DeSantis and spokespersons have used the phrase “will of the people” to justify Florida’s “Don’t say gay” bill (HB1557), the “woke” agenda including AP history course materials and book banning, the 6 week abortion prohibition bill, allowing residents to carry guns without a state permit, even the “war on Disney” (and vaccination requirements on cruise lines during the pandemic), etc, as if a majority of Florida citizens support such things.
In fact, none of these measures went on a ballot for “the people” to vote on them. Just a majority of a republican legislature and his signature. When Florida voters passed Amendment 4 “Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative” with over 64% support, DeSantis and the legislature added additional conditions, then created an agency to arrest purported violators as examples. Good luck with all that “will of the people” talk.
Apr 28, 2023·edited Apr 28, 2023Liked by Aaron Rupar, davidrlurie
The Florida legislature is now voting on a bill that would make DeSantis eligible to run for President without having to first resign as governor. It already passed the FL Senate, and the FL House is expected to vote on it today. Florida currently has a "resign to run" law which prevents anyone in office to run for a different office without first resigning from their current position. This new bill amends that law, thus making it okay for anyone in office to be able to run for President or Vice-President of the US.
So basically, the Florida legislature will do anything that DeSantis demands, without giving any thought to how their own constituents might feel about it.
BTW, I wouldn't be surprised if DeSantis announces his candidacy right after he signs this bill into law.
Bravo! And please file under “Pundits follow shiny objects” yesterday’s edition of The (Washington) Post Most which features a new section at the very end titled “More on Donald Trump.”
My question is, "What are the billionaires watching and reading?" As stated, how is it that they missed the clear authoritarian/dictator vibe coming from DeSantis? Does anyone think that DeSantis would shy away from attacking "Woke Wall Street" or whatever random shitmonikers the right ascribe their targets? It's like me voting for the Libertarian candidate in my first presidential election (1992) just to give a finger to the establishment, then sorta waking up in my 20s. Except I was a bit younger and without quite as much money to protect.
I don’t understand why the press can’t see that these authoritarians pose an existential threat to the fourth estate? Firing a journalist for telling the truth about Fascist Ron is a slippery slope to all media outlets becoming propaganda for the state.
I think there's a lot of good stuff here but I do think it misses the forest for the trees. Ron DeSantis is mediocre and always has been is true and all, but that's exactly how we could describe Trump, so right off the bat, there's an issue here. I do think that the analysis rightly identifies DeSantis's original strategy and his appeal to mega donors. That said, I think there are plenty of signs that he's adapted that strategy a little to basically wait Trump out. Too many analysts are obsessed with the mistakes they THINK they made with Trump in 2016 (and the biggest one they absolutely made: they thought it was IMPOSSIBLE for him to win, but now everyone thinks it is inevitable that he'll be the nominee, when odds are against that happening, which I'll explain though it should be obvious).
Trump leads in the polls and for reasons stated in the analysis, is able to pummel DeSantis. DeSantis is his own worst enemy, impatient and incapable of taking criticism, so he's certainly imploding. Still, what will it matter when Trump goes to the McDonald's in the sky (or the Burger King in the other place) after one last Big Mac Attack? Oh, we said that'd happen in 2016 and it didn't--why would it happen now? Oh, I don't know, it'll be eight years later, he lived through the stress of the presidency and a second election and now he's under civil and criminal cases that are going to court and are enough to give anyone a stroke. Watch video of him in 2016 and now and you'll see he's not as lucid as he was then. There's a real chance he'll start talking about his wife Marla soon in front of his fans. Whether it is a big mac attack, legal perils (which are helping him right now but remember, Watergate took months to get so much as a slight change in public opinion on Nixon), or mental decline, the odds of Trump making it through to the nomination OVER A YEAR FROM NOW are not great. DeSantis can just wait it out (and strictly speaking, for DeSantis, if Trump is the nominee he'll wait till 2028 and make Florida literal hell). And make no mistake, President DeSantis would make a Trump presidency look like a walk in the park for democracy.
