Will Ron Run Do or is Da Ron Doo Doo?

[Stavros]

I admit I don't know much about DeSantis, other than the reports I read in the press.

Is he the going to run, or is he just Doo Doo? To stand against Trump must be a risk of being showered in the abuse only New York's most famous Rent Collector can deliver.

There is always the song to fall back on, if you want some real fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-qqi7-Q19k

[Stavros]

I know Americans 'have God', but to some this may suggest there is no God at all...

"Florida’s GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis (https://www.huffpost.com/topic/ron-desantis) released his latest campaign ad Friday, and it’s out of this world.
After creating light, the sun, the moon, stars (https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/what-are-7-days-of-creation), Earth, plants, animals and normal humans, God made “fighter” DeSantis, according to the eye-popping campaign pitch.
“On the eighth day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, ‘I need a protector,’” intoned a God-like voice on the black-and-white video."
Holy Hell: On 8th Day 'God Made' Ron DeSantis, Says New Campaign Ad (yahoo.com) (https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/holy-hell-8th-day-god-030542051.html)

He's gonna need a whole lot of love....

Eight Days A Week (Remastered 2015) - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTfmuDjwQTw)

[Fitzcarraldo]

And Trump (or his team, at least) nicknamed him "Ron DeSanctimonious."

[Luke Warm]

DeSantis does not have Trump’s charisma, not even close. He will not be able to capture the media attention that Trump did, which was a huge factor in Trump’s favor. DeSantis is bland and stiff (but with good hair - that’s about it). He also lacks political skill, in my estimation. He’s shown questionable judgement (having the state of Florida pay for refugees in Texas to be bussed to “blue” states for example). Besides Trump, serious presidential candidates don’t usually engage in stunts.

[Stavros]

DeSantis does not have Trump’s charisma, not even close. He will not be able to capture the media attention that Trump did, which was a huge factor in Trump’s favor. DeSantis is bland and stiff (but with good hair - that’s about it). He also lacks political skill, in my estimation. He’s shown questionable judgement (having the state of Florida pay for refugees in Texas to be bussed to “blue” states for example). Besides Trump, serious presidential candidates don’t usually engage in stunts.

Thank you for your thoughts. All I can say right now, is that if De Santis does want to run, and I have read some think he would prefer a title fight in 2038, his problem is that with his views and policies he is not going to appeal to non-Republican voters, or disaffected Democrats or even 'swing' voters. Thereagain, if he has seen the writing on the wall with regard to Abortion, he might change his views to broaden his appeal. Or are the Republicans locked into a political culture that makes liberal change impossible?

[Luke Warm]

Thank you for your thoughts. All I can say right now, is that if De Santis does want to run, and I have read some think he would prefer a title fight in 2038, his problem is that with his views and policies he is not going to appeal to non-Republican voters, or disaffected Democrats or even 'swing' voters. Thereagain, if he has seen the writing on the wall with regard to Abortion, he might change his views to broaden his appeal. Or are the Republicans locked into a political culture that makes liberal change impossible?

Absolutely zero chance that DeSantis - a Christian Conservative - will modify his abortion position. One of DeSantis’ selling points is that he is a hard liner, someone who doesn’t waver on his positions. He is not going to reach out in an attempt to find compromises with people he disagrees with.

The battle playing out within the GOP is not about changing policies versus not changing policies. Those policies are already set in stone. The battle is about tactics (arguing over Trump’s style and delivery) and whether the party should stick with Trump (and Trumpism) who they believe delivered results (but lost) or should they look to fresher faces, because those people can push the exact same policies without the drama that Trump brings.

Since you’re not American it’s likely that you miss some of the nuances of our politics. When you read our media and see conservative opinion writers like Jennifer Rubin (Washington Post) or David Brooks (NY Times) arguing against Trumpism or the hard tilt towards authoritarianism that Republicans have taken, you must realize that they have no constituencies, they represent almost no actual Republican voters

[Stavros]

I agree with your post Luke Warm, but wonder if the policies 'set in stone' can ever crumble. The Florida court for example, has said of the 'Freedom Act' and the ' Stop WOKE' act (and this appears at least to be an acronym for 'Wongs to Our Kids and Employees Act') that its interpretation of Freedom is contrary to the Constitution, and 'positively dystopianl'-

"“Defendants argue that, under this act, professors enjoy ‘academic freedom’ so long as they express only those viewpoints of which the State approves. This is positively dystopian.”‘".
Positively dystopian’: judge blocks key parts of Florida’s ‘Stop-Woke’ law (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/positively-dystopian-judge-blocks-key-151255057.html)

As your post indicates, the consolidation of sectarian politics appears to be immune to change, and while many of Trump's candidates in the mid-terms lost, more than 170 won, and in the House it is said priority will be given not to policies that benefit Districts -tackling homelessness, crime, deficienies in education, transport, etc- but attacking Joe Biden and is family.

And yet there is some evidence across the US that a lot of voters have wearied of this 'attack politics' and want policies that relate to their everyday lives to take priority.

I wonder if this makes a Republican victory in 2024 less likely, if they are so resistant to change? De Santis might win the votes in Florida and Texas, but I doubt he can win over California or the North Eastern States. And I guess this consolidates the idea that Republican States that no longer believe in the Constitution will just carry on doing their own thing. America is a divided country, and I don't see any way that the divisions can be healed. And in some cases, it appears politicians don't want to heal them, but deepen them.

[blackchubby38]

I think Rupert maybe finally turning on Donald Trump:

New York Post Takes Aim at Trump, and Hits a Nerve

http://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/18/business/media/new-york-post-trump.html?searchResultPosition=1

I think this one is my favorite:

Then, on Wednesday, the paper relegated Mr. Trump’s announcement about his latest run for president to a small headline at the bottom of the page: “Florida Man Makes Announcement.”

[Luke Warm]

When you read our media and see conservative opinion writers like Jennifer Rubin (Washington Post) or David Brooks (NY Times) arguing against Trumpism or the hard tilt towards authoritarianism that Republicans have taken, you must realize that they have no constituencies, they represent almost no actual Republican voters

Quoting myself here (roll eyes) to add that even though there is scant “anti Trump” sentiment among Republican voters, the hope is that there’s enough of a schism that keeps a few anti-Trump Republicans staying at home on Election Day, enough to keep Republicans out of the White House. Or if Trump isn’t the nominee, then some Republicans stay home because Trump is the only candidate they really want. Because it’s a cult of personality.

[filghy2]

The Trump-De Santis contest (assuming it occurs) will be a test of one key question: do Republican supporters want a leader to implement a policy agenda or do they just want a performance artist to nurture their grievances and attack their enemies? What we know about Trump is that he has no idea about policy and is mainly interested in getting revenge for losing the Presidency.

