A.G. Gancarski
Gov. Ron DeSantis believes “lockdowns” are turning Democrats into Republicans.
During a Republican Governors Association town hall on Fox News Wednesday night, DeSantis made the case that Florida freedom is drawing people from blue states rejecting the media’s “phony narratives” about the state’s pandemic performance.
“The people (who) buy these phony narratives from these media; they’re probably not coming to Florida. But most people see through it. And the people who see through it, they think like us. So I think a lot of these people are coming. I think they’re registering as Republicans overwhelmingly. And I’ve come across a lot of people who quite frankly were Democrats,” DeSantis said. “The lockdowns turned them into Republicans.”
“I think this whole process has caused people to reevaluate some of their prior commitments,” DeSantis added. “When they put teachers’ unions over the interests of kids being able to access an education at all, that tells you all you need to know about the modern Democratic Party.”
DeSantis, fresh off a one-on-one with Sean Hannity Monday night, returned as part of an ensemble six-pack. Early talking points included a dutiful crediting of Donald Trump for vaccines in arms today.
“That would not have happened if President Trump had not put the pedal to the metal and gotten the bureaucrats in line. If (Joe) Biden had been President, those vaccines would have taken three or four years,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis also answered a question about the party’s future being more than Make America Great Again and America First, seemingly a potential preview of what would be expected in a 2024 primary debate, should Trump not run.
“I think that’s the core of it. President Trump got the basics right. As times change, you have to look and see what new issues come along. You know, Reagan’s agenda was right for the time. People will talk about it,” DeSantis said. “You have to look and see what comes down the pike.”
The Governor continued with the nostalgia, lamenting how “blue states” got a better deal from Biden’s bailout, albeit with a fresh insight: He noted that in 2020, he vetoed a billion dollars in member projects, but for naught.
“I didn’t have to do that,” DeSantis said, “because they’re shoveling so much money at us. They’re rewarding states that have made bad decisions or not able to make tough decisions.”
Conceivably, this new laissez-faire approach may suggest that this year’s veto list won’t be a sequel to last year’s pandemic-driven “Red Wedding“ budget. The 2021/2022 budget is the largest in state history.
16 comments
Ocean Joe
May 27, 2021 at 7:00 am
How long does he milk his Herculean struggle against lockdowns before he recognizes the whole crippling mess largely resulted from the failure of the federal government to take covid seriously in the first place.
Who can forget those idiotic press conferences. Or states having to compete against each other for medical supplies. Or half a million Americans dead. Or our own governor caught like a deer in the headlights waiting for “guidance” from the White House where covid spread like one of those goofy tweets.
Tom Palmer
May 27, 2021 at 9:10 am
You said it. The school situation data has been suppressed and may not be a rosy as the official line claims.
D. Collier
May 27, 2021 at 9:21 am
Ocean Joe, under DeSantis’ leadership, Florida got it right – enough said. And thank God he did. By the way, the Governor is accurate about Democrats (or perceived Democrats) now embracing the Republican Party, I personally know many. God Bless America!
Stephanie kramer
May 27, 2021 at 6:45 pm
Well I decided to look this up and there is no such information on the internet! There are charts of how many republicans vs democrats say independents who by the way are the biggest party over both republicans and democrats. You may know some but I also know quite a few republicans such as me and others who will never vote for one Republican who has kissed your God Trumps ass. Trump is the rino he was a pro choice democrat until he knew the only party that would accept him was the Republican so he lied and told you what you wanted to hear and laughed all the way the same way De Santis is doing there is no such information look it up.
Tomas
May 28, 2021 at 9:04 am
The name Trump alone is a death sentence to any candidates here in Hillsborough County that embraced him. I’ve seen many Republicans side with Democrats, hell even change their party registration to Democrat to help kick any Republican who is kissing Trumps ass. The one of the few Republicans left in office being the sheriff did not kiss Trumps ass and at times crosses party lines to work with the elected Democrats in the county.
Christine
May 28, 2021 at 9:36 am
I would vote for Trump and anyone who agrees with his policy. The type of people who won’t vote for Trump can’t see past their own nose. America first was working and we were prospering. Now watch as America falls to socialism and my children will be supporting all of the bad policies introduced by this Democratic/Socialist regime in America.
John
May 27, 2021 at 12:20 pm
SdSantis should not be jumping on the jab train. When people start dying and becoming debilitated he will suffer retribution.
