Posted on 06/03/2019 6:05:32 AM PDT by Ennis85
Netflix is saying it will “rethink” its investments in Georgia because of the fetal heartbeat bill that was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp. The law, formerly House Bill 481, is formally known as the “Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act.” It prohibits abortions in the state after a heartbeat is detected, as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. The law allows exceptions in the case of rape, incest, or if the life of the mother is in danger.
For now, Netflix will continue filming “Ozark” and other shows in Georgia. But the media giant says it very well might leave if the law goes into effect on January 1, 2020.
Of course, the odds are quite high that a lower court will block the law and thus give the Supreme Court the opportunity to consider its constitutionality and that of similar laws around the nation. Netflix likely knows this, and I can only conclude that its statements related to the Georgia fetal heartbeat law is the company’s way of firing a warning shot to Georgia and similar states: Conform to our Hollywood ideals and values, or we won’t give you our business.
This is very disappointing, because the Georgia fetal heartbeat law is the very essence of democracy and of our republic. The Georgia bill passed by a vote of 92-78 in its lower house and by a vote of 34-19 in its upper house before being signed into law by Kemp. The people of Georgia, through their democratically elected officials, weighed in on the very important issue of when life begins. They decided to protect what they define as vulnerable human beings.
But now, the streaming company that employed Kevin Spacey for years as he harassed cast and crew on the set of “House of Cards,” decides threats of their abandonment should dictate the laws of Georgia (and presumably other states with like-minded legislators and constituents).
Disney is now making similar threats should the law go into effect as intended on January 1. But Disney and Netflix should not serve as the pilots of our moral compass in this country. Netflix, for one, has been accused of not paying its fair share of taxes, and its juggernaut status in entertainment could mean that its size and deep pockets could become influential in policy matters down the road. Perhaps its challenge to the Georgia bill is its way of testing the waters.
Consumers should fight back and let Netflix know that it can’t transplant its values to Georgia or any other state exercising its system of democracy.
It’s worth pointing out that the drama over Netflix and the new abortion law is a consequence of different states offering tax incentives to entertainment production crews. As California became increasingly expensive, states passed bills that were too good for production crews to pass up.
The Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act provides a 20 percent tax credit for companies that spend $500,000 or more on production and post-production in Georgia either in a single production or on multiple projects. The state grants an additional 10 percent tax credit if the finished project includes a promotional logo provided by the state.
So it appears Netflix loves bills that give it huge tax breaks and enables it to avoid the high California taxes. Netflix just also wants to import blue state abortion policy wherever it goes.
And Salesforce.com shouldn’t decide whether or not you own an AR-15.
Netflix’s decision to collude with killers should cost them an eviction not an endorsement. What do they really offer the culture?
They should consider moving all movie productions to North Korea. Life has no value there, at all!
Netflix & Disney are a joke. Hallmark Films, will continue filming in Georgia & other locales across the USA. as many independents will also do. At least the fine, clean, beaches in Georgia do not spent drug needles and human feces as California does all over. Go “HALLMARK”!!!
I s Disney going to shutdowm operations in Cemtral Florida now that Conservative, Republican, Ron DeSantis is the Governor of Florida...I think not. What say you hypocrite Disney?
They'll paint themselves into a corner and there won't be any product or place they can go that is 100% agreeable to them. They want cultural or political purity and it won't be found anywhere. Then what do they do?
Netflix is Obama. Disney is no longer Uncle Walt. If businesses start making their decisions based on things like abortion instead of what is most profitable for their shareholders or wanted by their customers, they will decline.
They need to stick to business and stay out of politics for their business models.
Netflix and Disney think they are part of the Permanent Government and are perfectly entitled to educate backwater rubes on how to govern themselves.
Disney hates kids
Ya mean like how the NCAA got to decide North Carolina’s bathroom laws?
Pulling movies out of Georgia (or any state) in an attempt influence state laws does not work and will only harm entertainment industry workers (many liberal democrats and women) who are just trying to earn a living to support their families.
The citizens of Georgia will not be bullied by Hollywood.
I'm not seeing what the real problem is here, even for women who want to use abortion as a form of birth control. It has the three sacred exceptions (which seldom happen) and it says "as early as six weeks."
Like most young couples, we had sex a lot during our first years of marriage, up to three and sometimes even four times a day. I asked my wife to recall when she first suspected she was pregnant and she gave me the not so astounding answer of "When I missed my first period . . ." which is a minimum of a two week window to have that so important abortion.
Of course, since we were pro-life extremists, we never even contemplated that option because we figured a few months of living in poverty would be more the compensated with the joy of raising a new child. We were right.
See how screwed up this world is? The Governor of GA should be telling them they are not welcome in his state so long as they support abortion.
If this world was right, that’s how it would be.
No, they love them.... with fava beans, and a nice Chianti.
and the people in Georgia can stop buying Netflix And Disney stuff
Rescind “Netflix exempted from proposed Georgia downloads tax” immediately. And rescind all tax breaks for movies, television show productions.
“Over the past decade, Georgia has handed out more than $1 billion in tax credits to movie and TV production companies like Sony and Disney in a program that is among the most generous in the world. It has made the state the third busiest in terms of films and TV shows in the country behind only New York and California.”
Should they wish to come back, double their taxes.
It’s ironic Disney should be in favor of abortion since one of their biggest money makers is the Princess line they have.
If your workers can’t work without easy access to abortion, you have a case of Me Too quadratic.
Someone brought up that Disney is working in the Middle East in countries where abortion AND homosexuality are illegal.
Disney has been filming in:
Bolivia, where abortion is illegal
Croatia, where abortion is illegal after 11 weeks
The UAE, where abortion is illegal and BEING GAY is illegal
Disney has no problem filming in any of these locations, but now suddenly Georgia is the enemy?
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