Ron deSantis

Friday May 26, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 26, 2023

DeSantis’ Presidential Spectacle: From Twitter Chats to Dewoke Rats

November 10, 2022

Political journalists and pundits spent a significant portion of Wednesday fixating on the unconventional method by which Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his presidential candidacy. He chose to utilize Twitter Spaces for an audio conversation, accompanied by billionaire Elon Musk and David Sacks, a South African-born venture capitalist and Republican donor. Sacks had recently expressed his belief that continued military support for Ukraine could lead to a hypothetical “woke war III.”

The media engaged in rampant speculation about DeSantis’ decision to forgo an in-person event in his hometown near Tampa and pondered the level of attention he would receive from Fox News, which has a tumultuous relationship with the governor, vacillating between support and disillusionment. The spectacle resembled a Disneyworld parade with its satirical mascot, “Ron Dewoke Rat,” a twisted caricature of Mickey Mouse.

Certainly, the choice of Twitter as the platform for the announcement is intriguing, as it indicates DeSantis’ alignment with influential right-wing financiers. The message to other affluent Republicans is clear: even if you distance yourself from Trump, DeSantis will still advocate for your interests regarding tax policies, wages, and similar matters. It is akin to displaying a bumper sticker on your luxury car that assures you of safety under DeSantis’ leadership in the digital age.

Analysis: How DeSantis Allies Plan to Beat Trump in the 2024 Presidential Election 

November 12, 2022

However, the rollout of the announcement was marred by embarrassing technical issues, which is unsurprising given Twitter’s frequent glitches under Musk’s ownership. It is ironic that a governor who touts his technological savvy would stumble on such a platform.

Beneath DeSantis’ incessant culture wars lies a distressing reality of policies that disregard the majority of Florida’s non-wealthy citizens. While he wages his crusade against what he perceives as “wokeness,” which translates to opposing equal and fair treatment of Black, gay, and transgender individuals, he has also fostered an environment of censorship. Florida schools have removed books like “The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman, a young Black poet whose powerful recitation captivated audiences at President Biden’s 2021 inauguration. Although it is unlikely that DeSantis personally made these decisions, his relentless campaign against perceived wokeness has laid the groundwork for such acts.

June 24, 2022

DeSantis has also enacted policies regarding women’s reproductive rights that ban abortions after only six weeks of pregnancy, often before women even realize they are pregnant. He takes pride in legislation that restricts gender-affirming care for minors, targets drag shows, limits discussions of personal pronouns in schools, and enforces discriminatory bathroom policies. These actions are based on narratives that experts from major medical associations have debunked, yet DeSantis persists in spreading misinformation, such as falsely claiming that children are routinely subjected to “mutilation.”

In addition to his divisive tactics in the culture war, DeSantis has resorted to attention-seeking and destructive stunts, such as transporting plane-loads of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and engaging in public feuds with Disney, a prominent employer and tourist attraction. Internationally, he infamously referred to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a mere “territorial dispute,” only to backtrack when his statement did not resonate well within his own party.

Analysis: Will Ron DeSantis’s culture war with Disney threaten his White House run?  

March 22, 2023

Unfortunately, the media pays less attention to the fact that while DeSantis proclaims Florida to be “where woke goes to die,” the state has also become a place where its residents suffer in various ways. Florida ranks poorly in healthcare, school funding, and long-term care for the elderly. Teachers’ salaries are among the lowest nationwide, unemployment benefits are inadequate, and the governor actively opposes efforts to raise the minimum wage, which remains low in the state.

The regressive tax structure of Florida explains why wealthy individuals are flocking to the state. With no individual income tax and an exceptionally low corporate tax rate, it becomes an attractive haven for affluent Americans seeking to evade their fair share of taxes. However, this burden falls disproportionately on the poor and middle class, as the state heavily relies on sales and excise taxes for revenue. Consequently, Florida ranks worse than comparable northern states in areas such as diabetes, cancer mortality, teenage birth rates, and infant mortality.