[Stavros]

According to AOC in the House yesterday, I think it was, schools in Florida have banned a book on Rosa Parks, as well as Toni Morrison's third novel, Song of Solomon. I also read that in one school they did include Rosa Parks in a lesson, but were not allowed to mention of her Race. It is of course, entirely coincidental that the books are by and about Black Women, as well as issues around LGVTQ+.

I don't know at what age these books are being banned, but in Florida, should the Governor issue a State-wide Ban on The Holy Bible, and ensure that this book replete with violence and incest is removed from school libraries? Maybe if someone can confirm that most of the Bible stories were written by Black people?

Rep. AOC speaks on Republicans banning books - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pebx8bTwu4)

[Stavros]

More on the Michelangelo Crisis in Florida. Suppose a parent insisted that sixth graders read The Communist Manifesto?

"...the school is required by law to teach lessons on Renaissance art to sixth-graders — typically 11 and 12-year-old children — as a small portion of the annual curriculum. She said that three parents complained that their children were made uncomfortable by the lesson, which included a section on Michelangelo (https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/michelangelo)’s David.The school board enacted a rule two months ago requiring parental notification two weeks before the teaching of any "potentially controversial" information.
Two of the three parents who complained about the Renaissance art lesson said they wished they'd been notified before it was taught. The third parent complained the lesson was pornographic, despite being taught to 11 and 12-year-olds who almost certainly have phones and access to fullness of the internet's depravities."
School principal fired for showing Michelangelo’s David in class (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/school-principal-fired-showing-michelangelo-215245617.html)

[filghy2]

These people will be in for a shock if they ever take a trip to Europe - 'pornography' everywhere, even in churches.

1416093

[Stavros]

These people will be in for a shock if they ever take a trip to Europe - 'pornography' everywhere, even in churches.

1416093

Americans are happy to sell kiddy-shredding bullets to anyone who can pay for them, and spray their victims all over the walls -but show them a painting by Caravaggio and it is the end of America itself, as if it were what Putin would call it, 'Entartete Kunst'...

Facebook Censors Caravaggio’s Nude Cupid, Then Changes Mind | HuffPost Entertainment (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/facebook-cupid-caravaggio_n_581a26eee4b0c43e6c1d7a96)

[Stavros]

Heather Cox Richardson is worth reading. Here is an extract from a report concerning the DeSantis -vs-Disney cartoon frolics-

"After Trump officials mocked him for being beaten by Mickey Mouse, DeSantis today suggested he is determined to use the power of the government to force Disney, a private company, to bend to his authority. He threatened to build a rival amusement park or a state prison on land next to Disney’s Florida park.

Disney promptly responded by advertising a “first-ever Disneyland After Dark” LGBTQIA+ themed event night at its California Disneyland resort, and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele tweeted: “When families stop visiting & Disney’s $75.2B economic impact & $5.8B tax revenues drop; its 75K employees face layoffs & 463K jobs are also imperiled what would your analytics say caused that to happen? WTF, Dumbo.”"
April 17, 2023 (Monday) - by Heather Cox Richardson (substack.com) (https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/april-17-2023-monday)

[blackchubby38]

Its pretty amazing how far Ron De Santis has fallen in the polls since he won his reelection campaign. I think it shows that he isn't/wasn't ready for the big stage of a Presidential campaign. At this point, he better start worrying about his next term as governor.

[Fitzcarraldo]

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/18/chris-christie-ron-desantis-disney-00092505

[filghy2]

Its pretty amazing how far Ron De Santis has fallen in the polls since he won his reelection campaign. I think it shows that he isn't/wasn't ready for the big stage of a Presidential campaign. At this point, he better start worrying about his next term as governor.

De Santis doesn't seem to have any clear strategy. He got a boost earlier because many Republicans were looking for an alternative to Trump after the mid-terms, but since then he has done little to differentiate himself. He seems to be saying vote for me because I'm not Trump, even though I agree with him on just about everything.

His problem in the Republican primaries is that he just looks like Trump-lite without the charisma. His problem in the general election is that it's hard to see how he could expand the Republican vote by mimicking the same hard-right positions, and sometimes going even further.

[filghy2]

This article is good summary of De Santis's authoritarian culture wars agenda in education. All in the name of parental rights, freedom and anti-discrimination, of course - in classic Orwellian fashion they are called the Parental Rights in Education Act, the Individual Freedom Act and the Stop the Wrongs to our Kids and Employees Act.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/23593369/ron-desantis-florida-schools-higher-education-woke

[Fitzcarraldo]

This article is good summary of De Santis's authoritarian culture wars agenda in education. All in the name of parental rights, freedom and anti-discrimination, of course - in classic Orwellian fashion they are called the Parental Rights in Education Act, the Individual Freedom Act and the Stop the Wrongs to our Kids and Employees Act.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/23593369/ron-desantis-florida-schools-higher-education-woke

Freedom through bans!

[Stavros]

All in the name of parental rights, freedom and anti-discrimination


De Santis is the Big Daddy of Florida.

[Stavros]

Below is a link to the speech De Santis delivered to the Heritage Foundation. I watched it all, and note that you will need to fast forward in the broadcast.

On the one hand, it is a coherent statement of what these days passes for 'Conservative Politics' shaped in part by grievance, in part by boastful claims about what Florida has achieved.

1) The claims that were made in his tirade against 'Faucism' are not backed up by data but sniping about mask mandates and freedom, yet Florida had one of the worst records for Covid deaths in the US- thus, with 80,000+ deaths...

"Out of 50 states, Florida’s and California’s cumulative COVID-19 death rates rank 25th and 29th, respectively, with Florida’s 11% higher."
Florida COVID deaths top California, but economy is stronger - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com) (https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-09/covid-19-florida-california-compared-deaths-economy)

See also
Why are so many Floridians still dying from COVID? | Editorial (tampabay.com) (https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2022/09/09/floridas-tough-covid-summer-now-what-editorial/)

2) He boasts about the budget surplus in Florida, but in fact Texas has a larger surplus.

3) He offers a Conservative doctrine -low taxes, low regulation, minimal govt, individual liberty- while attacking the 'indoctrination' of School children, thus
"The purpose of school is not to impose political indoctrination on the student"...and then boasts that CRT has been banned from the classroom where it wasn't taught anyway, and declares students will be taught a different kind of history...the one he agrees with, the one that has a school holiday to celebrate the end of 'Communism' and so forth (starts around 44.32).

His remark on 'curriculum transparency' includes the claim that schoolchildren have been shown 'pornographic material' in the classroom, but what is it? He doesn't offer any detail.

4) at the end, he offers this claim about the Founding Fathers and the Revolution of 1776-this is their 'creed' : "Our rights are not the courtesy of Government but are a gift from Almighty God" (c1.11.00).
-This seems to me to flip the story of 1776 from Men making their own History, to making history not on the basis of Reason, but Faith. This may encapsulate current Conservative thinking, but is at odds with over a century of the Conservative thought that is in the textbooks and history books.