Christine Richardson
May 28, 2021 at 9:39 am
Hope you are incorrect. Never thought I would see Americans voting against America’s rights as citizens to be free and make decisions for themselves. This will pass, just like the flu, where millions die, except this virus was manmade by China and who knows the ramifications.
PeterH
May 27, 2021 at 1:44 pm
There were no “lockdowns” anywhere in the USA.
Americans were never locked into their homes, condos or apartments! Everywhere in the USA during the pandemic Americans were free to take a walk, go to the grocery store, take grandma to the drugstore, go for a bike ride or take a jog.
Instead of advocating for Floridians to get vaccinated….. Republicans in Florida and elsewhere are blind to the dangers of this now retiring pandemic to loved ones lost, devoted hospital staff and front line workers in grocery stores and restaurants.
The embarrassment of failed Republican National pandemic response has generated a false narrative of imaginary “lockdowns” ….. pretending that close to six hundred thousand Americans didn’t die in the wealthiest country on planet earth.
To this day, Florida has one of the highest rates per capita for Covid-19 deaths and infections……our response is nothing to be proud of.
I’m done with the Republican Party. I can no longer tolerate their insensitive divisive rhetoric.
New FloridaMan
May 27, 2021 at 7:39 pm
You’re correct. They should use the word “lockouts”. Most Americans were locked out of their offices, businesses, schools, and jobs. Unless they were government workers; then they were privileged to live life as usual.
Thank God for Governor DeSantis
PeterH
May 27, 2021 at 8:45 pm
72% of white collar workers and 14% of blue collar workers have successfully worked from home. Many many white collar workers will CONTINUE to work from home. Ron DeSantis did NOTHING to impact how employers protected their staff at the height of the pandemic. He has zero authority to do so. Schools are dependent on staff, teachers and children! Children are incapable of comprehending social distancing. With the uncertainty on how this virus spreads ….. it was prudent to close schools. Let’s keep in mind that with its 36,700 deaths ….. Florida ranks 4th in the nation. It could have been much much worse if the state opened to tourist from the EU, South America, Canada! 1/3 of Florida’s population are seasonal…..and they stayed in their home states and countries!
Get vaccinated so we can get back to some
Christine Richardson
May 28, 2021 at 9:46 am
Just as long as we can all admit this virtual learning was a disaster, for the parents but the children worst of all.
As for vaccination, not enough data on this yet. Too many people dying from the effects but no one talks about that. It’s a crapshoot and some are willing to do it and some aren’t. Let everyone make up their own minds.
Christine Richardson
May 28, 2021 at 9:43 am
Love my Republican party! People die from many diseases and unfortunately China virus is just like the rest. This is life. This is the new war. Only staying in the house kept you from getting this virus so how can you say there were no lock downs! Of course Americans were locking themselves in for almost a year. Let Americans make their own choices. I’m smart enough to do that for myself and my family. I don’t need the government to tell me what to do. Thank God for the hospital workers who stuck in there! But give American citizens credit.
Bob Ziomek
May 28, 2021 at 10:02 am
We moved away from Minnesota to Florida in 2017 to escape the high taxes and far-left mind-set of the state. It’s been a great transition, conservatives are welcome in FL and residents are quick to remind newcomers not to bring any “blue state madness” to The Sunshine State!” Could not be happier, will never leave FL!
PeterH
May 28, 2021 at 12:08 pm
…..as long as you understand that Florida cannot and does not support itself. Florida is a Federal Government welfare state. Florida could not exist without Federal Government bailouts…… this State is the third largest recipient of Federal aid ….. Minnesota ranks 49th State . Minnesota is a ‘giver state!’ For every dollar Florida sends to the National Treasury in Washington….. the State receives $4.50 back in return. You can thank blue states like Minnesota, New York and California for propping up Florida’s financial deficiencies. Google “giver and taker” states ….. you will find multiple articles in The Atlantic, WalletHub, …. to name a few!
So enjoy the warm weather and low tax rate ….. just remember that other Americans are paying your way! Your welcome!
Rob
May 28, 2021 at 12:53 pm
So many Fauci ass sniffers in the comments. Here’s the thing. People wanted to continue living their lives. When people saw that Floridians were living at no greater risk than their lockdown states, the learn some of the rhetoric around covid was nonsense.
Desantis will runaway with 2022.
Democrats are nothing more than authoritarians and they proved that throughout 2020. They had their brownshirts marching the streets destroying private property to push political narratives while preventing business owners from making a living.
Kindly go fuck yourselves.
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