Beneath the flashy distractions of DeSantis’ culture wars lies a grim reality of policies that neglect the majority of Florida’s non-wealthy citizens. If Florida sets the tone for the nation, electing Ron DeSantis as president could result in unfortunate repercussions stemming from his governance. (AI)

Letter to the Editor, The Hamilton Spectator, May 29, 2023 

Letter to the Editor

WOKE must die at Spec

I fail to understand why The Spectator would stoop so low as to publish a cartoon (May 25) of this nature. Only a small percentage of the population support WOKE. DeSantis famously stated “Florida is where WOKE comes to die” and many support him. As owner of a small USA business I follow U.S. politics closely. WOKE needs to die at The Spectator, too.

John McGrath, Dundas

 

Wednesday March 22, 2023

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday March 22, 2023

Fingerprints and a mugshot: What happens if Trump is arrested

December 21, 2022

Donald Trump is hunkering down in Florida ahead of his widely anticipated arrest this week on charges stemming from an investigation into a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016.

He would be the first US president to face criminal charges.

In 2016, adult film star Stormy Daniels contacted media outlets offering to sell her account of what she said was an adulterous affair she had with Donald Trump in 2006.

Mr Trump’s team got wind of this, and his lawyer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 to Ms Daniels to keep quiet.

This is not illegal. However, when Mr Trump reimbursed Mr Cohen, the record for the payment says it was for legal fees. Prosecutors say this amounts to Mr Trump falsifying business records, which is a misdemeanour – a criminal offence – in New York.

Prosecutors could also potentially allege that this breaks election law, because his attempt to hide his payments to Ms Daniels was motivated by not wanting voters to know he had an affair with her. Covering up a crime by falsifying records would be a felony, which is a more serious charge.

September 24, 2022

Even advocates for prosecution acknowledge that either way, this is by no means a clear-cut case. There is little precedent for such a prosecution, and past attempts to charge politicians with crossing the line between campaign finance and personal spending have ended in failure.

“It’s going to be tough,” says Catherine Christian, a former financial prosecutor for the New York City district attorney.

The decision on whether to file charges rests with New York City District Attorney Alvin Bragg. He set up the grand jury to investigate whether there was enough evidence to pursue a prosecution, and he is the only one who knows if – or when – an indictment will be announced.

Last week, Mr Trump’s lawyers said that the former president was offered a chance to appear before the grand jury, which is considered a sign that the investigation is close to finishing.

The lawyers have downplayed suggestions that they or Mr Trump have any advance notice of an impending indictment, saying his comments about it being Tuesday were based on media reports.

However, there are other signs that the grand jury is wrapping up.

January 6, 2022

Both Michael Cohen and his former legal adviser Robert Costello have given testimony in recent days.

Mr Costello was put forward by Mr Trump’s defence team on Monday in an attempt to discredit Cohen’s testimony.

If Mr Bragg decides to move ahead with charges, he will first inform Mr Trump and his lawyers, setting off negotiations over how and when the former president will appear in New York City for his formal arrest and first hearing in court.

As part of those negotiations with prosecutors, the court may also agree to grant him a private entrance to the court, instead of the more typical “perp walk” in front of the assembled media.

Once inside, however, Mr Trump will be fingerprinted and have his mug shot taken like all defendants in criminal cases. He will also be read his “Miranda” rights, reminding him of his constitutionally-protected right to a lawyer and to decline to talk to police.

October 12, 2016

Defendants charged with a felony are typically handcuffed temporarily, although Mr Trump’s lawyers will try to avoid that for their client. Throughout the booking process, he will be accompanied by Secret Service agents.

Mr Trump would then wait in a holding area or cell until his appearance before a judge. The arraignment – the moment where a defendant enters their plea before a judge – is open to the public.

Once the case is booked and a judge is selected, other details will fall into place, such as the timing of the trial and possible travel restrictions and bail requirements for the defendant.

A conviction on a misdemeanour would result in a fine. If Mr Trump were convicted on the felony charge, he would face a maximum sentence of four years in prison, although some legal experts predict a fine is more probable, and that any time behind bars is highly unlikely. (BBC) 

 

Thursday November 10, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday November 10, 2022

Trump team pushes to delay 2024 launch as DeSantis star rises in GOP

Former president Donald Trump’s standing as the dominant figure in the Republican Party was challenged Tuesday night by a string of election results that even some of his advisers viewed as wounding to his political future.

