Ron DeSantis rejects ‘Orwellian doublespeak’ about recession

DeSantis 2024
'Just tell me the truth, what the data says.'

Gov. Ron DeSantis is disinclined to downplay the issues with the larger economy, if comments made Monday are any indication.

DeSantis addressed the economic recession in remarks to the Florida Airports Council, blasting what he called “Orwellian doublespeak” that suggested the U.S. is not in a recession despite a decline in the GNP for two straight quarters.

“They always said two consecutive negative quarters was a recession,” DeSantis said. “Now they have to run interference, so they’re saying it’s not really, or maybe not, or this or that.”

“I don’t know. I don’t need Orwellian doublespeak. Just tell me the truth … what the data says,” he added.

The gross domestic product declined 0.9% in the second quarter of 2022, a second straight quarterly drop.

“I think the data’s telling us that because you’ve had the inflation and because you’ve had a lot of problems with energy prices and commodity prices going up, you’ve had the Fed come in and they’ve been raising interest rates. Of course that’s going to slow down the economy,” DeSantis said.

“We’re looking at a situation where we could be in a situation of downturn with inflation still being persistently high,” he continued. “We haven’t had that since the 1970s when they had the stagflation.”

DeSantis’ comments Monday are the latest example of a prominent Florida Republican running for re-election capitalizing on the Joe Biden administration’s economic woes.

“What’s happened is what we knew would happen,” Sen. Marco Rubio contended Thursday. “We are now in a Biden recession.”

DeSantis has been warning of an economic downturn for some time.

“Florida has been doing well, and we’re happy about that, but when you have the inflation headwinds when you have the Fed raising interest rates, and some of the other things happening in the markets there is a possibility of seeing a downturn, and unfortunately I think that downturn will be precipitated by bad policy coming out of Washington,” DeSantis said this spring.

The Biden Administration has rejected the proposition that America is in official recession, noting that two consecutive quarters of GDP decline is not technically a recession in and of itself. DeSantis and other Republicans clearly feel comfortable messaging otherwise, however.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has written for FloridaPolitics.com since 2014. He is based in Northeast Florida. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


39 comments

  • Joe Corsin

    August 1, 2022 at 7:26 pm

    Vote RED for far right propaganda
    Vote RED for the “Orwellian doublespeak” big lie
    Vote RED for false information American history
    Vote RED for religious law and religious police
    Vote RED for shoveling money to the rich
    Vote RED for low wage slavery

    • Impeach Biden

      August 1, 2022 at 7:44 pm

      Vote BLUE for Obama phones.
      Vote BLUE to give illegals frequent flyer miles as Jimmy Carter2 ships them around the country.
      Vote BLUE for your tax money to feed illegals.
      Vote BLUE for your tax money to provide illegals medical.
      Vote BLUE for your tax money to house illegals.
      Vote BLUE to educate illegals.

      • Joe Corsin

        August 1, 2022 at 8:51 pm

        ^ Vote RED to give sub-apes like this a seat at the table with adults

  • Tom

    August 1, 2022 at 8:44 pm

    Of course it’s Orwellian double speak.

    Everyone knows that a recession is defined by two successive quarters of negative growth.
    For the ignorant Manchurian Soros nation that means minus growth. Sorry to get so technical.

    America’s Gov is correct. The liberals through the media accomplices will tell you manure is steak. They just lie.

    Go to hell! 20% inflation, $4.00 and $5.00 gas, 1.4% inflation when expected potus 45 left office. Biden/Dems own this recession.

    • Elliott Offen

      August 1, 2022 at 8:54 pm

      ^ This communist wants government intervention in the free market so that he can afford cheap stuff! Those nasty fossil fuel companies are ripping him a new asshole so he blames government. “Not governments fault you can’t afford cheap stuff…go out and get a better education and a better job.” – Rick Scott

      • Tom

        August 2, 2022 at 2:41 pm

        Not sure idiot Elliot are referencing ? You are upside down in your interpretation or misleading with Scott’s. The govt. engages the free market daily. Where you been.
        Biden had depleted our oil cavern reserves. Also, his depart of energy cut back over a million barrels in production.

        Stop the stupid. It’s the economy stupid. It’s the Biden recession stupid!
        It’s the dog food stupid! It’s the tacos stupid! It’s the economy stupid! It’s the aoc and sanders stupid.

