Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says Republicans are approaching big business all wrong: 'Corporatism is not the same as free enterprise'

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has gotten into high-profile fights with Disney and Big Tech.
• It's a model Republicans should follow, he said at a conservative conference near Miami.

AVENTURA, Florida — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has battled large corporation on everything from diversity trainings to environmental, social, and governance investing. He even took on family-favorite Disney by stripping the company of its self-governing status.

It's a surprising approach to business for a Republican who has support from more than 40 billionaire donors, and one that some critics have called heavy-handed and polarizing. Republicans have historically doled out major tax breaks to corporations while eschewing regulations in favor of a more hands-off posture.

But on Sunday evening in an hourlong speech before the National Conservatism Conference, DeSantis said Republicans' approach and thinking about big business needs to change, arguing that his experiences in Florida provide a "lesson for people on the right."

"Corporatism is not the same as free enterprise, and I think too many Republicans have viewed limited government to basically mean whatever is best for corporate America is how we want to do the economy," DeSantis said during his keynote speech before a crowd of friendly attendees at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort.

"And my view is — obviously free enterprise is the best economic system — but that is a means to an end. It's a means to having a good fulfilling life and a prosperous society. It's not an end in and of itself."

DeSantis has pushed through numerous contentious policies as governor that netted him national headlines and criticisms from the Biden administration. With the attention has come speculation that he may run for president in 2024.

First, however, he has to win reelection in Florida in November. He'll be facing off against former Rep. Charlie Crist, a Democrat who was a Republican governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011.

DeSantis' list of actions against corporations is growing

DeSantis has taken numerous actions against what he refers to as "woke corporations." Most recently, he pushed the State Board of Administration to ban the consideration of "social, political, or ideological interests" — such as ESG — when it decides what investments to make for the state's pension fund.

The governor also revoked Disney World's self-governing status after the company pleaded with the governor to oppose the Parental Rights in Education Act. The bill limits discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation in a way critics say is too vague and will harm LGBTQ students, parents, and teachers. Critics have dubbed the law the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

Another law, the "Stop WOKE Act," would limit the way private companies carry out mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings. Companies that have 15 employees or more could face civil lawsuits if a worker accuses them of violating the law, which says businesses can't implement trainings saying members of a specific ethnic group are inherently racist or that people should feel guilty for actions committed by their predecessors.

And soon after former President Donald Trump left office and was booted off social media platforms for his role in the January 6, 2021, violent attack on the Capitol, DeSantis signed a bill into law to prevent tech companies from censoring political candidates.

"There's some people that criticize us in Florida because we've taken action to stand up to big tech companies," DeSantis said Sunday evening. "They say you know what, it's private. Let them do what they want to do. First of all, they cannot be viewed as private entities given that we know without a shadow of a doubt they are doing the regime's bidding when it comes to censorship."

But not all his plans are working

Some of the business laws in Florida are in litigation. The business portion of the "Stop WOKE Act" is being stayed after a judge cited free speech violations. The tech law has been blocked by an appeals court, with Circuit Judge Kevin Newsom writing in the opinion that "the government can't tell a private person or entity what to say or how to say it."

Other Florida laws have been confusing to navigate. This week, for instance, a Miami school board rejected a measure to observe LGBTQ History month, even though the governor's office said it wouldn't have violated the Parental Rights law.

But DeSantis doubled down on his actions during Sunday night's speech and predicted his administration would prevail against legal challenges. He accused "corporate America" of having too much power in America and of "exercising quasi-public power in terms of using their economic power to change policy in this country."

"What I'm doing is using government to give space to the individual citizen to be able to participate in society to be able to speak his or her mind," DeSantis said.

"And I think that's an absolutely appropriate use of government power. "