Still, that's more trees and even that misses the forest. Trump is the leader of a cult of personality and, yes, DeSantis recognizes that and is starting to act like he'll never be able to out cult of personality Trump. But Lenin had more charisma than Stalin. Mao had more charisma than Deng. Castro had more charisma than his brother. Hugo Chavez had more charisma than Nicolas Maduro. Yet the anti democratic regimes these men helped usher in persisted with their successors. Trump was a catalyst for finishing the merger Reagan (really Nixon, but Reagan perfected it) of the hyper bigoted secessionist enslaver regime's thralls and the oligarchic powers that consolidated to end Radical Reconstruction all under a white Christian nationalist umbrella. Trump unleashed something from the gates of hell that has been taunting us from our past since our Founding. But he only unleashed it. He's not the monster from the pit of hell. He's the tool the beast used to break free of its last shackles.
That's the forest. That's the important thing. Not some way too early victory lap for declaring the fascist governor of Florida irrelevant. Not the self gratifying warning that Trump is inevitable. That all misses the real threat. If Trump dies and DeSantis can't pick up the mantle (and I'd wager he can and will) then some one else will. Who? I don't know and that's not important. They are the tool of the beast, not the beast itself.
Stop fixating on the inevitability of Trump or peeing on DeSantis's not even dug yet grave. It's just public self gratification. Start worrying about why the Republican nominee, no matter who it is, will have a very real chance of winning (the EC, not the popular vote) and taking the White House. It won't matter who it is, a Republican can win the White House and if they do democracy in the United States will be dead, at least for the time being.
I have no love for de Santis. I think he’s a dangerous and very nasty man. But if you measure his electoral record (ie winning elections) it’s pretty good. I don’t think the big swing he got in Florida (in contrast to the disappointing performance of the Republicans everywhere else) can be put aside as lightly as the Mr Lurie seems to. While his campaign is in trouble his polling numbers are a quantum leap above all the other non-Trump candidates which are typically in single figures.
I don’t blame the donor class being desperate for someone who isn’t Trump, and I don’t blame de Santis for ‘running to the right’ as a strategy (abhorrent as the policies are). I expect he sincerely believes in them anyway. The trouble is that Trump’s hold on the base has proved surprisingly durable and looks to be dragging the Republicans down the path of more electoral disappointment. Not to put too fine a point on it, the loonies are in charge or the Republican Party and happily the loonies have no political smarts. They seem determined to lumber the party with Trump, or Trump wannabes and simply cannot see the repeated evidence that it’s no way to win in a General Election.
Aaron, update on the Florida bill. The House passed it, so it's on its way to DeSantis for his signature. He'll most likely sign it as soon as he returns from the UK and then make the announcement he's running for President right after.
Love your article. Hope it gets worldwide attention. Completely agree with all you say of DeSatinism I call it. He’s the devil in disguise. Thank you for publishing it.
'DeSantis has become the leader of what he calls the battle against “wokeness,” an ambiguously defined phenomenon which encompasses just about any activity that promotes the tolerance of minority groups and the study of history.' (article)
Specifically the inclusion of the history of Black Americans in the US who are the descendants of the enslaved by Trans-Atlantic African Slave trade.
Minority groups is general, whereas DeSantis and company were very specific about the Black Americans' US history and authors being removed from the curricula.
