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James Fishback, a self-styled Republican gubernatorial hopeful, recently grabbed headlines by promising a headline-grabbing 50 percent “sin tax” aimed at OnlyFans creators and similar online adult content producers. He pitched this as a way to reclaim taxpayer dollars for traditional priorities, but the proposal reads more like campaign theater than a sober fiscal plan.
According to his own statements, Fishback said revenue from the levy would be earmarked for teacher pay, crisis pregnancy centers, and a so-called “mental health czar” focused on men — causes that sound noble until you realize the mechanics and arithmetic are vague at best. Voters deserve specifics, not slogans: estimating hundreds of millions without a credible revenue model is the kind of happy-talk that gets taxpayers burned.
Make no mistake, conservatives should be willing to confront the rot of social media-driven decadence, and targeted taxes on vice can sometimes be justified when narrowly drawn and honestly implemented. But this plan’s shotgun approach and punitive 50 percent rate risk empowering a bigger, hungrier state while doing little to actually strengthen families or expand school choice. Florida patriots want results, not virtue-signaling grabs for cash.
The man behind the pitch is no backyard novice — Fishback is the CEO of an investment firm and the architect of other high-profile proposals, including a controversial “DOGE dividend” idea that has circulated in conservative media circles. His résumé includes legal filings and media appearances, but the spotlight has also brought scrutiny over whether his antics are serious policy or stunts to build a brand. Voters should separate provocative proposals from responsible governance.
Beyond policy, Fishback’s campaign has been marked by headline controversies that should make conservative voters cautious: public disputes that led to a Waffle House ban and other contentious incidents have followed him on the trail. A nominee for governor needs steadiness and discipline — traits that matter when you face a hostile press and an activist left; theatrics and grudges do not.
Campaign finance filings and reporting suggest Fishback’s movement is still nascent and unevenly funded, which raises the obvious question: is this a credible bid to govern or a platform for attention? Conservatives who love this country and want to restore common-sense institutions should ask whether flashy proposals and social-media bravado translate into the discipline needed to cut taxes, defend families, and secure our borders. The answer matters this primary season.
So to hardworking Americans weighing options in the next Republican primary: applaud anyone who wants to protect family values and fund teachers, but demand a plan that respects fiscal reality and constitutional limits. We can be tough on decadence and generous to children without handing the state a license to plunder incomes with half-baked taxes. Vote for leaders who fight the left with seriousness, not spectacle.
