Florida is not a model for the nation, unlike what DeSantis claims
Intro
DeSantis likes to claim that Florida is a model for the nation. He points to the economic and social policies of Florida in contrast to high-tax states like New York, California, or Minnesota and claims that Florida’s policies are superior. His statements, however, look more at rhetoric than numbers. The fact is Florida is a terrible state for the middle class. It has flawed healthcare and economic policies that help the wealthy at the expense of the state’s overall economy.
Florida’s Subpar Healthcare Policies
Florida’s healthcare policies are flawed, to say the least. In Florida, 12.1% of its state's population has no health insurance, which is higher than the national average of only 8.6%. This in large part can be because Florida is one of only ten states that has not expanded Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. If Florida expanded Medicaid as 40 other states have, it would allow 1.3 million Floridians to have health insurance. Unfortunately, Governor DeSantis and the Florida State Legislature view politics as a game rather than as means of creating good policies.
Florida’s Misguided Tax and Fiscal Policies
Florida has no state individual income tax, which means it relies on sales and property taxes which burden lower-income people more than state income taxes. Florida ranks 48th in teacher pay and has a significant teacher shortage. The teacher shortage is so substantial it is described as “colossal.” The Florida Legislature is making the teacher shortage worse by allowing taxpayer money to go to private schools at the expense of public schools. Proponents will argue that lower-tax states like Florida have more robust economies, but Florida’s GDP per Capita is $63,081, lower than the national average of $77,506. So the Claims of economic prosperity by proponents of lower taxes like The American Legislative Exchange and politicians like DeSantis are misleading.
Florida is not a great state for unions or the middle class its a tax haven for the rich
Florida is a state that does not like unions. Florida is a right-to-work state with the 7th lowest union membership of any state.Florida's median income, when adjusted to the cost of living, is ranked 49th. Florida's low unionization rate could be to blame for the state's lackluster wages; according to the Bureau of labor statistics, unionized workers often have better pay.
Conclusion
While Desantis Claims that Florida is where woke goes to die, in reality, Florida is where the middle class goes to die. So when DeSantis goes around the country touting Florida’s Success, remember that Florida has minimal economic opportunity compared to the rest of the country, and Ron DeSantis’s Voo-doo economic policies are flawed.
Refferences
https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/population-without-health-insurance-coverage-2019-and-2021.html
https://www.healthinsurance.org/medicaid/florida/
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3914916-these-10-states-have-not-expanded-medicaid/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-20/how-local-sales-taxes-target-the-poor-and-widen-the-income-gap
https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-florida-teacher-pay-ranking-886906152703
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/03/28/desantis-signs-floridas-biggest-school-voucher-program-expansion/11556334002/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_GDP
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/union2.t05.htm
https://www.dol.gov/general/workcenter/union-advantage#:~:text=Workers%20with%20union%20representation%20enjoy,%241%2C216%2Fweek).&text=When%20more%20workers%20have%20unions,union%20and%20non%2Dunion%20workers.