And you don't need a 'Permission Slip' to carry a gun....

Reason or Faith?
Government or the People?
The Constitution or the Bible?
Freedom or Tyranny?

You won't find the answers here. But here he is-
Watch: Ron DeSantis speaks after Florida passes bill allowing trans children to be removed from parents (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/watch-live-ron-desantis-speaks-145915416.html)

[filghy2]

His remark on 'curriculum transparency' includes the claim that schoolchildren have been shown 'pornographic material' in the classroom, but what is it? He doesn't offer any detail.

Probably those pictures of Michelangelo's David in art class

[Stavros]

In the video of the speech De Santis gave to the Heritage Foundation (see link in #22 above) the Guv'nor extols the benefits of living in Florida. His near-neighbour Donald J. Trump thinks otherwise-

"“The real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He has left a wake of destruction all across Florida and people are hurting because he has spent more time playing public relations games instead of actually doing the hard-work needed to improve the lives of the people he represents.”"
Trump throws new insults at the state of Florida in fresh attack on DeSantis | The Hill (https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3963585-trump-throws-new-insults-at-the-state-of-florida-in-new-attack-on-desantis/)

Normally when two people from the same party are in conflict, the party suffers. It may be that as support for DS dwindles, he decides not to run for the White House in 2024.

I have never made it to Florida, so I don't know which of the two is close to the truth.

[blackchubby38]

In the video of the speech De Santis gave to the Heritage Foundation (see link in #22 above) the Guv'nor extols the benefits of living in Florida. His near-neighbour Donald J. Trump thinks otherwise-

"“The real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He has left a wake of destruction all across Florida and people are hurting because he has spent more time playing public relations games instead of actually doing the hard-work needed to improve the lives of the people he represents.”"
Trump throws new insults at the state of Florida in fresh attack on DeSantis | The Hill (https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3963585-trump-throws-new-insults-at-the-state-of-florida-in-new-attack-on-desantis/)

Normally when two people from the same party are in conflict, the party suffers. It may be that as support for DS dwindles, he decides not to run for the White House in 2024.

I have never made it to Florida, so I don't know which of the two is close to the truth.

Well if you go by articles like this, its De Santis.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/real-estate/2023/03/03/new-yorkers-moving-florida-droves/11357516002/

While New York State residents moving to Florida is not a new thing (Miami has often been referred to the sixth borough), De Santis can make the case that his state is a destination for business and that its economy is thriving.

Although he probably picked the wrong time to start a battle with Disney.

I will say this though. De Santis didn't do himself any favors by being on a book tour while the city of Fort Lauderdale was in the middle of an historic flood.

http://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-faces-maga-backlash-over-ohio-trip-fort-lauderdale-floods-1794299

[Stavros]

I didn't know that about NY and Miami. I guess they go south in the winter?

It is mentioned in the link that De Santis is a poor team player, if at all. Prefers to discuss policy with his wife than colleagues and rarely remembers their names, if he bothers to talk to them at all. The polar opposite of Trump who needs constant re-assurance and advice because of plain ignorance of policy. I wonder if when the time comes, the Republican candidate will be someone not currently mentioned in despatches -eg. Sununu?

‘Four-time loser’ Trump may not be nominee for 2024, Republican insists | Donald Trump | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/23/trump-chris-sununu-republican-primary-2024)

[Fitzcarraldo]

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/disney-sues-ron-desantis-over-reedy-creek-control-rcna81587

[Stavros]

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/disney-sues-ron-desantis-over-reedy-creek-control-rcna81587

From the link above

""Disney was openly and legally granted a unique and special privilege, that privilege of running its own local government," Alan Lawson, a former Florida Supreme Court justice whose firm was hired by the DeSantis-appointed board, said during the board meeting. "That era is ending.""

Should Disney have such rights? Is it the same in California? Or France? Do other corporations or individuals have privileges like Disney? Could the State of Florida handled this issue differently, setting aside the 'Don't Say Gay' law -?

[Fitzcarraldo]

From the link above

""Disney was openly and legally granted a unique and special privilege, that privilege of running its own local government," Alan Lawson, a former Florida Supreme Court justice whose firm was hired by the DeSantis-appointed board, said during the board meeting. "That era is ending.""

Should Disney have such rights? Is it the same in California? Or France? Do other corporations or individuals have privileges like Disney? Could the State of Florida handled this issue differently, setting aside the 'Don't Say Gay' law -?

It was a deal made with the state over 50 years ago. I suspect it was corrupt, but the state probably did that to entice Disney to locate here. Look at the literal billions of dollars Disney has brought to the state. But the impetus to nullify that deal was purely petulant retribution on the governor's part, and he has replaced the district with something more corrupt, by appointing all the board members himself. It has nothing to do with the will of the people of the state.

[Stavros]

So Ron was at Guantanamo, and is outraged at the suggestion he did anything wrong there, or that anyone could recognize him years later, which, like never happened with someone from Auschwtiz recognizing a camp guard? Hmmm. Seems he had a job to do, and preferred to let the 'Guys' 'do their thing' rather than impose the law.

Ron DeSantis in Guantánamo: how questions about his past haunt the Florida governor | Ron DeSantis | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/28/ron-desantis-guantanamo-bay-allegations)

[Fitzcarraldo]

So Ron was at Guantanamo, and is outraged at the suggestion he did anything wrong there, or that anyone could recognize him years later, which, like never happened with someone from Auschwtiz recognizing a camp guard? Hmmm. Seems he had a job to do, and preferred to let the 'Guys' 'do their thing' rather than impose the law.

Ron DeSantis in Guantánamo: how questions about his past haunt the Florida governor | Ron DeSantis | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/28/ron-desantis-guantanamo-bay-allegations)

... which will only earn him more Republican voters.

[Luke Warm]

It seems like the more people see DeSantis, the less they like him. He is simply not “presidential” - he sounds whiny and seems weak. When he does act tough, it often seems like bad judgement or an overreach (going after Disney, feuding with other governors, declaring “Florida is where Woke goes to die” etc). If he runs against Trump, he will be curb-stomped. I would love to see DeSantis try to debate Trump, who is basically an insult comic and wildly entertaining. Remember the DeSantis ad where he was reading “The Art of the Deal” to his young daughter? Think that will come up at some point? Trump will tear him to shreds. He’s in a tough position because if he runs for president now, it’s a suicide mission. If DeSantis wisely decides to sit it out (because barring an illness or legal jeopardy, Trump already has the nomination locked up) in 2028 DeSantis will be out of office for 2 years by then (there are term limits for Florida governors, he’s on his last term now). In 2028 he will be off everyone’s radars, and considered old news.

