Authoritarian Ron DeSantis has taken a page right out of George Orwell, who said "Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” Was that book in his school library when he attended school? Maybe but these kids will never know their country's true racist past because the politics of white grievance is so strong.
Wokeism has become an easy and necessary target to shoot at if you're playing in Republican party politics any where you look. Ron DeSantis has really zeroed in and his practice as an anti woke governor has not only helped make him very popular in Florida but has made him the number one air apparent to the Republican nomination for President in 2024 barring a Trump resurgence.
That 2018 campaign ad is really something. I sure hope Democrats shove this in everyone’s face should DeSantis win the GOP nomination for President
I’m really scared for the possibility of Biden-DeSantis 2024 President choice. A whole lot of seemingly smart, decent and respectable people from the ‘Never Trump’ crowd seem to be backing DeSantis as a way to turn the page past Trump. It is my experience that this set (which includes many business executives and powerful people) while intelligent is focused on functionality over morality and as such is very much prone to denial and ‘memory holing’ unpleasant realities.
We cannot let people forget who DeSantis is, how he came to power, and his abuses of that power.
We need to hammer it home. Because the propagandists backing DeSantis are consistently blasting out supposed economic accomplishments and culture war wins.
I left Arkansas 44 years ago after my first exposure to politics working on Clinton’s campaign. He had raised the standards in the education system to a very high level and it didn’t sit well with “the establishment”. It has saddened (maddened) me to no end watching the GOP machine gut education spending everywhere they get elected. They’re mantra has always been that a poor and functionally illiterate population will vote against their own self-interest. The move now towards putting your own children up as sacrificial lambs is absolutely galling. Literally wiping women, biopoc, and 2slgbtq+ people off the map in subservience to their cult leader and his policies is beyond anything I can imagine. There are no words.
Thanks again for expressing the truth about DeSantis. We should all distribute your wise words so DeSantis NEVER gets any closer to the presidency. We should encourage everyone to not only read ALL your books, but also take a close look at Craig Unger's books on Trump and his obvious collusion with Putin ever since the Russians set him up as the "Manchurian Candidate" years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if Putin finds a way to "Kompromise" DeSantis in some way - with Trump's help through a McGonigal cut out, of course.
Our country may hobble many of our youngest students with an unfair primary education system financed primarily by an assessment based local property value, but our republican democratic system has landed us here and now with a secondary education system- college, post-grad, private and public - with truly world class institutions that consistently attract foreign students and scholars knocking at our door asking to come in. And dunderhead fascist DeSantis want to piss in the gas tank of this great republican asset?
My own answer: Since Reconstruction the prospect of white people paying taxes to educate black children is anathema to them and ever since Brown v. Board of Ed continued resistance this tectonic plate of resistance has not budged. And hence the southern segregation academies and voucher programs.
DeSantis is a propaganda machine just like Trump and so many other fascists in history. He plays the victimhood card well. He creates menaces that are not real, for people to fear and hate. He glorifies the worst aspects of human nature, while criticizing human virtues. He's a deceitful, cold blooded, callous individual, lacking empathy, remorse and consideration for others. Most importantly, he seems to lack a conscience. This is not the kind of person to be in a leadership position, nor be a role model for any society.
We can understand the impulse to "dis" the state of Florida. However, it's heartbreaking to see it in this group. We and many more like-minded progressive and open people live and work here (we're in mid-east coast Indian River County).
Instead, perhaps consider coming here in body, mind, or spirit — and help us fight. You are needed. There are a lot of us networking, spreading the word, writing newspaper Letters to the Editor, educating ourselves, working hard calling out fascism, and making ourselves heard right now. We all have to fight together to win.
I have to date the beginning of developing a mature mind and adult emotions from when I first learned about slavery in primary school. The horror of the reality cracked open my little egg of isolation and self involvement.
As obvious -- and as dark -- as presaged on Sunday’s call. Thanks for writing it SO succinctly, Ruth.
Correction: 4 paragraph from the bottom, third line, change is to it.
Florida is where a lot of things go to die. I grew up in Florida, the unofficial motto was "Welcome to Florida, where the sewer meets the sea".
Indoctrination- goal is an ignorant, mis-educated populace. A key strongman tool. Will being educated in FL harm college acceptance rates? It should.