It's hard to put into words how angry & frustrated I am with Florida politics & this year's legislative session. I feel like I've been dropped in a bad dream where everything bad lives & there is no way out. I'm glad to read your newsletter because I feel like I'm not alone. I'm aware of many of your points about desatan but no one has put it all together quite like you. Thanks for that. I need to focus my energy on House & Senate races that are winnable & not on the nonsense outside of my control. I want to be an advocate for the many battles Florida needs to be fought, but I'm not alone in this fight & in that I find some comfort. Primarily we need to get Biden reelected & get control of the House & Senate so we can make real change. I'm an optimist so I will continue with what I do best and that's supporting democracy and human rights. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you. I've been a fan of yours on Twitter for a long time. P. S. The Dark Brandon bit Biden did at the WHCD was gold! ✌️
Thank you for this piece! I have been banging my head against a wall for months trying to understand the obsession and support for DeSantis. Every day he’s shows us all what a horrible human being he is, he lacks integrity, character, courage, intelligence and just doubles and triples down on the whatever the cult wants with no thought given to the ultimate consequences. He’s got to be one of the least charismatic candidates in history and the man literally disgusts twice the amount of people that like him. Much like his hero Trump!
The fact these people EVER thought that winning big in Florida, where Dems had essentially given up, was some kind of sign that he’d definitely be the next president, reminded me how delusional they all still are. His policies, just like the rest of the GOP, are totally anathema to this country, our democracy & our freedoms. I just don’t understand what they see in DeSantis in their fever dreams that the rest of us are missing. But we’re not missing anything. They just have terrible judgement and literally can’t help themselves with the authoritarian moves, despite how clearly unpopular they are. It’s the only explanation at this point.
Please Ronny, keep it up. All he does is show us who he is. Can people finally stop pretending he’s something that he’s not? He will NEVER be president and nothing we are seeing from him is new. I guess it just took people seeing his numbers collapse, as they always were going to when it comes to the general election, to finally wake up to what a terrible candidate & repugnant human being he is. While older people in this country may prefer authoritarianism in their older age, millennials and Gen Z feel the exact opposite. We will fight to take our country back and if the right thinks they have a chance with their populist fascism, they’re sorely mistaken as the future is moving further and further away from their hate, violence & divisiveness.
DeSantis and spokespersons have used the phrase “will of the people” to justify Florida’s “Don’t say gay” bill (HB1557), the “woke” agenda including AP history course materials and book banning, the 6 week abortion prohibition bill, allowing residents to carry guns without a state permit, even the “war on Disney” (and vaccination requirements on cruise lines during the pandemic), etc, as if a majority of Florida citizens support such things.
In fact, none of these measures went on a ballot for “the people” to vote on them. Just a majority of a republican legislature and his signature. When Florida voters passed Amendment 4 “Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative” with over 64% support, DeSantis and the legislature added additional conditions, then created an agency to arrest purported violators as examples. Good luck with all that “will of the people” talk.
The Florida legislature is now voting on a bill that would make DeSantis eligible to run for President without having to first resign as governor. It already passed the FL Senate, and the FL House is expected to vote on it today. Florida currently has a "resign to run" law which prevents anyone in office to run for a different office without first resigning from their current position. This new bill amends that law, thus making it okay for anyone in office to be able to run for President or Vice-President of the US.
So basically, the Florida legislature will do anything that DeSantis demands, without giving any thought to how their own constituents might feel about it.
BTW, I wouldn't be surprised if DeSantis announces his candidacy right after he signs this bill into law.
Bravo! And please file under “Pundits follow shiny objects” yesterday’s edition of The (Washington) Post Most which features a new section at the very end titled “More on Donald Trump.”
My question is, "What are the billionaires watching and reading?" As stated, how is it that they missed the clear authoritarian/dictator vibe coming from DeSantis? Does anyone think that DeSantis would shy away from attacking "Woke Wall Street" or whatever random shitmonikers the right ascribe their targets? It's like me voting for the Libertarian candidate in my first presidential election (1992) just to give a finger to the establishment, then sorta waking up in my 20s. Except I was a bit younger and without quite as much money to protect.
I don’t understand why the press can’t see that these authoritarians pose an existential threat to the fourth estate? Firing a journalist for telling the truth about Fascist Ron is a slippery slope to all media outlets becoming propaganda for the state.