Does DeSantis accept the suicide mission now, or wait until he’s considered irrelevant in 2028 and then fight it out in the primary with a dozen other mediocre Republican wannabes? Both options are terrible. Maybe he could run for Senate in 2026, but everything else is considered a step down from where he is now. We may be witnessing his last hurrahs. Unless something bad happens to Trump.

sorry this is so long winded

[Luke Warm]

Check out DeSantis at this press conference (it’s a 1 minute video). Does this goofball seem “presidential” to anyone? It doesn’t matter what they’re talking about (it’s Guantanamo though)… look at his delivery, his mannerisms, the sound of his voice, the squinting. This guy will never, ever be the president.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w1LJi4ExD8

[Stavros]

It seems like the more people see DeSantis, the less they like him. He is simply not “presidential” - he sounds whiny and seems weak. When he does act tough, it often seems like bad judgement or an overreach (going after Disney, feuding with other governors, declaring “Florida is where Woke goes to die” etc). If he runs against Trump, he will be curb-stomped. I would love to see DeSantis try to debate Trump, who is basically an insult comic and wildly entertaining. Remember the DeSantis ad where he was reading “The Art of the Deal” to his young daughter? Think that will come up at some point? Trump will tear him to shreds. He’s in a tough position because if he runs for president now, it’s a suicide mission. If DeSantis wisely decides to sit it out (because barring an illness or legal jeopardy, Trump already has the nomination locked up) in 2028 DeSantis will be out of office for 2 years by then (there are term limits for Florida governors, he’s on his last term now). In 2028 he will be off everyone’s radars, and considered old news.

Does DeSantis accept the suicide mission now, or wait until he’s considered irrelevant in 2028 and then fight it out in the primary with a dozen other mediocre Republican wannabes? Both options are terrible. Maybe he could run for Senate in 2026, but everything else is considered a step down from where he is now. We may be witnessing his last hurrahs. Unless something bad happens to Trump.

sorry this is so long winded

Useful, not long winded. I think the GOP has a dilemma -Trump remains the man with the Base, but the senior people in the Party, be they in Congress or the State, know he can't win a General Election, while the alternatives are De Santis and Haley, neither of whom can win either, unless the State Legislators who have taken office since Jan 6 decide to use their powers to fiddle with the election results in 2024.

But there are Democrats who are just as worried that Biden could be vulnerable to a younger Republican candidate.

From what I see, Biden at least has a strong record to run on; but evidence suggests many -most?- voters are weary of both Men, but neither party has a charismatic alternative who can sweep the field, given that Harris doesn't seem to command much in the News cycle. If anything, Biden aside, the people lining up for the Presidency so far are probably the weakest I have ever come across, and I have been following this from the UK since the disastrous Democrat Convention in Chicago in 1968, but again a lot depends on whether Harris wants the job.

Would Harris beat De Santis if it came to that?

I think if it's Trump v Biden in 2024 then bar those State Legislators fixing the vote, it is at least the last time those two will be the News, so I guess as your post suggests, 2028 is the Election the next generation is looking at.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Check out DeSantis at this press conference (it’s a 1 minute video). Does this goofball seem “presidential” to anyone? It doesn’t matter what they’re talking about (it’s Guantanamo though)… look at his delivery, his mannerisms, the sound of his voice, the squinting. This guy will never, ever be the president.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w1LJi4ExD8

That kind of behavior worked fine for Trump.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

That kind of behavior worked fine for Trump.Agree that kind of behavior worked for the MAGA King,but it isn't going work for Ron Mussolini.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Agree that kind of behavior worked for the MAGA King,but it isn't going work for Ron Mussolini.

He's still very popular with Florida Republicans.

[Fitzcarraldo]

The latest bullshit move:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-gop-lawmakers-pass-bill-shield-desantis-travel-records-rcna82605

[Luke Warm]

That kind of behavior worked fine for Trump.

It’s not the behavior (chastising a reporter) it’s that he comes off sounding weak and whiny. He has less ‘gravitas’ than a toy poodle.

I dunno, maybe I’m wrong, since I assumed everyone would know what I was trying to point out. Maybe some people see DiSantis differently than I do. I think he doesn’t look like he can play the part convincingly, if you know what I mean. His voice and mannerisms seem wimpy to me. But maybe I’m reading it wrong.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Laws like this will be coming to many other states:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/17/politics/desantis-signs-anti-trans-bill/index.html

[KnightHawk 2.0]

He's still very popular with Florida Republicans.Not surprised at all that Ron Mussolini DeSantis is very popular with MAGA Floridians,because he is doing exactly what they want to him do.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

The latest bullshit move:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/florida-gop-lawmakers-pass-bill-shield-desantis-travel-records-rcna82605Completely agree it is a bullshit move from Ron Mussolini DeSantis.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Rewarding political donors at the price of state employee pension funds:
https://www.levernews.com/desantis-allows-anti-woke-giveaway-to-big-wall-street-donors/

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Rewarding political donors at the price of state employee pension funds:
https://www.levernews.com/desantis-allows-anti-woke-giveaway-to-big-wall-street-donors/Absolutely disgusting. And shows that Ron Mussolini DeSantis cares more about political donors than state employees.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Birds of a feather:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-presidential-bid-campaign-elon-musk-rcna85288

[Fitzcarraldo]

Satire:
https://thehardtimes.net/lists/everything-we-know-about-the-upcoming-desantis-musk-twitter-live-chat/

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Birds of a feather:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-presidential-bid-campaign-elon-musk-rcna85288Flock Together.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Another example of censorship in the So-Called Free State Of Florida. https://apnews.com/article/amanda-gorman-inauguration-poem-banned-florida-9d3b83da51515b8961cfebd441f9a851

[Stavros]

He Do.

Now the US media must juggle fact and opinion on the 'achievements' of RDS in Florida. But will he take on Trump? And I mean with brutal intent?

[Fitzcarraldo]

Hilarious:
https://lincolnproject.us/an-open-letter-to-ron-desantis-from-the-lincoln-project/

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Hilarious:
https://lincolnproject.us/an-open-letter-to-ron-desantis-from-the-lincoln-project/Completely agree 1000% it is hilarious.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Ron Mussolini DeSantis said that he would pardon the MAGA Insurrectionists who stormed the US Capitol on Wednesday January 6th 2021,including the person who incited the insurrection the MAGA King Donald Trump. This is one of the main reasons why he is unfit to be President Of The United States. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3wymCcCpok

[Fitzcarraldo]

I guess this is why he didn't resign from office before running for president:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-administration-officials-solicit-campaign-cash-lobbyists-rcna86357

[KnightHawk 2.0]

I guess this is why he didn't resign from office before running for president:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-administration-officials-solicit-campaign-cash-lobbyists-rcna86357Completely agree,that is the reason the Socially Awkward Ron Mussolini DeSantis didn't resign from office,because he needs all the money he can get to run his fledgling presidential campaign.

