Gov. Ron DeSantis won't let inflation spoil the nation's holiday cheer.
Speaking Friday in Eustis, the Republican Governor — perhaps known now as DeSanta Claus — touted Florida ports as a remedy to the nation's supply chain conundrum.
"We want to make sure we help check some of the inflation and we want to make sure that we're able to go and get things for the holidays for Christmas and for Thanksgiving," DeSantis said.
With West coast ports bursting at the seams, DeSantis last week offered Florida as an alternative landing pad ahead of the holidays. And though progress is slow, he expects more ships to soon reroute.
"Everyone now knows that Florida is part of the solution here," said DeSantis, a father of three. "We want to make sure the goods are coming."
The Republican Governor, however, tempered expectations. The decision to reroute, he explained, is a "basic calculation" of cost-benefit analysis. Thus far, he told reporters, a slew of ships on the East Coast have rerouted to Florida as well as a cargo ship from India.
"If you're stuck somewhere, what's the cost of coming to Florida?" DeSantis said. "(It may) end up making it better than just sitting there."
Notably, DeSantis is capitalizing on the holiday blues. In a recent fundraising pitch, he described President Joe Biden as the "Grinch who stole Christmas" and warned of gift-less children nationwide.
DeSantis expanded Friday on the not-so-jolly thought.
"How expensive is Thanksgiving dinner gonna be for for all these families this year compared to previous years? DeSantis asked reporters. "I think it's gonna be a huge increase. And if some of these supply issues don't get worked out, then it certainly isn't going to help things."
The White House, meanwhile, is responding to nation's logistics issues by finalizing an agreement for the Port of Los Angeles — one of the nation's major entry points for consumer products — to become a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week operation.
Retail and shipping companies like Walmart, FedEx and UPS have also agreed to help relieve the backlog, committing to unload during off-peak hours.
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