Since I effectively derailed the DeSantis Twitter announcement thread, I figured I'd dedicate a thread to his campaign and its progress. 

I noticed this quote from an interview he gave yesterday:

"Most of the people that support you probably voted for President Trump twice. And the first comment I hear over and over again is, "Why doesn't Ron DeSantis wait for President Trump's second term and then run?' And what is your best answer to that? Why is right now the time for Ron DeSantis to run for president?" host Will Cain asked.

"Because" DeSantis boasted, "everyone knows if I'm the nominee, I will beat Biden, uh, and I will serve two terms and I will be able to, uh, destroy leftism in this country and leave woke ideology on the dustbin of history."

What does that mean to his supporters? 

Surely no one thinks he'll "destroy leftism" if that means what it would most obviously imply. 
Roughly half of our great nation aren't going to suddenly alter their political nature, are they?`
And the "woke ideology" he refers to is a little tough to pin down since the term has officially been misappropriated to mean apparently anything Ron DeSantis doesn't like. 

I guess there is no point in trying to pick apart some blustering rhetoric, but it will be interesting if this ever gets down to RD actually outlining substantive intended policy. 

Right now, it just feels like version 2.0 of "we'll build a wall and make Mexico pay for it." 
Empty and ludicrous. 

Here are some of DeSantis known stances:

Gov't Spending- He thinks the fed gov spends too much. Wants to expand domestic energy production, but I haven't seen details on what that would mean. 
Spending on Ukraine would certainly take a cut, but he's flip-flopped from his original stance on that conflict, and now calls Putin a war criminal - after originally saying the US should not be involved in a territorial dispute between Russia and Ukraine. 

Abortion:
He takes a harder line than Trump and could lose some moderates there. Any Republican nominee will lose votes there though as conservative voters have many women among their ranks who will deviate from their norm on this issue alone. 

Taxes
When he was in Congress he supported a bill for a "fair tax" which would replace income taxes with a national sales tax of 23%. 
 Hmmm. Not sure what to make of that. 


Social Security and Medicare:
If you aren't on the verge of retirement and you've been contributing to these programs, prepare to get screwed.
He's wants to put a date limit in place and terminate or severely defund the programs long term.

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It's this type of rhetoric that makes me distrust DeSantis. The only way he can do what he says if he can get Wall Street to move back towards the right. I don't see it happening. There's just too much power on the left right now. Also, I don't want Wall Street on the right. I want people to wake up and start pushing back against these international conglomerates. They aren't pro-America anymore. We can never have nice things if we keep letting them abuse their power to gain more power.

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I'm all in on the fair tax, I don't care about the wokeness stuff. I just ignore the woke stuff and raise my kids by our standards. I'm also all in on sunsetting social security, hell offer a trade off student loans for social security. Not that DeSantis has ever mentioned that just a thought I've floated before.

DeSantis plays the hyperbole game sure I don't know of a politician that doesn't these days, but what I like about him is the actions he takes.

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When I first saw the term "woke," black people were using it to express dissatisfaction with their lives not improving under Obama. There was an opportunity there. To say, "that party thinks if we just put some people who look like you in the elite circles, things will change for you. But our party is looking at the content of character, and we will work to remove barriers for you even if we don't look like you." It's a shame few on the right took it. A lot of white people on the right are still basically scared of black people who speak up for themselves, so the response was aggression rather than understanding. Another problem is racial issues really are getting more localized and not even regional anymore. There's less racial strife in Jax or Atlanta today than there is Baltimore or Philadelphia or Detroit. So if people my age who know Jacksonville well start hearing about a problem black people in St Louis have, we might say, "what are they complaining about?" Not realizing that some places have made less progress than others.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

As for the rest of the stuff DeSantis said, it's hyperbole and vague conjecture at the same time. He's very careful with his words so this is on purpose. When Trump said "Build the Wall and make Mexico pay" that was impossible, yes, just like "destroying leftism" is impossible, but in every other way it was a different type of statement. It was not really hyperbole (Trump really meant it) and it was also oddly specific, so he couldnt weasel out of it later. It showed he was a maniac, basically. It was one of the early signs that he wasn't mentally fit for the subtlety that a leader must have. DeSantis, his statements show he is cunning.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

When I first saw the term "woke," black people were using it to express dissatisfaction with their lives not improving under Obama.  There was an opportunity there.  To say, "that party thinks if we just put some people who look like you in the elite circles, things will change for you.  But our party is looking at the content of character, and we will work to remove barriers for you even if we don't look like you." It's a shame few on the right took it.  A lot of white people on the right are still basically scared of black people who speak up for themselves, so the response was aggression rather than understanding.  Another problem is racial issues really are getting more localized and not even regional anymore.  There's less racial strife in Jax or Atlanta today than there is Baltimore or Philadelphia or Detroit.  So if people my age who know Jacksonville well start hearing about a problem black people in St Louis have, we might say, "what are they complaining about?" Not realizing that some places have made less progress than others.

