J. Trump, or they got found out, or they want to do it but they're too intimidated,' McGraw said at Trump's MSG rally. 'Because you know what happens when somebody in this country says, 'Hey, I'm going to vote Republican, I'm going to vote Donald J. Trump?' They get canceled, intimidated, marginalized, excluded or even fired or boycotted. And you know what that means? In short, that adds up to being bullied.' Even as Republicans have amassed concentrated political power — controlling the presidency and both houses of Congress, with a conservative majority on the Supreme Court — McGraw remains focused on a softer form of cultural power. His public comments suggest that he sees his role as a straight-shooting arbiter of old-school, culturally conservative entertainment who won't be captured by a more progressive entertainment industry. McGraw was not immediately available for comment. A representative for McGraw told POLITICO Magazine in a statement that 'MeritTV news crews were on the ground during the recent ICE operation in Los Angeles on Friday. In order to not escalate any situation, Dr. Phil McGraw did not join and was not embedded, as he previous[ly] was in Chicago.' Asked Monday about McGraw's fly-on-the-wall involvement in ICE raids, Newsom stiff-armed a question from POLITICO, declining to ascribe a motive to the TV personality's increasing fascination with the politics of immigration. 'That's his prerogative,' the Democratic governor said. 'I don't know what to say about that.' But McGraw's aw shucks attitude about his own acumen — and his insistence that he'd talk to anyone, anywhere about questions of American culture — belies his power in the politics space. In fact, his ability to rely on his background as a politically neutral observer amplifies his voice amid the cacophony and provides a sheen of apolitical authenticity. McGraw's transformation into a generally conservative influencer does not appear temporary, even as he continues to call himself a political non-combatant. No matter the outcome of the latest blockbuster news moment to capture America's attention — the ICE raids in Los Angeles — McGraw has promised he'll be along for the ride. 'We're embedded with ICE, and they've allowed us full access at Merit TV. And when I say full access, there are no guidelines,' McGraw told Newsom. 'We can show every case. They're not cherry-picked cases, and we're able to show everything that's going on.' Melanie Mason contributed to this report.
USA Today
10-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Remember 'Schoolhouse Rock!'? This is what it looks like under Trump.
Remember 'Schoolhouse Rock!'? This is what it looks like under Trump. | Opinion We now have an overreaching ringmaster in the executive, an empty ring where Congress should be, and the lion tamers in the judiciary struggling to contain the chaos. Show Caption Hide Caption Trump may bring down the tent on democracy with overreach | Opinion Schoolhouse Rock introduced kids to US government. One episode used a three-ring circus to describe the branches. This updates for the Trump era. "Schoolhouse Rock!" introduced the concepts of American government to a generation of kids using catchy tunes and cartoon animations. Most of the shows aged well, but the first 100 plus days of the Trump administration may force the reimaging of the episode teaching the three branches of government. If you can't remember the lyrics, 'Three Ring Government' describes the branches of government as working together like a well-balanced "three-ring circus." Each ring – the executive, legislative and judicial branches – has its act, its limit and its role in keeping the whole show running: 'No one part can be more powerful than any other is. Each controls the other you see, and that's what we call checks and balances.' While some might think the metaphor of a 'circus' is apropos to the current situation in Washington, the original cartoon wasn't describing chaos. It was about our government's dynamic equilibrium: Three branches competing, complementing and ultimately balancing each other out to safeguard democracy. But in President Donald Trump's second administration, that delicate balance is teetering. Instead of three functioning rings, we now have an overreaching ringmaster in the executive, an empty ring where Congress should be and the lion tamers in the judiciary struggling to contain the chaos. The overreaching executive: Ringmaster or wrecking ball? In the first months since he took the oath of office, the 47th president has deployed his power in a way that compares to few, if any, predecessors. The last president who initiated this many changes this fast was Franklin Roosevelt, but it's not fair to compare the hopeful tone of the New Deal to the fear itself Trump is creating. Consider a small sampling of his actions, including: And so on. Nearly all his policies have been enacted through one of his nearly 150 executive orders, with no congressional involvement or authorization. Opinion: Trump's offensive AI pope picture is a distraction from his failing economy In "Schoolhouse Rock!," the president was one ring in a balanced act. In today's show, the ringmaster wants the spotlight, the microphone and the final word. Missing ring in the circus: Congress takes a seat