[Luke Warm]

Running for office is a great way to make money because once the race is over, you still keep control over anything that wasn’t spent. You can’t just stick that money into a personal bank account, but during the race you can pay yourself a “salary”.

[Stavros]

This is an astonishing thing to say, could Disney sue for libel?

"Speaking to Fox News, DeSantis said the fight with Disney was about “standing for parents … standing for children. And I think a multibillion-dollar company that sexualises children is not consistent with the values of Florida or the values of a place like Iowa”, which will hold the first Republican contest next year."
- sorry forgot the link, it's from todays edition of The Guardian.

[Fitzcarraldo]

This is an astonishing thing to say, could Disney sue for libel?

"Speaking to Fox News, DeSantis said the fight with Disney was about “standing for parents … standing for children. And I think a multibillion-dollar company that sexualises children is not consistent with the values of Florida or the values of a place like Iowa”, which will hold the first Republican contest next year."
- sorry forgot the link, it's from todays edition of The Guardian.

That would be slander, not libel (libel is for slander in print), but probably not.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Not sure who is behind this, but it's ... comprehensive:
https://www.defascist24.com/

[Fitzcarraldo]

His ratings are tanking: https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-approval-rating-2024-polls-1805073

[Stavros]

Not sure who is behind this, but it's ... comprehensive:
https://www.defascist24.com/

Chilling too. But, on this morning's radio show on BBC Radio 4, an American commentator whose name I cannot recall, suggested that while at the moment Trump 'owns' the Republican Party nomination process, if the indictments keep coming and the evidence is not in Trump's favour, De Santis has to take the momentum away from Trump and take it for himself. In other words, he has to declare his view that Trump is unfit for public office. What the American did not say, is that De Santis could court some Trump supporters by indicating that were he to become President, he would pardon Trump of his crimes -he might have done this already.

If he is serious about the White House, he has to take some initiatives to control the agenda, though he comes across as a rather dull, uninspiring person, so that's a tall order.

[Stavros]

In the link, a useful video from the Santis Sympathetic Telegraph. But note this quote from the man himself-

"...ultimately a society needs to be grounded in truth" (@04.17)

What is the truth about Slavery, about Racism in the USA, about the success and failure of Capitalism? How interested in the truth is De Santis, when the truth does not match his personal ideology as he declares his intention to impose it on the FBI from
'day one'...

Ron DeSantis: I’ll purge FBI on day one of my presidency (yahoo.com) (https://uk.style.yahoo.com/ron-desantis-plans-purge-fbi-132218391.html)

[Fitzcarraldo]

Don't be fooled by the supposedly nonpartisan, moderate No Labels. They'll either run a spoiler candidate to help get Trump elected, or back Ron DeSantis if he gets the GOP nomination:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/13/no-labels-presidential-bid-trump-out-00101168

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Don't be fooled by the supposedly nonpartisan, moderate No Labels. They'll either run a spoiler candidate to help get Trump elected, or back Ron DeSantis if he gets the GOP nomination:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/13/no-labels-presidential-bid-trump-out-00101168Not fooled at all by the so-called Nonpartisan No Labels

[filghy2]

Don't be fooled by the supposedly nonpartisan, moderate No Labels. They'll either run a spoiler candidate to help get Trump elected, or back Ron DeSantis if he gets the GOP nomination:
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/13/no-labels-presidential-bid-trump-out-00101168

It will be telling whether their policy agenda involves doing anything meaningful about problems like climate change, rising inequality and gun violence.

[natina]

The current Grand Wizard ron desantis
Denée Benton at the #TonyAwards on Ron DeSantis: "While I’m certain that the current Grand Wizard ... I’m sorry. Excuse me, governor of my home state of Florida..."

https://twitter.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1668073302747750400?s=20
https://twitter.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1668073302747750400?s=20

1422717

[Stavros]

I don't know about 'Grand Wizard' but De Santis seems to think he has the same 'absolute' powers as Trump.

DeSantis asks Trump-appointed judge to dismiss Disney's lawsuit against him, claiming immunity (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/desantis-asks-trump-appointed-judge-025412746.html)

The irony, surely, is that for most of my life, Disney was considered 'Family Entertainment' (and still is I think). It meant parents knew if they took their children to a Disney film, there would not be any swearing, even partial nudity though I think swimwear might have been acceptable. There was no sex, drugs or violence but there was often a moral core of the wholesome good-vs-evil kind that most parents, regardless of religion, would approve of.

You would think from De Santis that Disney has now become a Neo-Marxist entertainment conspiracy determined to trash the values we are told Republicans believe define the USA: God, Family and Country. If this is true, I am not aware of it unless Frozen has a cryptic Lesbian storyline, Mulan a cryptic endorsement of Asian immigration, and Pinocchio smuggling in an attack on American's most famous liar, Donald J Trump. Three cases of so what? rather than Be afraid, be very afraid.

If the Corporation wants its staff to attend courses on Diversity and Inclusion is it because the corporation now employs Diverse people who it wants to feel part of, to be included in the 'Disney Family' ? -how are these Family Values a threat to the 'Free State of Florida' -and for that matter, since when does a 'Free Market' Republican believe he had the right to interfere in a private Corporation with which his predecessors granted extraordinary rights in the State? But I guess De Santis, like Trump no longer believes in Capitalism as it was when that other Ronald, was President.

Or maybe De Santis just has a short fuse, a thin skin, and secretly wants to roast Bambi on a Bar-B-Q?

[Stavros]

Another blow to De Santis, and a victory -temporary?- for the USA...

Happy 4th of July!

Judge blocks new Florida election law, signed by DeSantis this spring, calling it the 'latest assault on the right to vote' (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/judge-blocks-florida-election-law-211636714.html)

[Fitzcarraldo]

Another blow to De Santis, and a victory -temporary?- for the USA...

Happy 4th of July!

Judge blocks new Florida election law, signed by DeSantis this spring, calling it the 'latest assault on the right to vote' (yahoo.com) (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/judge-blocks-florida-election-law-211636714.html)

The state will no doubt appeal, and likely keep the law in effect during the process. Or they'll just make another law and stall any protest until after the election.

[Stavros]

The state will no doubt appeal, and likely keep the law in effect during the process. Or they'll just make another law and stall any protest until after the election.

Do these guys ever think that the law come first? Is it always the case that as soon as a Court of Law rules against them, they decide to take on the Court again and again? Maybe Ron should just openly admit he thinks he is better than the law, like his boyfriend on the coast whose July 4 message is characteristically laced with filth, proving he is not and never was Presidential material. What a pair!