I think there's a lot of good stuff here but I do think it misses the forest for the trees. Ron DeSantis is mediocre and always has been is true and all, but that's exactly how we could describe Trump, so right off the bat, there's an issue here. I do think that the analysis rightly identifies DeSantis's original strategy and his appeal to mega donors. That said, I think there are plenty of signs that he's adapted that strategy a little to basically wait Trump out. Too many analysts are obsessed with the mistakes they THINK they made with Trump in 2016 (and the biggest one they absolutely made: they thought it was IMPOSSIBLE for him to win, but now everyone thinks it is inevitable that he'll be the nominee, when odds are against that happening, which I'll explain though it should be obvious).
Trump leads in the polls and for reasons stated in the analysis, is able to pummel DeSantis. DeSantis is his own worst enemy, impatient and incapable of taking criticism, so he's certainly imploding. Still, what will it matter when Trump goes to the McDonald's in the sky (or the Burger King in the other place) after one last Big Mac Attack? Oh, we said that'd happen in 2016 and it didn't--why would it happen now? Oh, I don't know, it'll be eight years later, he lived through the stress of the presidency and a second election and now he's under civil and criminal cases that are going to court and are enough to give anyone a stroke. Watch video of him in 2016 and now and you'll see he's not as lucid as he was then. There's a real chance he'll start talking about his wife Marla soon in front of his fans. Whether it is a big mac attack, legal perils (which are helping him right now but remember, Watergate took months to get so much as a slight change in public opinion on Nixon), or mental decline, the odds of Trump making it through to the nomination OVER A YEAR FROM NOW are not great. DeSantis can just wait it out (and strictly speaking, for DeSantis, if Trump is the nominee he'll wait till 2028 and make Florida literal hell). And make no mistake, President DeSantis would make a Trump presidency look like a walk in the park for democracy.
Still, that's more trees and even that misses the forest. Trump is the leader of a cult of personality and, yes, DeSantis recognizes that and is starting to act like he'll never be able to out cult of personality Trump. But Lenin had more charisma than Stalin. Mao had more charisma than Deng. Castro had more charisma than his brother. Hugo Chavez had more charisma than Nicolas Maduro. Yet the anti democratic regimes these men helped usher in persisted with their successors. Trump was a catalyst for finishing the merger Reagan (really Nixon, but Reagan perfected it) of the hyper bigoted secessionist enslaver regime's thralls and the oligarchic powers that consolidated to end Radical Reconstruction all under a white Christian nationalist umbrella. Trump unleashed something from the gates of hell that has been taunting us from our past since our Founding. But he only unleashed it. He's not the monster from the pit of hell. He's the tool the beast used to break free of its last shackles.
That's the forest. That's the important thing. Not some way too early victory lap for declaring the fascist governor of Florida irrelevant. Not the self gratifying warning that Trump is inevitable. That all misses the real threat. If Trump dies and DeSantis can't pick up the mantle (and I'd wager he can and will) then some one else will. Who? I don't know and that's not important. They are the tool of the beast, not the beast itself.
Stop fixating on the inevitability of Trump or peeing on DeSantis's not even dug yet grave. It's just public self gratification. Start worrying about why the Republican nominee, no matter who it is, will have a very real chance of winning (the EC, not the popular vote) and taking the White House. It won't matter who it is, a Republican can win the White House and if they do democracy in the United States will be dead, at least for the time being.
I have no love for de Santis. I think he’s a dangerous and very nasty man. But if you measure his electoral record (ie winning elections) it’s pretty good. I don’t think the big swing he got in Florida (in contrast to the disappointing performance of the Republicans everywhere else) can be put aside as lightly as the Mr Lurie seems to. While his campaign is in trouble his polling numbers are a quantum leap above all the other non-Trump candidates which are typically in single figures.
I don’t blame the donor class being desperate for someone who isn’t Trump, and I don’t blame de Santis for ‘running to the right’ as a strategy (abhorrent as the policies are). I expect he sincerely believes in them anyway. The trouble is that Trump’s hold on the base has proved surprisingly durable and looks to be dragging the Republicans down the path of more electoral disappointment. Not to put too fine a point on it, the loonies are in charge or the Republican Party and happily the loonies have no political smarts. They seem determined to lumber the party with Trump, or Trump wannabes and simply cannot see the repeated evidence that it’s no way to win in a General Election.