        People’s are going to pin it on the Biden’s stupid! U soros Manchurian stupid!

  • Frankie M.

    August 1, 2022 at 8:49 pm

    I don’t remember Ronnie wanting the “data” when it came to covid 19?
    Sounds like Ronnie’s getting his excuses ready for when Florida’s economy goes in the crapper.

    • Tom

      August 1, 2022 at 9:12 pm

      The only crapper are you Manchurians. He has been on record for 3 or 4 months forewarning the possible slowdown.

      Don’t worry weasel Frankie, 2.8% unemployment is outstanding in Florida. 2 years of monthly growth. Florida’s economy is tops thanks to Gov Ron, even for you losers who espouse hate.

      DeSantis saved Florida literally, schools kids, parents with kids, no kids suicides during Covid, most seniors inoculated in USA, jobs employment, wage growth, and more.

      Dem Dums have nothing to run on.
      They destroyed American society.
      The worst and most incompetent President since Hoover.

      Just pathetic.
      Get ready for your “shellacking” per emperor Obummer.

      • Joe Corsin

        August 1, 2022 at 9:35 pm

        Manchurians? What kind of silly shit is that? Buncha schizophrenic nonsense. Need Baker Act…need court ordered medicine.

  • PeterH

    August 1, 2022 at 9:11 pm

    Hi Ron!

    We’ve never had a recession with 3.6% unemployment

    We’ve never had a recession with shopping malls full of buyers

    We’ve never had a recession with corporate America showing huge profits here and overseas.

    We know you’re praying for a recession!

    Let’s see where we are in January 2023!

    Hey Ron….. how are you making out with your hiring of the required 9000 educators that are abandoning school jobs?

    • Tom

      August 2, 2022 at 7:32 am

      Florida’s economy is highly productive.

      Peter h you are a liar and ignorant elitist swine.

      Florida leads the country, 2.8% unemployment, down from 3.0%.
      With 2 yrs of month over month job growth. Florida’s job growth is 2.8% compared to USA’s 1.8%. Florida’s metrics are stronger than the feds. The Florida employment is growing, the USA is contracting. Feds are 3 million jobs less compared to Jan/February 2020, pre pandemic.

      Other strengths, $21 billion in state financial reserves. 7.8% wage growth, highest in USA.

      You can lie peter h but you can’t hide, I am the light! You Manchurians will be held accountable. Go back toweling off Lincoln predator lackeys.

      America’s Gov, Gov Ron a rising tide for all Floridians. Tacos and dog food under Biden Harris.

      It’s the recession stupid!

      • Joe Corsin

        August 2, 2022 at 8:03 am

        ^ Complete maniac….

    • Bill

      August 2, 2022 at 8:02 am

      @PeterH – I was thinking that myself. Inflation is a global problem which will hopefully sort itself out as demand softens but in terms of a recession, who really cares? The economy is working as designed for the most part and give or take states like Florida giving people free money which exacerbates the problem, it will all get sorted out. It doesn’t make much difference which party is on power because there’s not a lot anyone can do. Just more Government fear tactics methinks.

  • Impeach Biden

    August 1, 2022 at 9:18 pm

    Looks Joe Corsin and his alias Elliott Offen can do no better than hurl insults as they have no argument to support their leftist /socialist positions. They probably want me to pay for their college indoctrination as well as theI Obama phones. One day when they start working and pay taxes they will probably see the light.

    • Joe Corsin

      August 2, 2022 at 7:27 am

      Support socialist positions? Well enjoy wild market fluctuations, crashes,, high energy prices, no social services, trickle up economics, and neo nazi hellscape for the rest of American history my friend! Don’t complain when you are enslaved by the crony of one of your beloved GOP hogs…

    • Joe Corsin

      August 2, 2022 at 8:04 am

      No arguing with false information and neo nazi propaganda…..

    • Elliott Offen

      August 2, 2022 at 9:38 am

      Give Impeach Biden a round of applause because he works! A superior human being in every way (accept for actual wealth because merely a slave.) Bow down and worship the man…who swings off another man’s nutsack for a couple bucks! Hell of a dude…top notch… number one..

  • tom palmer

    August 1, 2022 at 10:34 pm

    The Orwellian example seems to be on the other foot.

  • Paul Gant

    August 2, 2022 at 12:34 am

    I swear to god I wouldn’t live in ****ing Florida if they paid me to.