"Woke"  was popularized by African Americans going back to the 1930's. (references in blues songs about southern lynchings) 

It came back around in the 60's with similar intent and meaning - then again in the early 2000's. 
It had always been about Black America being vigilant about mistreatment and inequality. 

Recently it has spun out of control into a world of horse [BLEEP]

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Here's a good link with a summary of Ron DeSantis positions and citations for each one. My personal favorites are his stand against corporate welfare and opposition to stimulus checks for large banks also he is very pro open carry.

I agree with him on many of the social issues and his stands on marriage. I think he is a moderate on foreign policy a little more hawkish then I'd prefer but he's a republican I get it.

He supports felons earning back the right to vote.

I think his position on educations is wonderful, he has essentially created a voucher program which opens up school choice to everyone regardless of income.

I'm sure there's others I can't think of right now. Down the line I agree with Ron on 90% of the time

https://www.ontheissues.org/Ron_DeSantis.htm

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Here's a good link with a summary of Ron DeSantis positions and citations for each one. My personal favorites are his stand against corporate welfare and opposition to stimulus checks for large banks also he is very pro open carry.

I agree with him on many of the social issues and his stands on marriage. I think he is a moderate on foreign policy a little more hawkish then I'd prefer but he's a republican I get it.

He supports felons earning back the right to vote.

I think his position on educations is wonderful, he has essentially created a voucher program which opens up school choice to everyone regardless of income.

I'm sure there's others I can't think of right now. Down the line I agree with Ron on 90% of the time

https://www.ontheissues.org/Ron_DeSantis.htm

Dude we both live here.
DeSantis supports permitless concealed carry, not open carry.
He has put every possible legal obstacle in front of felons trying to vote again.  He literally made it a felony to apply to vote if you are a felon with outstanding court fees, then he refused to do anything to help people figure out what their court fees are.  Many people don't remember.  He literally entrapped people this way and a judge threw it out it was so crooked. 
I do agree that parents who choose private education should get an equivalent amount of money back.  I mostly agree with what he's doing getting rid of DEI at universities and bringing New College to heel.  Race based disparities are perpetuated by race based "solutions".

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

Here's a good link with a summary of Ron DeSantis positions and citations for each one. My personal favorites are his stand against corporate welfare and opposition to stimulus checks for large banks also he is very pro open carry.

I agree with him on many of the social issues and his stands on marriage. I think he is a moderate on foreign policy a little more hawkish then I'd prefer but he's a republican I get it.

He supports felons earning back the right to vote.

I think his position on educations is wonderful, he has essentially created a voucher program which opens up school choice to everyone regardless of income.

I'm sure there's others I can't think of right now. Down the line I agree with Ron on 90% of the time

https://www.ontheissues.org/Ron_DeSantis.htm

Dude we both live here.
DeSantis supports permitless concealed carry, not open carry.
He has put every possible legal obstacle in front of felons trying to vote again.  He literally made it a felony to apply to vote if you are a felon with outstanding court fees, then he refused to do anything to help people figure out what their court fees are.  Many people don't remember.  He literally entrapped people this way and a judge threw it out it was so crooked. 
I do agree that parents who choose private education should get an equivalent amount of money back.  I mostly agree with what he's doing getting rid of DEI at universities and bringing New College to heel.  Race based disparities are perpetuated by race based "solutions".

Your correct about the felons voting I read it wrong. I disagree with him on that one, do the time pay your fines and earn your right to vote back. 

As for the open carry he passed constitution carry which means no permits to carry in the state. It's not a deal breaker for me I'm all for open carry but if he goes the constitutional carry that's good enough for me. 

Click here for 4 full quotes on Gun Control OR background on Gun Control.

• Allow carrying guns openly and on college campuses. (Aug 2018)
  
• Concealed carry statewide; open-carry on campuses. (Oct 2018)
  
• It is time we enact constitutional carry in Florida . (Mar 2023)
  
• Opposes restrictions on gun purchases. (Sep 2012)
  

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Dude we both live here.
DeSantis supports permitless concealed carry, not open carry.
He has put every possible legal obstacle in front of felons trying to vote again.  He literally made it a felony to apply to vote if you are a felon with outstanding court fees, then he refused to do anything to help people figure out what their court fees are.  Many people don't remember.  He literally entrapped people this way and a judge threw it out it was so crooked. 
I do agree that parents who choose private education should get an equivalent amount of money back.  I mostly agree with what he's doing getting rid of DEI at universities and bringing New College to heel.  Race based disparities are perpetuated by race based "solutions".