February 4, 2021

Trump is taking blame from Republicans for disappointing performances by many of the candidates he backed, at the same time that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won a landslide reelection, instantly elevating his profile as a serious 2024 presidential contender.

In a sign of Trump’s diminished and newly uncertain footing, some longtime allies are now encouraging Trump to delay a presidential announcement he had planned for next week as a victory lap for a red wave that didn’t materialize.

“Republican chairmen across a wide spectrum of states were counting on Donald Trump to deliver victory for them last night and he didn’t, they are let down,” David Urban, a top adviser to Trump’s winning 2016 campaign in Pennsylvania and a longtime ally, said Wednesday. “It is clear the center of gravity of the Republican Party is in the state of Florida, and I don’t mean Mar-a-Lago.”

February 26, 2021

The immediate cause for Trump advisers to discuss delaying his promised “very big announcement” scheduled for Tuesday at Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach, Fla., resort, was a Senate runoff in Georgia. Trump’s handpicked Senate candidate, football legend Herschel Walker, trailed incumbent Democrat Raphael G. Warnock by about 1 point as of Wednesday afternoon, with neither candidate clearing 50%, leading to a runoff on Dec. 6.

“Everything is about Herschel. I’ll be advising him to put it off until after the runoff,” said Jason Miller, a longtime adviser and sometime spokesman for Trump. “I’m not alone when I say President Trump’s best moves are to put all his efforts to get Herschel Walker elected.”

Trump has been eager to jump into the 2024 race, to the point that he kicked off a last-ditch scramble by aides and Republican leaders to stop him from announcing his candidacy on Monday night, on the eve of the election. Instead, Trump said he would make an announcement next Tuesday.

October 10, 2020

But the election returns so far have failed to add up to the blowout Trump was hoping to capitalize on, and he gave only brief, subdued remarks Tuesday night from a watch party at Mar-a-Lago, in the path of a hurricane and subject to an evacuation order.

Two people present with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night said he was in good spirits, but one of these people said he spent time on Wednesday fuming about the loss by his endorsed candidate, Mehmet Oz, in the Pennsylvania Senate race and the Republican adulation of DeSantis.

By contrast, DeSantis spent election night celebrating a whopping, nearly 20-point victory with supporters chanting for him to run for president. A person close to the governor described his team as “euphoric” and called Tuesday’s results “disastrous” for Trump.

July 21, 2020

“I have never seen anything like it, and I don’t think any Republican has in Florida,” said Brian Ballard, a longtime powerful lobbyist in Florida. “He has realigned voting coalitions in Florida that I think will benefit the party for generations. After the election yesterday, he is even more so a leader in the Republican Party.”

Two DeSantis allies predicted the governor would wait until Florida’s legislative session ends in May to announce a White House bid, and in the meantime would campaign for Walker in the Georgia Senate runoff. A spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about DeSantis’ plans for the Georgia runoff or the 2024 race.

October 12, 2016

People who’ve worked with DeSantis say gaming out his moves is difficult because he keeps decision-making to himself, his wife and his chief of staff. A longtime legislative aide in Tallahassee said Tuesday’s results showed that DeSantis is a viable alternative to Trump, but that may not matter if Trump barrels ahead anyway.

“Nobody thinks the path for DeSantis is taking Trump head-on at this point,” the aide said, expecting Trump would “run the party to the ground.”

Even before Tuesday’s election results, Trump viewed DeSantis as a threat, according to the former president’s advisers, and Trump did not wait for polls to close to start attacking him. He mocked him last week as “Ron DeSanctimonious.” On Monday, he threatened to release damaging information about DeSantis should he run, according to the Wall Street Journal. (The Washington Post) 

From sketch to finish, see the current way Graeme completes an editorial cartoon using an iPencil, the Procreate app, and a couple of cheats on an iPad Pro … These sped up clips are posted to encourage others to be creative, to take advantage of the technology many of us already have and to use it to produce satire. Comfort the afflicted. Afflict the comforted.