'Not the Democrats' Presidential Update

Two big stories about Ron DeSantis's expected presidential run broke around the weekend, and together, they make We're not the Democrats look less like a reason to vote for the Republicans and more like a warning label, given that DeSantis has been positioning himself as basically a halfway sane version of Trump.

First and worst, Ron DeSantis signed into law a six week abortion ban, something he didn't seem too excited to do:

DeSantis, who often places himself on the front lines of culture war issues, had said he backs the six-week ban but had appeared uncharacteristically tepid on the bill. He has often said, "We welcome pro-life legislation," when asked about the policy.

Whether he was tepid because he knows that this ban will alienate many or most independent voters, or because he does not personally favor such a ban is immaterial: He signed it into law.

Whether it is because he lacks a spine or has no problem forcing women to bear children, we now know all we need to know about where DeSantis stands on this issue.

A separate report, about recent advertising efforts by Never Back Down -- a PAC that is backing a potential presidential run by Florida's governor -- further informs us that DeSantis, like Trump, is unlikely to deal with the rapidly-approaching Social Security crisis.

The pro-DeSantis ad shows the governor saying in March: "We're not going to mess with Social Security as Republicans."

This is disappointing.

Image by John Tenniel, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

First, I never imagined I'd see the day when Dubya's weak "privatization" proposal for Social Security would be made to look bold in comparison by members of his own party, but here we are -- and by a group that calls itself "Never Back Down" no less.

Second, while the mudslinging involves Republicans slamming each other for adopting campaign tactics from Democrats, voters will notice that Republicans are adopting Democrat policies -- except when those policies (like keeping abortion legal) favor more freedom.

-- CAV