With all the hoopla in Washington since the Republican House majority came to town, it's easy to forget that clown car is only performing in one ring of the GOP circus. Hard as it is to take your eyes off that show, it's also important to pay attention to some of the other acts in state houses around the country — and none is more riveting than what's going on down in the laboratory of anti-democracy known as Florida.
Gov. Ron DeSantis was sworn in for his second term last week in Tallahassee with a two-day extravaganza that guests called "DeSantis-Palooza." It featured an ostentatious outdoor inaugural ceremony on the steps of the Old Capitol preceded by a prayer meeting with 80 to 100 people from the faith community, followed by a "Toast to 1 Million Mamas" hosted by Casey DeSantis at the governor's mansion. Later that night Ron and Casey entered their glittering inaugural ball for 4,000 fans to the strains of the campaign song "Sweet Florida" by Donnie and Johnny Van Zant (former members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special), which features these inspirational lyrics:
