Any level meaning specifically politics, but I sure wouldn't want DeSantis living in my neighborhood. I am, however, surrounded by Republicans here in Arizona but in my worst possible fantasy, even this state's rightest radicals cannot come close to the dictating governor in Florida. Ron DeSantis is a dictator of the first rate and here are some of the issues that confirm that title.
Afraid of the press and called a "fascist" by AlterNet, he recently blacklisted the media at a GOP event in Dallas. Of course he had plenty of friends there with his tyrannical twin, Texas governor, Greg Abbott, at the annual "Reagan Day Dinner," hosted by the Dallas County Republican Party. I knew Ronald Reagan and do not think for one minute the former president would condone an autocrat like DeSantis.
But listen to this...
Even Civil libertarians slam Ron DeSantis' 'brazen and blatantly unconstitutional' war on press freedom
Here's the scenario...
"We are not able to invite the media," Jennifer Stoddard-Hajdu, Dallas County Republican Party Chairwoman said. "That was the decision of Governor DeSantis' team."
But, this takes the cake: "DeSantis promises Florida will control Disney's content.
"DeSantis appointed a board to oversee Disney. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District is stacked with DeSantis cronies, including Bridget Ziegler, a proponent of his education policies; Ron Peri, who heads the Christian ministry the Gathering USA; and Michael Sasso, president of the Federalist Society’s Orlando chapter."
This is the New York Intelligencer's Jonathan Chait's take...
"It is worth pausing a moment to grasp the full breadth of what is going on here. First, DeSantis established the principle that he can and will use the power of the state to punish private firms that exercise their First Amendment right to criticize his positions. Now he is promising to continue exerting state power to pressure the firm to produce content that comports with his own ideological agenda."
And the New York Times Editorial Board really took DeSantis to task with this headline: "Florida Is Trying to Take Away the American Right to Speak Freely." The Times exhibits three cases of free speech and then adds...
"All three are examples of Americans engaging in clamorous but perfectly legal speech about public figures that is broadly protected by the Constitution. The Supreme Court, in a case that dates back nearly 60 years, ruled that even if that speech might be damaging or include errors, it should generally be protected against claims of libel and slander. All three would lose that protection — and be subject to ruinous defamation lawsuits — under a bill that is moving through the Florida House and is based on longstanding goals of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Bobby Block, executive director of Florida’s First Amendment Foundation, says...
“This isn’t just a press issue. This is a death-to-public-discourse bill. Everyone, even conservatives, would have to second-guess themselves whenever they open their mouths to speak or sit in front of a keyboard.”'We Were Right, They Were Wrong": DeSantis Touts Florida Policies In 'State Of The State' Address...
But get this, DeSantis is going to run for President with this slogan, "We were right, they were wrong," referring to state policies on "freedom" and his handling of the Covid pandemic crisis. To this, AlterNet commented...
"But under DeSantis' leadership, the Sunshine State's results were far worse than nearly every other state in the nation."
The facts are, Florida was third highest in the U.S. for Covid cases and deaths. This clearly proves that Ron DeSantis is a fraud posing as a legitimate politician. To close, DeSantis's opposition to the "Woke" movement may backfire. A new poll in MSNBC...
"shows that 56% of Americans consider 'woke' a positive term, meaning 'to be informed, educated on, and aware of social injustices.' Even more than a third of Republicans agree."
Ron DeSantis is probably just a flash in the pan, but the sooner the American public realizes this, the better.