Your correct about the felons voting I read it wrong. I disagree with him on that one, do the time pay your fines and earn your right to vote back. 

As for the open carry he passed constitution carry which means no permits to carry in the state. It's not a deal breaker for me I'm all for open carry but if he goes the constitutional carry that's good enough for me. 

Click here for 4 full quotes on Gun Control OR background on Gun Control.

• Allow carrying guns openly and on college campuses. (Aug 2018)
  
• Concealed carry statewide; open-carry on campuses. (Oct 2018)
  
• It is time we enact constitutional carry in Florida . (Mar 2023)
  
• Opposes restrictions on gun purchases. (Sep 2012)
  

Yeah for me it's a fine line.  I agree with what DeSantis has done allowing anyone to concealed carry.  In theory there is a lot of value in having gun owners go to classes where they learn the best tactics including de-escalation.  In practice when you make it legally required, people are just going to gravitate to the worst and cheapest classes just to get it done.  In practice what we should be doing is encouraging concealed carry, and also our conservative leaders should be out there doing press appearances and such encouraging all gun owners to regularly practice shooting and use de-escalation tactics.
But like I said it's a fine line.  Folks who aren't in uniform should not be openly carrying guns.  It's a recipe for problems.  If I see "Brinks" on your uniform, I know all I have to do is not get between you and the money and I'll be fine.  But if you're just pacing in street clothes with a rifle, I have no idea what you're trying to do or what you expect me to do.

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My fellow southpaw Mark Brunell will probably always be my favorite Jaguar.

DeSantis is polling very poorly among Republicans compared to Trump.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-h...023-07-19/

Meanwhile - back home in FL - he's still doing his political stunts instead of substantive policy schtick:

https://twitter.com/CarlosGSmith/status/...94308?s=20

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DeSantis is polling very poorly among Republicans compared to Trump.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-h...023-07-19/

Meanwhile - back home in FL - he's still doing his political stunts instead of substantive policy schtick:

https://twitter.com/CarlosGSmith/status/...94308?s=20

DeSantis allowed himself to be drawn into a petty quarrel with Disney, and by design IMHO. This is where a hat tip goes to Democrat strategists. They're very good at drawing Republican candidates into sticky disputes. It's a relatively easy thing to do with an abetting MSM in their back pockets which paints their opponents in a continuous negative light. 
However, we now know the MSM only does it because they have a particular story to tell and don't have the time or space to report all of the relevant facts.

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DeSantis has a fatal weakness, and that is, he isn't very likeable.  He comes across as a surly guy who doesn't have a positive message.  "I'm going to fight wokeness" is not enough.  That doesn't wear well.

Plus, trying to be the new Trump, to be even more Trumpy than Trump, is like trying to sell "new Coke."  If that's what Republicans want, they can vote for the original Trump, the real Trump.

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DeSantis is polling very poorly among Republicans compared to Trump.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-h...023-07-19/

Meanwhile - back home in FL - he's still doing his political stunts instead of substantive policy schtick:

https://twitter.com/CarlosGSmith/status/...94308?s=20

DeSantis allowed himself to be drawn into a petty quarrel with Disney, and by design IMHO. This is where a hat tip goes to Democrat strategists. They're very good at drawing Republican candidates into sticky disputes. It's a relatively easy thing to do with an abetting MSM in their back pockets which paints their opponents in a continuous negative light. 
However, we now know the MSM only does it because they have a particular story to tell and don't have the time or space to report all of the relevant facts.

You and I agree that most of the main stream media has a liberal bias.  
Where you and I differ is that you think they have a conscious bias and they're consciously slanting the news in order to get us to think a certain way.  I, on the other hand, think they have a liberal bias because they're liberals, and the bias just comes out naturally.  
You think that they are consciously lying to us, but I think that they think they're telling the truth.  

Am I characterizing your position correctly?

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DeSantis allowed himself to be drawn into a petty quarrel with Disney, and by design IMHO. This is where a hat tip goes to Democrat strategists. They're very good at drawing Republican candidates into sticky disputes. It's a relatively easy thing to do with an abetting MSM in their back pockets which paints their opponents in a continuous negative light. 
However, we now know the MSM only does it because they have a particular story to tell and don't have the time or space to report all of the relevant facts.

You and I agree that most of the main stream media has a liberal bias.  
Where you and I differ is that you think they have a conscious bias and they're consciously slanting the news in order to get us to think a certain way.  I, on the other hand, think they have a liberal bias because they're liberals, and the bias just comes out naturally.  
You think that they are consciously lying to us, but I think that they think they're telling the truth.  