in audience Of course, Congress is supposed to act as a check and balance on presidential power. In the Constitution, it is the first branch of government. Instead, Republican leadership in the House and Senate have seemingly given up its part in the show and has opted for a seat in the audience. While the White House has been busy remaking the federal government, Congress has focused mainly on confirming Trump's Cabinet nominations with minimal scrutiny and working on a budget extension that aligns with the administration's priorities. Congressional Republicans have demonstrated remarkable loyalty to Trump – even at the expense of their own power, future electoral prospects and, most important, their constituents. Members brave enough to host town halls have faced angry crowds pushing back on massive cuts made by unelected hacks. Opinion: Trump just admitted it – the Constitution only counts if it's convenient Congress has done little to stop Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from firing federal workers, shuttering executive agencies and revising budget priorities without consulting with lawmakers. They did nothing when the White House undermined Congress' constitutional budget powers by freezing foreign aid. A handful of Republican senators did join Democrats in trying to nullify Trump's tariffs on Canada, but House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to even bring it to a vote. The biggest abdication of the three-branch vision has been Congress' unwillingness to act as a true check on the executive. Even as Trump flirted with constitutional crises, most congressional leaders worried more about remaining in the ring master's good graces than institutional integrity. If this "Schoolhouse Rock!" episode were updated for the Trump era, the lyrics would need to change from "See what they do in the Congress. Passin' laws and juggling bills" to "Congress is on the legislative bench, they're sitting out watching the show." Judiciary in the crosshairs: The lion tamers fight back Right now, the only meaningful check on executive overreach is coming from the third ring of the circus, the judiciary. In stark contrast to Congress, it has provided a check and balance to interpret the law and block executive orders that violate the Constitution. In a recent week, judges ruled against the Trump administration in at least 11 lawsuits regarding immigration, elections and anti-diversity efforts. In addition to just ignoring or flat out defying recent federal court orders, Trump, his attorney general, the head of the FBI and conservative influencers have also been threatening 'rogue judges' for weeks, calling to impeach judges who rule against them and promising to fight back against the judiciary. We saw this in Milwaukee on April 25 when the FBI arrested Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, accusing her of directing an undocumented immigrant out of her courtroom through a side door while federal agents waited in the hallway to arrest him. Whether her actions were criminal is now up to the courts, but the spectacle of her arrest sent a chilling message. Consider the theatrics: FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest on social media, then reposted a photo of the judge in handcuffs, potentially violating Department of Justice policy. Dugan was subjected to a public perp walk instead of being allowed to voluntarily surrender. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News the administration would pursue judges who think they're above the law. We can only hope the courts will remain resilient regardless of intimidation efforts and, like exhausted lion tamers, continue to crack the whip at executive overreach, defending the constitutional order one ruling at a time. In just 100 plus days, Trump's second term has upended the norms that once preserved our delicate separation of powers. "Schoolhouse Rock!" taught us that the three-ring government was messy but functional because no single branch can dominate the others. Today, the executive is overpowering. The legislature is complicit. The judiciary is endangered. If Americans want to preserve the three-ring balance, we must demand that one act not steal the whole show. Otherwise, we're not citizens of a democracy. We're just an audience under the Big Top – waiting for the tent on our democratic republic to fall. Kristin Brey is the "My Take" columnist for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, where this column originally appeared.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The futures of Florida's state parks are now more certain because of you