My sig line is an MLK quote “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
Authoritarian Ron DeSantis has taken a page right out of George Orwell, who said "Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” Was that book in his school library when he attended school? Maybe but these kids will never know their country's true racist past because the politics of white grievance is so strong.
Wokeism has become an easy and necessary target to shoot at if you're playing in Republican party politics any where you look. Ron DeSantis has really zeroed in and his practice as an anti woke governor has not only helped make him very popular in Florida but has made him the number one air apparent to the Republican nomination for President in 2024 barring a Trump resurgence.
That 2018 campaign ad is really something. I sure hope Democrats shove this in everyone’s face should DeSantis win the GOP nomination for President
I’m really scared for the possibility of Biden-DeSantis 2024 President choice. A whole lot of seemingly smart, decent and respectable people from the ‘Never Trump’ crowd seem to be backing DeSantis as a way to turn the page past Trump. It is my experience that this set (which includes many business executives and powerful people) while intelligent is focused on functionality over morality and as such is very much prone to denial and ‘memory holing’ unpleasant realities.
We cannot let people forget who DeSantis is, how he came to power, and his abuses of that power.
We need to hammer it home. Because the propagandists backing DeSantis are consistently blasting out supposed economic accomplishments and culture war wins.
Thank you for doing so!
Ignorance and arrogance are Ed mates.
Dante
That should read “bed mates” liz
I left Arkansas 44 years ago after my first exposure to politics working on Clinton’s campaign. He had raised the standards in the education system to a very high level and it didn’t sit well with “the establishment”. It has saddened (maddened) me to no end watching the GOP machine gut education spending everywhere they get elected. They’re mantra has always been that a poor and functionally illiterate population will vote against their own self-interest. The move now towards putting your own children up as sacrificial lambs is absolutely galling. Literally wiping women, biopoc, and 2slgbtq+ people off the map in subservience to their cult leader and his policies is beyond anything I can imagine. There are no words.
It's very effective too! Really scary stuff.
Dear Dr. Ruth:
Thanks again for expressing the truth about DeSantis. We should all distribute your wise words so DeSantis NEVER gets any closer to the presidency. We should encourage everyone to not only read ALL your books, but also take a close look at Craig Unger's books on Trump and his obvious collusion with Putin ever since the Russians set him up as the "Manchurian Candidate" years ago. I wouldn't be surprised if Putin finds a way to "Kompromise" DeSantis in some way - with Trump's help through a McGonigal cut out, of course.
What don't these silly dunderheads understand?
Our country may hobble many of our youngest students with an unfair primary education system financed primarily by an assessment based local property value, but our republican democratic system has landed us here and now with a secondary education system- college, post-grad, private and public - with truly world class institutions that consistently attract foreign students and scholars knocking at our door asking to come in. And dunderhead fascist DeSantis want to piss in the gas tank of this great republican asset?
My own answer: Since Reconstruction the prospect of white people paying taxes to educate black children is anathema to them and ever since Brown v. Board of Ed continued resistance this tectonic plate of resistance has not budged. And hence the southern segregation academies and voucher programs.
These facts just make me want to cry; then when I’m done crying, scream in anger.
DeSantis is a propaganda machine just like Trump and so many other fascists in history. He plays the victimhood card well. He creates menaces that are not real, for people to fear and hate. He glorifies the worst aspects of human nature, while criticizing human virtues. He's a deceitful, cold blooded, callous individual, lacking empathy, remorse and consideration for others. Most importantly, he seems to lack a conscience. This is not the kind of person to be in a leadership position, nor be a role model for any society.
We can understand the impulse to "dis" the state of Florida. However, it's heartbreaking to see it in this group. We and many more like-minded progressive and open people live and work here (we're in mid-east coast Indian River County).
Instead, perhaps consider coming here in body, mind, or spirit — and help us fight. You are needed. There are a lot of us networking, spreading the word, writing newspaper Letters to the Editor, educating ourselves, working hard calling out fascism, and making ourselves heard right now. We all have to fight together to win.
I have to date the beginning of developing a mature mind and adult emotions from when I first learned about slavery in primary school. The horror of the reality cracked open my little egg of isolation and self involvement.