    • Impeach Biden

      August 2, 2022 at 7:24 am

      Good. One less displaced Democrat we won’t have to deal with.

      • Joe Corsin

        August 2, 2022 at 8:01 am

        Trump was Satan….you people worshiped Satan. 🔥YOU GONNA BURN IN HELL BUDDY!!!!!🔥

  • Tom

    August 2, 2022 at 4:57 am

    LMAO, thanks for making me the FP legend. Your inability corsin to address anything substantive that is provided is a mark of a 5 yr old. Gov Ron is correct Palmer, I laid out the definition of recession, Biden’s recession is real.

    You Manchurians are getting your ass kicked. Corsin you are a empty potato sack of nothing.
    Elliot is demented.

    It’s the economy stupid! It’s the recession stupid! It’s Biden, Harris stupid! It’s the Manchurians stupid! How stupid you manchurians all are.

    • JD

      August 2, 2022 at 6:12 am

      By Manchurians, I assume you mean “Chinese Communist / Socialist” party, which was (was – because the party was ended in 1991) pretty much Authoritarian. And that’s the bulk of the current GOP – Authoritarian. So in effect, they are more Manchurian than Mao right now.

      As a side note, are you saying the Democrats are your enemy? Not your fellow citizen and fellow patriot Americans? But your / America’s enemy? And that they are sub-human stupid and don’t deserve a voice in “our” government? That they should be “ruled” by their betters? Declare Tom.

      As for the recession, both 45 and 46 have claim to it, as do both the former Republic Congress and current Democratic Congress. Trump’s admin pumped $3T and Biden’s $3T into the economy without raising interest rates. That caused this. Couple that with the “once in a 100 year pandemic” supply chain shocks, you are getting the economist “bullwhip” effect. Trying to cast blame on one over the other is load of horseshit.

      The only thing that differs between the Democrats vs the Republicans is the Democrats were willing to vote on things for the good of the whole in compromise with the Republicans, where the Republicans won’t vote for shit, unless they get complete political currency out of it and it was “invented here”.

      • Robert Pinciotti

        August 2, 2022 at 7:46 am

        Not MY fellow citizens is how I feel. Republicans need to understand that they are at war with the communists of the democrat party who hate most things about this country.

      • Tom

        August 2, 2022 at 7:53 am

        Thanks J D.

        Interesting that you accuse what the Dems are constantly accusing the Repub. of about.

        The Dems are Manchurians right out of Mao’s China. Brain dead, chanting from the playbook, talking points with media reciting all their points regularly.

        JD, inflation was at 1.4% when the worst President #46, Biden took office. I repeat 1.4%, it’s over 10% now.
        The March 2021 $1.9 billion bill Dems passed, and the infrastructure bill in fall of 21, blew up the inflation. Biden is the worst inflation President in history, since Hoover. He destroyed supply chains, has brought American economy to its knees.

        LMAO, respectfully for you to suggest that Dems compromise, they do nothing of sort. Not one issue of substance. Compromise to them is support 90% of what hey want, and maybe they’ll offer 10% to agree to from other side. Give he a break.

        The Democrat Manchurians are the one party system, authoritarians who are trying to erase the GOP.

        The House of Reps will flip, up to 40 new house GOP members and 6 new likely Senate seats.

        You know I love your dissertations, I am the click as you have said. They come at me from all angles. I suffer them gladly! As I am the conservative Repub. FP legend.

        Gov Ron wins bigly. Appreciate you JD. But we disagree so much! Regards

    • Joe Corsin

      August 2, 2022 at 7:20 am

      ^ FP legend = delusional narcissist

    • Trailer economics

      August 2, 2022 at 3:36 pm

      “It’s the economy stupid”

      I have never seen an economy built on the back of a trailer though so every red state is out of luck no matter how good or bad things are.

  • Tom

    August 2, 2022 at 8:41 am

    JD, two quarters of negative contracted growth, meaning minus growth is a “recession”, I think you know that. As I hope you do.

    That’s what Gov is saying. Dem shellacking coming.

    • JD

      August 2, 2022 at 10:39 am

      I know that’s the generally accepted definition of a “recession” (2 quarters of negative GDP growth in succession),

      But the independent body (National Bureau of Economic Research) that actually makes the official call that factors in other variables. BTW, the last one was recession was between February and April 2020.

      This one is one of the “weird ones” they aren’t calling just yet and I hope they call it either way before it gets too stale.