We are fugged.
Aaron, update on the Florida bill. The House passed it, so it's on its way to DeSantis for his signature. He'll most likely sign it as soon as he returns from the UK and then make the announcement he's running for President right after.
Here's a recap of the bill from Democracy Docket:
https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/florida-legislature-sends-restrictive-elections-bill-to-desantis/
Always beware the snake (DeSantis) in the grass. It's
quite possible Trump's going to be indicted and I don't believe Jack Smith will have a
slip-shod case(s). He's too
thorough and knowledgeable.
The Republicans are leaning more and more far right. Their next best hope, no matter how distasteful currently, is
pudding fingers.
Love your article. Hope it gets worldwide attention. Completely agree with all you say of DeSatinism I call it. He’s the devil in disguise. Thank you for publishing it.
'DeSantis has become the leader of what he calls the battle against “wokeness,” an ambiguously defined phenomenon which encompasses just about any activity that promotes the tolerance of minority groups and the study of history.' (article)
Specifically the inclusion of the history of Black Americans in the US who are the descendants of the enslaved by Trans-Atlantic African Slave trade.
Minority groups is general, whereas DeSantis and company were very specific about the Black Americans' US history and authors being removed from the curricula.
wow! this excellent analysis sure holds up well. glad to see him out of the race.
Exonerated
'Andrew Gillum, who was facing ethical problems (he has since been indicted) in a state that has long trended Republican.(article)
It's hard to put into words how angry & frustrated I am with Florida politics & this year's legislative session. I feel like I've been dropped in a bad dream where everything bad lives & there is no way out. I'm glad to read your newsletter because I feel like I'm not alone. I'm aware of many of your points about desatan but no one has put it all together quite like you. Thanks for that. I need to focus my energy on House & Senate races that are winnable & not on the nonsense outside of my control. I want to be an advocate for the many battles Florida needs to be fought, but I'm not alone in this fight & in that I find some comfort. Primarily we need to get Biden reelected & get control of the House & Senate so we can make real change. I'm an optimist so I will continue with what I do best and that's supporting democracy and human rights. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you. I've been a fan of yours on Twitter for a long time. P. S. The Dark Brandon bit Biden did at the WHCD was gold! ✌️
Thank you for this piece! I have been banging my head against a wall for months trying to understand the obsession and support for DeSantis. Every day he’s shows us all what a horrible human being he is, he lacks integrity, character, courage, intelligence and just doubles and triples down on the whatever the cult wants with no thought given to the ultimate consequences. He’s got to be one of the least charismatic candidates in history and the man literally disgusts twice the amount of people that like him. Much like his hero Trump!
The fact these people EVER thought that winning big in Florida, where Dems had essentially given up, was some kind of sign that he’d definitely be the next president, reminded me how delusional they all still are. His policies, just like the rest of the GOP, are totally anathema to this country, our democracy & our freedoms. I just don’t understand what they see in DeSantis in their fever dreams that the rest of us are missing. But we’re not missing anything. They just have terrible judgement and literally can’t help themselves with the authoritarian moves, despite how clearly unpopular they are. It’s the only explanation at this point.
Please Ronny, keep it up. All he does is show us who he is. Can people finally stop pretending he’s something that he’s not? He will NEVER be president and nothing we are seeing from him is new. I guess it just took people seeing his numbers collapse, as they always were going to when it comes to the general election, to finally wake up to what a terrible candidate & repugnant human being he is. While older people in this country may prefer authoritarianism in their older age, millennials and Gen Z feel the exact opposite. We will fight to take our country back and if the right thinks they have a chance with their populist fascism, they’re sorely mistaken as the future is moving further and further away from their hate, violence & divisiveness.