Jay Collins came to discuss Florida’s business climate. Richard Luthmann and Michael Volpe put that argument through its toughest tests: household bills, corporate privileges, and who pays when the next giant development moves into town.
Florida’s lieutenant governor makes the case for the DeSantis economic model, explains why he believes Buc-ee’s and other businesses want to expand in Florida, and discusses SpaceX, Elon Musk, and California’s political choices.
On AI data centers, Collins draws boundaries around electricity costs, water, farmland, and secret development deals. He supports technological capability while defending local communities’ role in deciding what gets built.
Then comes Disney. Volpe presses the free-speech and business-certainty questions. Luthmann raises the company’s conduct. Collins stands behind Florida’s actions and says he would do it all again.
The conversation also turns personal. The retired Green Beret discusses the demands of leadership, his account of evacuating Americans from Israel, the pain of losing an election, and campaign attacks on his family. Asked about DeSantis’ decision not to endorse him, Collins answers: “I wish he had, but he didn’t.”
00:02 Introduction and Florida’s business climate 02:01 Energy policy and homestead property taxes 04:26 Government spending and accountability 07:36 Military service and leadership 09:40 Buc-ee’s and Florida expansion 13:12 Advice to blue-state governors 14:14 SpaceX, Elon Musk and California 17:33 AI data centers: Who pays? 18:58 Secret deals, farmland and water 21:55 Data-center siting, energy and local control 24:36 University admissions and immigration 26:22 Campaign defeat and the next mission 27:07 Israel evacuation account and rejecting racial politics 28:52 Attacks on families 30:27 Collins’ American dream 31:11 Why didn’t DeSantis endorse him? 32:05 Frank Russo’s affordability criticism 33:35 Insurance costs and accountability 35:24 Teacher pay 36:58 The Disney confrontation 42:05 Free speech, corporate conduct and Collins’ response 44:13 What comes next
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