Am I characterizing your position correctly?

I think they are consciously manipulating a narrative by not reporting all of the facts. They are leftist, know they are leftist, and intentionally slant their reporting to the left. It’s obvious to the most casual observer.

Are they lying? Not really. But they aren’t above promoting an unverified slant in a breathless manner only to walk it back in a very subdued fashion, or not at all. Remember the “breaking news” of unverified reports that Trump attempted to seize control of his Secret Service vehicle? They do those types of things all the time. 

Look, I know you want to believe in the integrity of our press. And given the amount of paywall links you post here, you’re putting your money where your mouth is. But the fact of the matter is even the media’s own target audience, the people they cater to, express a large distrust in their full honesty. They like the gratification, but know they’re getting it from a diseased sex worker.

Btw, Dan Rather is giving you a thumbs up.

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DeSantis is polling very poorly among Republicans compared to Trump.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-h...023-07-19/

Meanwhile - back home in FL - he's still doing his political stunts instead of substantive policy schtick:

https://twitter.com/CarlosGSmith/status/...94308?s=20

DeSantis allowed himself to be drawn into a petty quarrel with Disney, and by design IMHO. This is where a hat tip goes to Democrat strategists. They're very good at drawing Republican candidates into sticky disputes. It's a relatively easy thing to do with an abetting MSM in their back pockets which paints their opponents in a continuous negative light. 
However, we now know the MSM only does it because they have a particular story to tell and don't have the time or space to report all of the relevant facts.

If conservatives continue electing bat [BLEEP] crazy lunatics like DeSantis, MTG, Gaetz, etc 
Whatever your dubious  take on the media may be, they have very little work to do in order to paint them in a bad light.
They do 99% of it themselves by parting their lips and speaking  words.

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DeSantis allowed himself to be drawn into a petty quarrel with Disney, and by design IMHO. This is where a hat tip goes to Democrat strategists. They're very good at drawing Republican candidates into sticky disputes. It's a relatively easy thing to do with an abetting MSM in their back pockets which paints their opponents in a continuous negative light. 
However, we now know the MSM only does it because they have a particular story to tell and don't have the time or space to report all of the relevant facts.

If conservatives continue electing bat [BLEEP] crazy lunatics like DeSantis, MTG, Gaetz, etc 
Whatever your dubious  take on the media may be, they have very little work to do in order to paint them in a bad light.
They do 99% of it themselves by parting their lips and speaking  words.

If only The Squad received the same sort of scrutiny…

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If conservatives continue electing bat [BLEEP] crazy lunatics like DeSantis, MTG, Gaetz, etc 
Whatever your dubious  take on the media may be, they have very little work to do in order to paint them in a bad light.
They do 99% of it themselves by parting their lips and speaking  words.

If only The Squad received the same sort of scrutiny…

They do.

From the 5 right wing 'news' sources, anyway. 

The problem for conservatives is that the squad's over the top bs has a lower "cuckoo for cocoa-puffs" quotient than the blathering of Gym Jordan, Marge and Beavis the sex trafficker. 

Basically, their horse [BLEEP] is a lot more palatable to more of the gen pop

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If only The Squad received the same sort of scrutiny…

They do.

From the 5 right wing 'news' sources, anyway. 

The problem for conservatives is that the squad's over the top bs has a lower "cuckoo for cocoa-puffs" quotient than the blathering of Gym Jordan, Marge and Beavis the sex trafficker. 

Basically, their horse [BLEEP] is a lot more palatable to more of the gen pop

See? A narrative. You could work for MSNBC. The left wing media won’t scrutinize them, but the right wing media will. Herein lies the rub. There should be no left or right wing media at all. At least minimally. But there’s not. With very few exceptions it all falls to one side or the other. And for the record, I have criticized, on this board, the right wing media, including Fox.

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They do.

From the 5 right wing 'news' sources, anyway. 

The problem for conservatives is that the squad's over the top bs has a lower "cuckoo for cocoa-puffs" quotient than the blathering of Gym Jordan, Marge and Beavis the sex trafficker. 

Basically, their horse [BLEEP] is a lot more palatable to more of the gen pop

See? A narrative. You could work for MSNBC. The left wing media won’t scrutinize them, but the right wing media will. Herein lies the rub. There should be no left or right wing media at all. At least minimally. But there’s not. With very few exceptions it all falls to one side or the other. And for the record, I have criticized, on this board, the right wing media, including Fox.

With you here my friend. 

What I wouldn't give for a reputable, unbiased news source that might bring journalistic integrity back to main stream.

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