Sorry for the radio silence over the last few days. I traveled this past weekend and didn’t have anyone to cover for me. Anybody got a spare $300k so I can take the next three years to write and build on current readership? Hit the tip jar and email me at info@daveolsson.com.
Okay, barring a miraculous $300k, we’ll just have to keep plodding along with what we can do in our off hours, right? Today you should be looking for Ron DeSantis to announce his 2024 candidacy for president of the United States during a discussion with Elon Musk on Twitter.
I’m intrigued with DeSantis. Unlike Trump, he seems to have a genuine (Catholic) Christian faith. He recently shared the stage with Franklin Graham at the International Christian Media Convention hosted by the National Religious Broadcasters in Orlando, Florida, where he said, “Make no mistake, weaponized government is one faction of society turning the reins of power against those people they don’t like. And the people that are in power now do not like people of faith.”
He’s racking up victories in Florida, including these from this report:
When Walt Disney Co (DIS.N), one of Florida’s biggest employers, opposed the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law that limited discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools, DeSantis moved to strip the company of its self-governing status.
Disney has since filed a federal lawsuit against the governor, accusing him of weaponizing state government to retaliate against the company.
When an elected Democratic state attorney said he would not prosecute anyone for defying DeSantis-backed limits on abortion, DeSantis removed him from his position.
He has made crusading against what Republicans call “woke” education policies a centerpiece of his politics while supporting conservative candidates for local school boards.
He backed a legislative measure that prohibits the teaching of “Critical Race Theory” – an academic doctrine that views U.S. history through the lens of oppression – in state public schools despite little evidence it was being taught.
Republican lawmakers in Florida handed DeSantis a bevy of conservative victories in its recent session: They expanded the state’s school voucher program, prohibited the use of public money in sustainable investing, scrapped diversity programs at public universities, allowed for permitless carry of concealed weapons and, perhaps most notably, banned almost all abortions in the state.
DeSantis declared that, “At the end of the day, we’re not going to let this state be overrun by woke ideology,” he said. “We will fight the woke in the businesses, we will fight the woke in government agencies, we will fight the woke in our schools. We will never, ever surrender to the woke agenda. Florida is the state where woke goes to die.”
Perhaps as president DeSantis could make the whole country a giant chemo bath for woke ideology.
He also seems completely unfazed by Trump’s attacks on him, using the nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious.” In fact, when asked about Trump facing arrest over payments to Stormy Daniels, DeSantis said, “Look, I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair,” a subtle shot at Trump’s alleged crime now being prosecuted by the Soros-bought prosecutor Alvin Bragg. So DeSantis can handle himself just fine when it comes to Trump.
There are some broader questions about how in debt DeSantis is with the GOPe — the establishment Republicans. Is he an independent thinker, or is he beholden to the spineless elites who merely want to hold on to the power and money they control? Rght now I don’t see it, but time will tell.
I welcome him to the race, even though our elections are now shot through with “fortifying” them — in favor of the Democrats. DeSantis is a refreshing choice in as we begin to size up the 2024 election. He seems to have Trump-sized brass without all the self-inflicted wounds that Trump’s lack of verbal discipline costs him.
Truth be told — right now, if either Trump or DeSantis were the Republican nominee, I’d vote for either one of them. Anybody but Brandon or whoever they stick in front of us.
Hi Dave, great piece today and always. I’d also vote for Trump or DeSantis, although Tim Scott is a viable candidate. Just not his time right now. We sure do need good people of faith to lead us, as we all can see what happens when evil takes over. God bless you Dave! Keep up the great work and hopefully you’ll get the 300k so you can spend your every waking hour keeping us informed. 😊
Thanks Jim!