One more thing. Over the next two years, as the public learns more about the actual efficacy and effects of the COVID vaccines, DeSantis may acquire another advantage over Trump – and over a democrat opponent. While Trump can't be held responsible for the lockdowns, vaccine mandates and other outrageous power-grabs of 2020, I'll bet anything that democrats are working on ways to blame him for any harms the vaccines may have caused. Already, as news finally gets out about the corruption of the FBI, they point out, "Trump was President." They are going to do the same thing when continuing Twitter dumps and House investigations expose Fauci's incompetence and deception.
Recalling all the events of those days can't help Trump. While he may not bear direct responsibility for the worst of it, Trump sat passively by as governors wrecked the economy he helped build up. Operation Warp Speed may become an anchor around Trump's neck, and Trump, because of pride in doing big important things and cutting red tape, won't make the adjustment.
As Elon Musk recently said, "The woke mind virus is either defeated or nothing else matters." Trump and DeSantis are the only two politicians with a chance of being President who get this.
While I would vote for Trump if he were the nominee, I hope DeSantis emerges as a candidate. To me, "Trumpism without Trump" simply means a candidate who would govern the same way but do a better job articulating it and persuading the American people (no cheap insults and less personal drama). A primary debate would clarify who can do the job of returning to Trump-era policies more effectively.
That does NOT mean a candidate who is less pugilistic – and I think that's what people distrust when they hear "Trumpism without Trump" from an academic (present company excluded). Small-government ideology and a good resume are not enough in this 11th hour. Personality wise, we need a TR, not a Wally Cox. We need a doer, not a talker.
Ron DeSantis has certainly proved his chops as a pugilist and a doer. Can you imagine Father Paul (or Romney Jr., as some have called him) defying federal COVID policy and accusing his fellow Governors of being authoritarians at the height of the pandemic? Or telling Disney to shove their tax exemption? One of his first acts in office was firing the Broward County election supervisor for the voting irregularities there. Like Trump, DeSantis doesn't back down to woke scolds and the media. Unlike the choir boy Pence, who folded while Governor of Indiana on his religious liberty legislation, DeSantis stuck by his sex ed bill, and has aggressively gone after CRT and gender theory in the schools, firing school board members, superintendents and "educators." He also fired a sheriff and a Soros-backed woke DA. His staffing decisions seem solid, and he doesn't make a lot of mistakes.
I don't see any comparison with DeSantis and the republican country club crowd as fair or remotely accurate based on his actual record.
Like Biden, Trump is too old. Both parties need a generational shift and Republicans have a better bench. Doesn’t have to be deSantis. It would be best for the Republicans to find Trump an off ramp. He can be kingmaker.
DeSantis is a DC Republican and a toady of Paul Ryan and that crowd. No thanks. Just more of the same-big and bigger central government. The answer, I am afraid. to Dr. Franklin's challenge is a resounding NO. I was too young to vote but I worked in JFK,s campaign as a young college student. I have voted in every local, state and federal election since (once from the battlefields of VietNam). I have never voted for a democrat-the definition of insanity right, over and over and still getting the same result-a stab in the back-my bad. It ends now-no Trump-no vote from me. I don't think I will be alone.
Small and much less powerful (and thus less corrupt) central government is my desire, but I recognize that ship has sailed sometime ago, probably around the time of the enactment of the 17th Amendment as aggravated by the commerce clause and the various Civil (should be Self) Service Acts. It would be impossible for any man to change it now all someone like Trump can do is slow it down and make some people "uncomfortable".
As Ben Shapiro says, the art of politics is making it easy for people to vote for you and difficult to vote for your opponents.
Trump is an epic fail in that regard.
One more thing. Over the next two years, as the public learns more about the actual efficacy and effects of the COVID vaccines, DeSantis may acquire another advantage over Trump – and over a democrat opponent. While Trump can't be held responsible for the lockdowns, vaccine mandates and other outrageous power-grabs of 2020, I'll bet anything that democrats are working on ways to blame him for any harms the vaccines may have caused. Already, as news finally gets out about the corruption of the FBI, they point out, "Trump was President." They are going to do the same thing when continuing Twitter dumps and House investigations expose Fauci's incompetence and deception.
Recalling all the events of those days can't help Trump. While he may not bear direct responsibility for the worst of it, Trump sat passively by as governors wrecked the economy he helped build up. Operation Warp Speed may become an anchor around Trump's neck, and Trump, because of pride in doing big important things and cutting red tape, won't make the adjustment.
As Elon Musk recently said, "The woke mind virus is either defeated or nothing else matters." Trump and DeSantis are the only two politicians with a chance of being President who get this.
While I would vote for Trump if he were the nominee, I hope DeSantis emerges as a candidate. To me, "Trumpism without Trump" simply means a candidate who would govern the same way but do a better job articulating it and persuading the American people (no cheap insults and less personal drama). A primary debate would clarify who can do the job of returning to Trump-era policies more effectively.
That does NOT mean a candidate who is less pugilistic – and I think that's what people distrust when they hear "Trumpism without Trump" from an academic (present company excluded). Small-government ideology and a good resume are not enough in this 11th hour. Personality wise, we need a TR, not a Wally Cox. We need a doer, not a talker.
Ron DeSantis has certainly proved his chops as a pugilist and a doer. Can you imagine Father Paul (or Romney Jr., as some have called him) defying federal COVID policy and accusing his fellow Governors of being authoritarians at the height of the pandemic? Or telling Disney to shove their tax exemption? One of his first acts in office was firing the Broward County election supervisor for the voting irregularities there. Like Trump, DeSantis doesn't back down to woke scolds and the media. Unlike the choir boy Pence, who folded while Governor of Indiana on his religious liberty legislation, DeSantis stuck by his sex ed bill, and has aggressively gone after CRT and gender theory in the schools, firing school board members, superintendents and "educators." He also fired a sheriff and a Soros-backed woke DA. His staffing decisions seem solid, and he doesn't make a lot of mistakes.
I don't see any comparison with DeSantis and the republican country club crowd as fair or remotely accurate based on his actual record.
Like Biden, Trump is too old. Both parties need a generational shift and Republicans have a better bench. Doesn’t have to be deSantis. It would be best for the Republicans to find Trump an off ramp. He can be kingmaker.
DeSantis is a DC Republican and a toady of Paul Ryan and that crowd. No thanks. Just more of the same-big and bigger central government. The answer, I am afraid. to Dr. Franklin's challenge is a resounding NO. I was too young to vote but I worked in JFK,s campaign as a young college student. I have voted in every local, state and federal election since (once from the battlefields of VietNam). I have never voted for a democrat-the definition of insanity right, over and over and still getting the same result-a stab in the back-my bad. It ends now-no Trump-no vote from me. I don't think I will be alone.
Well...if small government is your desire, then Mr. Trump is not your man.
Small and much less powerful (and thus less corrupt) central government is my desire, but I recognize that ship has sailed sometime ago, probably around the time of the enactment of the 17th Amendment as aggravated by the commerce clause and the various Civil (should be Self) Service Acts. It would be impossible for any man to change it now all someone like Trump can do is slow it down and make some people "uncomfortable".
The "Republic" is dead, Doctor Franklin.