American Democracy needs Charlie Crist to beat Ron DeSantis and become Governor of the State of Florida. I’m convinced this is a critical race, on many levels. Maybe I’ve learned the wrong lessons from reading Betty Cracker; I’ll accept that.
This started with me pondering how Jim Crow developed. How Southern states, in the US, used terror attacks and “we all hate Negros” and “Brother versus Brother!” and the sheer exhaustion of our Civil War’s aftermath to break what goodwill existed for equality. From that lens? DeSantis terrifies me.
For example, here’s one of many key issues:
DeSantis has taken over all three branches of government in Florida. There is nobody in the state willing and able to hold him accountable. The Miami Herald editorial board calls it “unchecked one-man rule.”
Trump is a Trumpist. But DeSantis is a fascist. (Emphasis Mine — MD)
I see in him the capacity to build a modern Jim Crow system of perpetually abusive and fascist governance. No “Gilead” babble, this time. Just straight-up “here’s how we abuse people to hold power“ in our modern era. And yes, that’s different from using a mess of ad hoc asshole attacks for petty gains.
What gives me hope? We, as a Country, are in a position to break the back of that effort. At least, for a time.