Ron DeSantis is breaking Democrats’ brains
Conn Carroll
“My Fellow Liberals Are Exaggerating the Dangers of Ron DeSantis.”
That’s the headline, and it raises your hopes that the column might end up being reasonable. But then, the article itself slips into the same hysterics that have infected all Democrats, and their media allies, as the Florida governor has risen in the polls.
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“Mr. DeSantis is a bully who’s ready and willing to trample freedom of speech and expression, voting rights and common decency to win the applause of the Republican base so he can win office and advance the G.O.P. dream of gutting the social safety net in return for tax cuts that benefit wealthy right-wing donors,” writes Damon Linker, the author of the article.
DeSantis has in no way trampled the freedom of speech or voting rights. If he had, President Joe Biden and his Department of Justice would move to stop him. Which, of course, they haven’t, since all DeSantis has done is enact commonsense voting reforms and start removing diversity, equity, and inclusion bureaucrats, racist ideologies, and pornographic materials from Florida schools.
But that hasn’t stopped a wave of Democrats making equally preposterous claims about DeSantis.
Under the headline, “Ron DeSantis Would Kill Democracy Methodically and Slowly,” Jonathan Chait writes, “Trump poses a greater danger of triggering an immediate constitutional crisis, while DeSantis is more likely to methodically strangle democracy through a series of illiberal Orbanist steps like he has modeled in Florida.” The Florida of Chait’s imagination sounds like an authoritarian hell-hole. Here in the real world, the public can’t leave Democratic-run states to move to DeSantis-run Florida fast enough.
Under the headline, “A DeSantis Presidency Could Be Even Worse Than Trump,” Brynn Tannehill writes, “The damage Trump was able to do was limited by his lack of discipline, ignorance of how the system worked, laziness, and lack of motivation. He is simply a narcissist who likes feeling rich, powerful, and important. DeSantis, however, is none of these things. He is not lazy. He has discipline, motivation, and an intimate knowledge of how to use the system to get what he wants.”
Come to think of it, DeSantis may want to consider hiring Tannehill to write his campaign ads.
Under the headline, “Ron DeSantis Should Not Be Covered Like Just Another Republican,” Molly Jong-Fast writes, “To call DeSantis a culture warrior dangerously understates what the man is capable of. He is the Genghis Khan of social issues, using every opportunity to target and demonize groups that have already been targeted and demonized throughout history.” Lock up your wives and children! The Genghis Khan of social issues is coming to pillage your blue state!
It is far too early to say who will end up being the Republican nominee, DeSantis or Trump. What is already clear is that, when it comes to living rent-free in Democrats’ brains 24/7, DeSantis has already won.