Trump marks Independence Day by sharing vulgar attack on Biden and ominous 2024 warning | The Independent (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-truth-social-biden-july-4-b2369209.html)

[Fitzcarraldo]

Campaign team shakeup:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-fires-roughly-dozen-staffers-campaign-shake-rcna94470

[KnightHawk 2.0]

Campaign team shakeup:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-fires-roughly-dozen-staffers-campaign-shake-rcna94470

Ron Mussolini DeSantis Presidential Campaign is falling apart at the seams.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Little fish can't handle big pond:
https://www.vox.com/ron-desantis/2023/7/20/23801922/ron-desantis-2024-election-republican-primary-trump-cnn-staffing-finances

[Stavros]

Building his own ‘Republican Guard’, if not to be called Wagner, maybe Copland?

And note he is now taking Bud to court by constructing an argument about “radical social ideologies”, what, on the basis a privately owned Corporation either cannot make its own decisions subject to shareholder approval every year at the AGM, or submit their advertising strategies to Ronald Knows Best?

Anti-capitalism, more like the USSR. Way to go, Ronald not-McDonald.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ron-desantis-threatens-legal-action-170045512.html

[Fitzcarraldo]

And then there's this:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/floridas-new-education-standards-says-slavery-had-personal-benefits/

[KnightHawk 2.0]

And then there's this:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/floridas-new-education-standards-says-slavery-had-personal-benefits/What the fuck,that is the most asinine shit i ever heard. Not surprising the MAGA Party is trying to rewrite a terrible and despicable chapter in American History.

[filghy2]

It looks like De Santis is trying to win the nomination by running to the right of Trump and criticising him for being too soft. So much for the electability argument. It's hard to believe that anyone could make Trump look appealing, but he may do so in comparison.
https://www.slowboring.com/p/desantis-is-to-trumps-right-on-everything

[Fitzcarraldo]

So the campaign fired a Nazi (because he got caught), but refuses to comment about it:
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4119661-desantis-campaign-fires-speechwriter-who-promoted-video-with-nazi-imagery/

[Fitzcarraldo]

More mis-education in Florida:
https://www.wesh.com/article/prageru-florida-schools/44654207

[Stavros]

Above link not available to me (I am in Germany right now).

If De Santis is doing so badly - so far- in the Presidential stakes, does this suggest he would struggle to get re-elected Governor? Can Florida be flipped?

[Fitzcarraldo]

Above link not available to me (I am in Germany right now).

If De Santis is doing so badly - so far- in the Presidential stakes, does this suggest he would struggle to get re-elected Governor? Can Florida be flipped?

He's in his second term and in Florida a governor can't serve more than two consecutive terms, so he would have to wait one term to run again (unless he gets the legislature to change the state constitution for him).

[Fitzcarraldo]

Above link not available to me (I am in Germany right now).

If De Santis is doing so badly - so far- in the Presidential stakes, does this suggest he would struggle to get re-elected Governor? Can Florida be flipped?

Text from the link:

Florida allows teachers to use conservative PragerU curriculum in classrooms
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —Florida is the first state to allow the conservative curriculum PragerU in public schools.

The group says they create video, magazines and books to offer “a free alternative to the dominant left-wing ideology in culture, media, and education.” PragerU also claims that students are failing because schools are more concerned with pushing radical activism instead of teaching facts.

“Parents have felt that they have been really pushed out of the education of their children,” said PragerU CEO Marissa Streit.

Streit said they are now bringing PragerU Kids content to classrooms, and Florida is the first to sign up.

“America's classrooms have been more focused on producing young activists than actually kids who excel academically or are able to think critically,” she said. “We're providing teachers with additional tools so they don't have to only teach leftism in schools.”

On Wednesday, the Florida Department of Education said in a statement that they “reviewed PragerU Kids and determined the material aligns to Florida’s revised civics and government standards.”

Now, it is up to individual school districts whether they will use the supplemental material.

“We want our kids to accomplish academic excellence without it being laced with political narratives,” said Streit. “Kids should be learning without being indoctrinated with left-wing propaganda.”

PragerU has a vast database of video content. Some examples found on the site include a video about the history of slavery in which the narrator, Candace Owens, says "Slavery was not invented by White people." In another video, the narrator says "There is no such thing as gender-affirming care. You cannot affirm something that does not exist."

Meanwhile, PragerU Kids video content is found on a separate tab on the site and includes videos that discuss justice activism in classrooms, climate change and financial literacy.

Some parents like Tatiana Quiroga said she worries about what this means for their kids.

“This really makes me question where exactly is that separation of church and state,” she said.

Quiroga is the executive director of Come Out With Pride, the host of Orlando’s annual Pride festival.

“It’s just very concerning as a parent and just starting to really question what my children will be exposed to when they enter the classroom,” she said. “I am left with a lot of questions and concerns.”

Andrew Spar is the president of the statewide teachers’ union, Florida Education Association.

“It is clear that they have a political agenda. It is clear they're not about educating kids. They're about promoting propaganda,” he said.

Spar said teachers are clamoring for good resources while dealing with the constant fear of picking material people do not object to.

“The State of Florida wants to ban books, but they're going to allow a politically motivated program with no educational value,” he said. “It really goes to show where this administration's priorities are. Their priorities are not with the education of my child and your children. Their priority is certainly a political one.”

WESH 2 News reached out to the 10 local school districts in our area to see whether they plan to use PragerU materials:

Brevard: "The district reviews all state-approved curriculum to see if can benefit our students. We will review this voluntary curriculum before making any decisions."
Flagler: "PragerU is just one of several supplemental resources the state has approved to be considered for our teachers, just like other resources the state has approved, such as from the Florida Holocaust Museum, Reading Like a Historian (Stanford University), and Florida Memory (a resource of primary and secondary lesson plan supplements and resources specific to our state). Our teachers have access to all the approved materials available to them when building their lesson plans for the upcoming year."
Lake: Has not discussed PragerU
Marion: "PragerU is not included as a resource in our 23-24 curriculum maps due to its late release by the FLDOE."
Orange: "While the Florida Department of Education just approved the use of the PragerU curriculum, district staff has not had an opportunity to fully review the items."
Osceola: WESH 2 News is waiting to hear back
Polk: WESH 2 News is waiting to hear back
Seminole: "Materials from PragerU were not adopted by SCPS for any course and are not included in the district curriculum frameworks."
Sumter: WESH 2 News is waiting to hear back
Volusia: WESH 2 News is waiting to hear back

[Stavros]

Fitzcarraldo, thanks for taking the time to paste this, depressing as it is to read, even with the resistance in Florida. I wonder if the excessive demands being made by a few isolated parents to have books removed from school libraries will add another layer of resistance? On current trends, it might make more sense to shut down all school libraries in case a parent takes offence at what to most people is genuinely innocent language.