Those of us of a certain age know now the "Schoolhouse Rock" videos we saw as kids didn't always give us a complete picture of the subjects they covered. In particular, that was true about the "How a Bill Becomes a Law" episode, which didn't adequately explain the role of lobbyists, political horse trading, or many of the other complicated factors in lawmaking. However, on rare occasion, the process does work much like the upbeat cartoon characters described. The parks preservation bill recently approved by the Florida Legislature is one example: People protested over a problem they saw with how their government was run. Legislators listened. They devised a commonsense solution, which was approved without much controversy in one 60-day legislative session. Why, oh why, can't it always be this simple? What a concept: Responding to public outcry The brouhaha began last August, when a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) plan to allow golf courses, pickleball courts and swanky hotels to be built amid the tranquil natural wonders of Anastasia, Topsail Hill Preserve, Jonathan Dickinson and six other prominent state parks was leaked to the public. The groundswell of opposition resonated throughout the state, prompting DEP to withdraw The Great Outdoors Initiative Plan and Gov. Ron DeSantis to first feign ignorance, then pretend the outrage was ginned up as part of a left-wing conspiracy. State Sen. Gayle Harrell and Rep. John Snyder, Stuart Republicans, responded by sponsoring bills intended to prevent future developer land grabs at state legislation inspired the Florida State Parks Preservation Opinion Project, a collaboration by 17 Gannett-owned newspapers in Florida to rally support to preserve and protect our state parks. Opinion: USA Today Network-Florida Opinion campaign to preserve and protect our state parks The campaign included dozens of editorials, opinion columns, photos, videos, letters to the editor and more, published in newspapers and on websites throughout the state. The legislation also was supported by various environmental and advocacy groups, who suggested tightening language Harrell and Snyder proposed. Floridians united for a common cause Gary Wilcox (front), of Miami, participates in a protest at the entrance of Jonathan Dickinson State Park on Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Hobe Sound. Rallies, billed as a State Park Lovefest, were planned Saturday at 16 state parks around Florida -- also including Fort Pierce Inlet State Park on the Treasure Coast -- as part of a statewide effort to protect state parks. Jonathan Dickinson is about a 20-minute drive from President Donald Trump's Jupiter golf club. Senate Bill 80, the State Park Preservation Act, filed by state Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, would place strict limitations on development in state parks as well as outdoor activities that can be promoted at the parks such as golf, tennis, pickleball and other sports requiring a ball field. Known as the "State Parks Preservation Act," the bill would prohibit most construction in state parks. It also would require public hearings, with ample advance notice, for changes in land management plans and compel the DEP to comply with provisions when granting certain privileges, leases, concessions and permits. The bottom line? The bill is the first line of protection against development proposals done outside of the public's purview that would change the face and spoil the beauty of Florida's state parks. Opinion: These Florida students want to protect our state parks. Their art shows it. There's usually some give and take during the legislative process — which was certainly true in this case. Environmental activists fought for language they thought was necessary to prevent developers from exploiting loopholes in the bill. The bill's prospects of approval, with the more restrictive language, seemed iffy for a while, but during the last week of the session, both houses of the Legislature unanimously approved the more restrictive version. Unanimously. How often, in our state of diverse and sometimes competing interests, does anything win unanimous support from the Legislature — including every committee stop? It's a testament to the high value people place on Florida's wild and unspoiled spaces. Our society may be becoming more urbanized, but there's still a part of us that yearns for places where we can connect with nature. What happened is also a victory for citizen activism. Thousands upon thousands of Floridians mobilized to protest last year after word about the ill-fated park development plans leaked out. Many continued to pepper legislators with input throughout the legislative process, some in texts to their representatives in real time, while the bills were debated in committee. Much credit should also go to Harrell and Snyder for their leadership. Harrell was elected to her final term as a senator last year, part of a lengthy career that also includes 16 years as a state representative. Harrell said during her 2024 campaign this term would be her "last hurrah." This may well be the signature piece of legislation for which the veteran lawmaker is remembered. For Snyder, this was a nice accomplishment for someone viewed as one of the Legislature's rising stars. The bill will be forwarded to DeSantis, who said Wednesday that he will sign it. Good. Because, given the public support behind this legislation, a veto would come at his extreme political peril. And better yet, he should sign it with ceremony, including the legislative sponsors and some of the millions of parks advocates who helped bring awareness to this issue. This editorial was written as part of a campaign by the USA Today Network Florida Opinion Group to support Senate Bill 80 and protect Florida's state parks from development. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: FL state parks protected from development because of you | Editorial