      I remember the “recession” in 2001 they never called because of similar “weirdness”, so there is a modern precedent. But I will concede people are going to think “they’re changing the rules on us! Rawaha” and they simply aren’t.

      • Tom

        August 2, 2022 at 12:51 pm

        JD, appreciate your honesty but you know on the street it “ain’t” selling.

        As Reagan use to say, if your neighbor is unemployed it’s a recession, if you are unemployed, it’s a depression.

        The highest most wicked inflation in American and presidential history. It’s 20%, 30% increases.

        It’s a recession JD, let’s hope it’s mild, minimal and as least punitive.
        The people the Dems profess to care for the most have been hurt most!

        We are in dire straits. Biden has destroyed economy. Biden, Harris AOC, Sanders anti carbon hate is unforgivable. Unacceptable what’s been done here. Wait til November.
        Shellacking coming

  • Just a comment

    August 2, 2022 at 11:35 am

    Wouldn’t life be much nicer if fruit trees grew on every block instead of concrete.

  • Tjb

    August 2, 2022 at 11:39 am

    Funny how the Republicans will blame the Biden administration entirely for the inflation problem and not consider the other factors that can cause inflation to spike. Yes, his economic policies have cause inflation to increase a point or two, but other factors such as supply chain issues, people spending significantly more money to purchase goods that are LOW in supply and the Ukraine invasion causing a world wide shortage of oil/gas along with other catalysts for inflation.
    If you look at other major countries, our inflation rate closely mirrors theirs. Should we blame the Biden administration for the raise of inflation in these countries? Now we have DeSantis attacking the Biden Administration for doublespeak regarding a recession … a statement coming from a bullshitter that is pushing a false narrative to cover his own policy weaknesses.

  • Tom

    August 2, 2022 at 12:40 pm

    Speaking of B.S. artists, Tjb a classic one.
    America’s Gov has done everything to save Florida from recession. DeSantis saved your job, JD’s and millions of others. Florida’s economy is on fire thanks to him. You and the rest owe him thanks. 2.8% unemployment.

    I outlined to peter h above and JD the causes.
    The inflation was 1.4% when Biden took office. Its over 10% depending on what you look at.

    The Dems partisan spending bills in 2021 created lack of workers, gave huge quantities of monies to people, and lack of workers and supply chain workers. Take responsibility instead of trying to blame others, it’s two years. No more Trump whining, bellyaching.

    This potus is the most incompetent since Hoover. Just abysmal. The highest inflation ever!

    • Joe Corsin

      August 2, 2022 at 8:21 pm

      ^ Neo nazi troll

      • Tom

        August 2, 2022 at 9:57 pm

        My ass wipe corsin!

  • tjb

    August 2, 2022 at 12:58 pm

    Looks like someone failed their economic course and they are unable to read a comment properly.

    • Tom

      August 2, 2022 at 3:20 pm

      I read it clearly Tjb.
      I refuted your b s.
      U r couching it to protect him.
      95% of voters will not. It’s all driven by this potus policies. Hatred for carbon.

      Furthermore, your hate of America’s Gov refuses to recognize he saved Florida. In every manner, jobs, businesses, economy, schools and on.
      On Covid. Florida and Gov policies are recognized the right stuff.

      I know macro and micro Econ.
      You are an clueless as an ant.
      LMAO.

    • Tom

      August 2, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      I read it clearly Tjb.
      I refuted your b s.
      U r couching it to protect him.
      95% of voters will not.
      It’s all driven by this potus policies.
      Hatred for carbon.
      Furthermore, your hate of America’s Gov refuses to recognize he saved Florida. In every manner, jobs, businesses, economy, schools and on.
      On Covid. Florida and Gov policies are recognized the right stuff.
      I know macro and micro Econ.
      You are as clueless as a ant.
      LMAO.

    • Tom

      August 2, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      I read it clearly Tjb.
      I refuted your b s.
      U r couching it to protect him.
      95% of voters will not.
      It’s all driven by this potus policies.
      Hatred for carbon.
      Furthermore, your hate of America’s Gov refuses to recognize he saved Florida. In every manner, jobs, businesses, economy, schools and on.
      On Covid. Florida and Gov policies are recognized the right stuff.
      I know macro and micro Econ.
      You are as clueless as a ant.
      LMAO.

Comments are closed.


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