Or is ‘Spin the Bottle’ code for something lascivious and a threat to children?

https://www.thedailybeast.com/arthur-book-facing-ban-in-florida-over-this-one-wacko-complaint

[Fitzcarraldo]

Fitzcarraldo, thanks for taking the time to paste this, depressing as it is to read, even with the resistance in Florida. I wonder if the excessive demands being made by a few isolated parents to have books removed from school libraries will add another layer of resistance? On current trends, it might make more sense to shut down all school libraries in case a parent takes offence at what to most people is genuinely innocent language.

Or is ‘Spin the Bottle’ code for something lascivious and a threat to children?

https://www.thedailybeast.com/arthur-book-facing-ban-in-florida-over-this-one-wacko-complaint

No parent resistance will be effective as long as Republicans control the governor's office and the state legislature. I saw a poll that said 75% of Floridians oppose the 6-week abortion ban the legislature plans to implement.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Apparently we learned nothing from Watergate:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-suggests-pardon-trump-federal-charges-rcna96930

[Stavros]

Below is an interesting take on the Slavery nonsense coming out of Florida. What I find missing in all this, concerns the irony that those slaves who did acquire skills, for example, as carpenters, wheelwrights, blacksmiths etc, undermined the opportunities such trades might have had for the White working class in the South. Set aside the fact that however skilled a slave might be, it would not prevent his, or her Master from flogging them or worse, should they infringe the rules. But there is also no doubt that slavery did not benefit the white working class, whom these days De Santis claims to represent.

Maybe Harvard graduate De Santis should engage in some of his own historical research instead of allowing biased sources to feed him.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/why-ron-desantis-florida-slavery-120007345.html (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/why-ron-desantis-florida-slavery-120007345.html)

https://www.lawcha.org/2017/07/17/poor-whites-labor-crisis-slave-south/

[Fitzcarraldo]

Below is an interesting take on the Slavery nonsense coming out of Florida. What I find missing in all this, concerns the irony that those slaves who did acquire skills, for example, as carpenters, wheelwrights, blacksmiths etc, undermined the opportunities such trades might have had for the White working class in the South. Set aside the fact that however skilled a slave might be, it would not prevent his, or her Master from flogging them or worse, should they infringe the rules. But there is also no doubt that slavery did not benefit the white working class, whom these days De Santis claims to represent.

Maybe Harvard graduate De Santis should engage in some of his own historical research instead of allowing biased sources to feed him.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/why-ron-desantis-florida-slavery-120007345.html (https://uk.news.yahoo.com/why-ron-desantis-florida-slavery-120007345.html)

https://www.lawcha.org/2017/07/17/poor-whites-labor-crisis-slave-south/

He and his base don't care about any of that. They just want to erase and outlaw anything like white guilt. The end is all that matters, and they will shift means as necessary to get there.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Only 30 people were willing to pay a dollar to have a beer with him:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-awkward-comeback-effort-rcna97317

[filghy2]

Another example of right-wing indoctrination in Florida schools - climate change denialist cartoons.
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/09/in-desantis-florida-schools-get-ok-for-climate-denial-videos-ee-00109466

[Fitzcarraldo]

More fascism:
https://apnews.com/article/desantis-suspends-florida-prosecutor-monique-worrell-45d2f5955b87fb5c0e817d9da9133393

[Stavros]

Two posts that are in sync with the times: in the UK Climate Change Denial has now become Climate Change Rejection -because the Conservatives held on to Boris Johnson's seat in Parliament, and because it was said to be their rejection of the proposed Ultra-Low-Emissions-Zone that the London Mayor is creating to reduce urban emissions, and because the argument is 'the People' can't afford it, the Conservatives, and others, have been emboldened to argue there is no public support for Green Policies, so scrap them -all of them.

In Florida, it is not just Desperate Ron lashing out and sacking people, re-writing history -it may be seen as part of a broader Republican strategy to overhaul the foundations of American politics, using the Presidency as the means to implement what is being called the 'Unitary Executive Theory' which claims the President has significantly more extensive powers than previously accepted, er, because in fact such powers are subject to the decisions of the other two branches of Government.

It would be interesting to know if Ronald believes in the UET.

"Trump and his allies are planning a wholesale restructuring of the executive branch that would give him sweeping presidential power over the entire machinery of government with near complete impunity.
...
The basis for this effort is a political thesis called the “unitary executive theory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_executive_theory),” long popular with conservatives (https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-william-p-barr-delivers-19th-annual-barbara-k-olson-memorial-lecture), which posits that the Constitution gives a president the authority to control all executive action."
Opinion: Trump’s Plan To Go Full Fascist If He Wins In 2024 | HuffPost Opinion (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-trump-2024-election-executive-branch-power-grab_n_64d568dae4b0f17c0907de68)

[Fitzcarraldo]

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/11/desantis-iowa-pudding-fingers-chant-00110860

[Stavros]

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/11/desantis-iowa-pudding-fingers-chant-00110860

Abuse is no substitute for debate but then I guess that's why you posted this.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Abuse is no substitute for debate but then I guess that's why you posted this.

No, I posted it because I thought the "Pudding fingers" chant was funny.

[Fitzcarraldo]

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/28/1196305761/desantis-jacksonville-vigil-booed

[Stavros]

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/28/1196305761/desantis-jacksonville-vigil-booed

""Put parties aside," Pittman said. "A bullet don't know a party.""

But the Party -the Republican Party knows the bullets -the ones that explode inside the body that have been sanctioned for sale to the public, that fit into an AR-15 or any other weapon of human destruction. Just as Governor De Santis has not placed any limits on the ammo that can do blotto on a human, just as a 74 year-old man in Florida can marry a 14 year-old girl, it is all legal until someone does something.

Or does nothin'. If he can't be recalled, maybe he should resign as Governor to focus on what he wants most -the White House.

[Fitzcarraldo]

If he can't be recalled, maybe he should resign as Governor to focus on what he wants most -the White House.

I don't think Florida has recall provisions, but DeSantis won a decisive victory in his last campaign. He has a lot of the white vote, and for some reason a significant number of Hispanic voters (mainly the Cubans) are drawn to fascist candidates.

His campaign is going to be inconvenienced by a hurricane for at least the rest of the week. Of course he just ignored the terrible flooding in Fort Lauderdale a few months back, so who can say?

[Stavros]

There is a 'roomer' that he is going to drop out of the race. But the claim came from the owner of Pravda Sozial, using leeks he got from Florida'a secret police, or the Gazpacho, as the Cubists call them.

[Stavros]

De Santis and 'freedom of speech' -and how he reacts to a 15-year old asking awkward questions- suggesting there is a price to pay for making The Governor look feeble....

Ron DeSantis Is Afraid of Questions From a 15-Year-Old (yahoo.com) (https://uk.yahoo.com/news/ron-desantis-afraid-questions-15-083126041.html)

Also, click the link to Chris Christie's response to it on CNN. But remind me, wasn't Christie angling for a job in Trump's White House before Kushner blocked it?

