DeSantis to Announce 18-State Alliance to Combat Biden’s ESG Agenda

Plus: Brothers Recreate Jussie Smollet’s ‘MAGA Country’ Hoax

DeSantis to Announce 18-State Alliance to Combat Biden’s ESG Agenda
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to announce today that he and governors from several states are releasing a state-level plan to combat the Biden Administration’s environmental, social, corporate governance agenda.

More from the Washington Examiner:

“At my direction, Florida has led the way in combating the pernicious effects of the ESG regime by directing our state pension fund managers to reject ESG and instead focus on obtaining the highest return on investment for Florida’s taxpayers and retirees,” DeSantis said in the previewed release.

The anti-ESG alliance will be formed with Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, according to DeSantis's office.

In practice, the ESG agenda often prioritizes diversity bean-counting, as well as “environmental sustainability,” over economic merit and business sustainability. The Examiner noted, “Recently, a Republican-backed bill to roll back a Labor Department rule enabling retirement plans to weigh ESG factors in investment decisions cleared both chambers of Congress. The president is expected to veto the measure.”

Biden Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “It forces MAGA Republicans' ideology down the throats of the private sector and handcuffing investors as well. The bill would bar fiduciaries from considering significant risks like extreme climate threats and poor corporate governance when they make investment decisions.”

While the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank is due to several factors, it’s worth noting that many have pointed to their steadfast commitment to an ESG agenda.

Another Win in Red State Education Revolution
Last week Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a history education bill. After a narrow win in the Kansas House, the Sunflower state may soon join the education revolution. From Fox News:

If it becomes law, the Sunflower Education Equity Act would create the state’s first educational savings accounts, giving families with participating children about $5,000 per student. The funds could be used for private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, educational therapies, online learning programs, school supplies and more.

"The Sunflower Education Equity Act is a broad legislative compromise which includes critical policy requests from both political parties," House Republicans wrote in a joint statement praising the passage. "This important middle ground truly embodies a good faith effort to listen to both sides and meet in the middle for the kids, teachers, and schools in our state."

The legislation, if passed, will have a slow rollout starting with some students being eligible for the 2024-2025 school year, including public school students who have low state test scores and those who qualify for lunch assistance programs. Also eligible would be up to 2,000 private school students whose families earn 300% of the federal poverty line or less.