[KnightHawk 2.0]

De Santis and 'freedom of speech' -and how he reacts to a 15-year old asking awkward questions- suggesting there is a price to pay for making The Governor look feeble....

Ron DeSantis Is Afraid of Questions From a 15-Year-Old (yahoo.com) (https://uk.yahoo.com/news/ron-desantis-afraid-questions-15-083126041.html)

Also, click the link to Chris Christie's response to it on CNN. But remind me, wasn't Christie angling for a job in Trump's White House before Kushner blocked it? Yes Chris Christie sure was,can't anything he says serious.

[Stavros]

There is a lot to unpack here: on the one hand the in-your-face reality about Race in the US, on the other hand, the claim by Republicans that the boundaries of Congressional Districts be 'blind' to Race, when the outcome of a new boundary is to not only reduce Black representation, but to all but guarantee the Republicans have the majority they crave.

That said, if politics was not so sectarian, both major parties would be appealing for votes to all voters. The system itself appears to create the very problems that re-districting cannot address when the boundaries are drawn by a party acting in its self-interest, rather than in the broader interests of Democracy. And while it may be true that most Black Americans vote Democrat, do Black Republicans welcome the outcome of the slice and dice tactics of De Santis, to give them the -presumably- White Representative they want or either way are going to get?

Consider this from Chief Justice Roberts-
"“When it comes to considering race in the context of districting, we have made clear that there is a difference ‘between being aware of racial considerations and being motivated by them’,” chief justice John Roberts wrote (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-1086_1co6.pdf#page=29) for a five-justice majority. “The former is permissible; the latter is usually not.”"

But didn't Roberts lead the campaign to dismantle the 1965 Voting Rights Act motivated by Race, indeed, is it possible for any aspect of Race in American politics not to be shaped by 'Motivations' on whichever side?

I don't think so. They should come out with the naked truth: Stop Black People Voting. Because that in the end is what they want.

DeSantis eyes revoking constitutional safeguard for Florida’s Black voters | US news | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/07/ron-desantis-florida-black-voters)

[Fitzcarraldo]

Liar:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/ron-desantis-florida-law-enforcement-crime-50-percent-low-rcna105091

[Stavros]

The claims De Santis makes, it is argued, are based on unreliable statistics, because of the changes made to the way the FBI collects them, and the claim that up to 45% of Florida is not counted in the stats for the State.

Thus, in 2020 Trump made the claim

"Trump claimed in the written statement that “on crime statistics, Florida ranked Third Worst in Murder, Third Worst in Rape, and Third Worst in Aggravated Assault.”
Facts First: This needs context. Trump was correct that Florida has had the third-most of various kinds of crimes, but that’s mostly because Florida has had the third-biggest population (https://www.census.gov/popclock/). Per capita, a fairer way to compare jurisdictions of different sizes, Florida rates notably better. In 2020, the last year for which thorough national crime data has been published by the FBI, Florida was 25th-worst for reported murders, 33rd-worst for reported rapes, and 23rd-worst for reported aggravated assaults, crime analyst and consultant Jeff Asher (https://twitter.com/Crimealytics) told CNN."
Fact-checking Trump's barrage of attacks against Ron DeSantis | CNN Politics (https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/29/politics/fact-check-trump-early-attacks-on-desantis/index.html)

But then this:

"To attract Republican primary voters (https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/us-presidential-house-senate-elections) across the country, Gov. Ron DeSantis (https://www.axios.com/2023/05/24/ron-desantis-florida-governor-us-president-2024) is pitching himself as a "law-and-order" presidential candidate (https://www.axios.com/2023/05/24/us-president-elections-2024-candidates). His proof: Florida's 50-year crime low.
Yes, but: Nearly half of the state's population is excluded from 2021 crime figures estimated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), according to data provided to Axios by The Marshall Project (https://www.themarshallproject.org/2023/06/20/desantis-florida-crime-rate-incomplete-data), a nonprofit newsroom covering criminal justice.


Florida's participation rate in the FBI's national data collection is also the lowest of any state in the country.

Why it matters: The data gap means it's nearly impossible to compare Florida's crime rate to other states or current crime statistics with data from past years."
Fact Check: Florida's crime 'record low' under Desantis, half of population excluded in data - Axios Tampa Bay (https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2023/07/12/florida-crime-data-incomplete-fbi-reporting)

I suppose someone can then drill into the available stats for different crimes, eg Murder, Robbery et al. In the UK there is currently a claim shoplifting is not just becoming uncontrollable, but that it is because it is being carried out by organized gangs rather than individuals.
‘It’s organised looting’: UK in grip of a shoplifting epidemic, say store owners | Crime | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/15/its-organised-looting-uk-in-grip-of-a-shoplifting-epidemic-say-store-owners#:~:text=their%20former%20selves%E2%80%9D.-,Shop%20thefts%20have%20more%20than%20doubled%20in %20the%20past%20three,Co%2Dop%20or%20larger%20supe rmarkets.)

What would Florida's stats look like based on more accurate stats, with a breakdown of the crimes -for what crime, other than Murder and Violence against the Person, causes people the most anxiety?

[Stavros]

"When State of the Union host Jake Tapper brought Musk’s widely condemned “actual truth” message to the screen, DeSantis said he had “no idea what the context is” and said he would not “pass judgment on the fly”, although he said he stood against antisemitism “across the board”.“I know Elon Musk (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/elon-musk),” DeSantis said. “I’ve never seen him do anything. I think he’s a guy that believes in America, I’ve never seen him indulge in any of that. So it’s surprising if that’s true.”"
Musk ‘believes in America’: DeSantis defends X owner after antisemitic post | Ron DeSantis | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/19/desantis-defends-musk-after-antisemitic-comment)

First line of The Godfather: I believe in America.

[KnightHawk 2.0]

"When State of the Union host Jake Tapper brought Musk’s widely condemned “actual truth” message to the screen, DeSantis said he had “no idea what the context is” and said he would not “pass judgment on the fly”, although he said he stood against antisemitism “across the board”.“I know Elon Musk (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/elon-musk),” DeSantis said. “I’ve never seen him do anything. I think he’s a guy that believes in America, I’ve never seen him indulge in any of that. So it’s surprising if that’s true.”"
Musk ‘believes in America’: DeSantis defends X owner after antisemitic post | Ron DeSantis | The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/19/desantis-defends-musk-after-antisemitic-comment)

First line of The Godfather: I believe in America. Ron DeSantis is very delusional,and not surprised at all he's defending a right wing loving pile of shit like Elon Musk.

[Helvis2012]

He's running but he's a really weird guy.

[Fitzcarraldo]

DeSantis is out. Best news I've seen in a long time:
https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-250c8ed4b49843350e258f0c2754c8ba

[Stavros]

No doo doo, just noo noo. Who cares?