2024 GOP Presidential Race (2 Viewers)

[SteveSBrickNJ]

Many of Trump's endorsed candidates did not do well on Nov. 8th.
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Gov. Ron DeSantis DID do well.
He won convincingly.
Yet in this OP's opinion, Donald Trump is an egomaniac who is seemingly incapable of putting "Party over Self"
Trump has ZERO chance of being elected our next president.
In my opinion, if Trump would just shut up and go away (fat chance of that)...but "if" Trump did that, Gov. Ron DeSantis would have a CHANCE to be a formidable candidate for President in 2024.
Here is an interesting article on this topic...

Donald Trump warns Ron DeSantis against 2024 presidential bid as Republican rising star wins big

Donald Trump has warned Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis against running for president in 2024, saying doing so would harm the Republican Party.

www.scotsman.com

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What do any of you think re. Trump vs DeSantis?

 

[Taurus]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Over the past 11 months, someone created thousands of fake, automated Twitter accounts — perhaps hundreds of thousands of them — to offer a stream of praise for Donald Trump.

Besides posting adoring words about the former president, the fake accounts ridiculed Trump’s critics from both parties and attacked Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and U.N. ambassador who is challenging her onetime boss for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

When it came to Ron DeSantis, the bots aggressively suggested that the Florida governor couldn’t beat Trump, but would be a great running mate.

As Republican voters size up their candidates for 2024, whoever created the bot network is seeking to put a thumb on the scale, using online manipulation techniques pioneered by the Kremlin to sway the digital platform conversation about candidates while exploiting Twitter’s algorithms to maximize their reach.


The sprawling bot network was uncovered by researchers at Cyabra, an Israeli tech firm that shared its findings with The Associated Press. While the identity of those behind the network of fake accounts is unknown, Cyabra’s analysts determined that it was likely created within the U.S.

To identify a bot, researchers will look for patterns in an account’s profile, its follower list and the content it posts. Human users typically post about a variety of subjects, with a mix of original and reposted material, but bots often post repetitive content about the same topics.

That was true of many of the bots identified by Cyabra.

“One account will say, ‘Biden is trying to take our guns; Trump was the best,’ and another will say, ‘Jan. 6 was a lie and Trump was innocent,‘” said Jules Gross, the Cyabra engineer who first discovered the network. “Those voices are not people. For the sake of democracy I want people to know this is happening.”……

Thousands of pro-Trump bots are attacking DeSantis, Haley

Researchers have uncovered a network of tens of thousands of fake Twitter accounts created to support former President Donald Trump and attack his critics and potential rivals.

apnews.com

To me, this is the crux of Russiagate.

The Russians approached Team Trump saying "We like you and want to help you win."
Team Trump, instead of reporting the attempt, just said "Sure! We'll take all the help we can get."
It didn't rise quite to the legal level of collusion because there was no coordination, no back-and-forth. The Russians did their thing, leveraging Facebook and Twitter, while the Trump campaign did their own thing.
It was wrong, unamerican and possibly illegal, but it wasn't technically collusion.

 

[MT15]

To me, this is the crux of Russiagate.

The Russians approached Team Trump saying "We like you and want to help you win."
Team Trump, instead of reporting the attempt, just said "Sure! We'll take all the help we can get."
It didn't rise quite to the legal level of collusion because there was no coordination, no back-and-forth. The Russians did their thing, leveraging Facebook and Twitter, while the Trump campaign did their own thing.
It was wrong, unamerican and possibly illegal, but it wasn't technically collusion.

And it was absolutely not a “hoax”. The Trump campaign crossed a line that no other presidential campaign had ever crossed, that I know of. And mainstream Rs just swallowed their tongues in some cases and in other cases they decided to repeat the lies Trump told.

 

[MT15]

Yes. Candidates are viewed through the eyes of the partisan beholder(s). The flaws that liberal posters think are so obvious in DeSantis will not be noticed/ detected by right leaning voters. Naturally I will find fault with liberal politicians that most of you would either not detect or you would simply say I am wrong. We all have our political viewpoints and we'll seemingly seldom agree.

I get all that. But what I don’t get is that people who identify themselves as conservative can look at what DeSantis has done in FL, which is very much big government interference in people’s lives, and say “yep, this is what I want”. This seems to go against almost all conservative principles.

And then add in the naked cronyism - how his donors are being given preferential treatment at a level that is far exceeding what a normal politician will try to get away with.

I guess him hurting people who don’t agree with them is more important than conservative values. I honestly don’t know what else could be the reason for supporting what DeSantis is doing.

 

[Optimus Prime]

heres hoping
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It has loomed over the GOP’s posture toward Donald Trump basically from the moment he entered politics: the threat of Trump going the third-party route if he doesn’t win its 2024 nomination — and spoiling the party’s chances.


Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) effectively acknowledged that it’s a significant reason he says the party needs to stand by Trump. And the Republican National Committee is seeking to pin Trump down by forcing candidates to sign a party-loyalty pledge to participate in 2024 debates.


What if the GOP needn’t worry quite so much?

That’s what a new study suggests. But there are some significant caveats to that.
The study in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy aims to be the most authoritative review to date of “sore loser” laws.

Such laws either explicitly or effectively prevent a candidate from running as an independent or third-party candidate if they’ve previously run in the same race under a different banner. (Think: Joe Lieberman running for reelection to the Senate as an independent in 2006 after losing the Democratic primary.)


The study’s conclusion: It would be “effectively impossible” for Trump to win as a third-party or independent candidate, because he would fail to make the ballot in as many as a majority of states.


“Such a candidate would be denied ballot access in 28 states totaling 290 electoral votes if sore-loser laws are applied as written,” the study says. It notes those 290 electoral votes are a majority of electoral votes on offer, and a candidate needs a majority to win.

But the degree to which this stands in Trump’s way is a matter of significant and interesting debate. And it’s worth emphasizing that Trump actually winning isn’t the GOP’s fear so much as his deliberately submarining their chances by running a campaign focused on retribution.


Longtime third-party ballot-access expert and advocate Richard Winger has in the past argued that only two states have sore-loser laws that explicitly and definitely apply to presidential candidates: South Dakota and Texas.

Most of the others with potentially applicable laws, he has noted, have allowed failed major-party candidates to appear elsewhere on the general election ballot.


Bloomberg News, meanwhile, ran a story Monday with a similar thrust as the Harvard study. It also found that a third-party Trump effectively couldn’t win, but it focused narrowly on six states where he would be prevented from making the ballot: Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas………

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/06/trump-third-party-chances/

 

[SteveSBrickNJ]

I get all that. But what I don’t get is that people who identify themselves as conservative can look at what DeSantis has done in FL, which is very much big government interference in people’s lives, and say “yep, this is what I want”. This seems to go against almost all conservative principles.

And then add in the naked cronyism - how his donors are being given preferential treatment at a level that is far exceeding what a normal politician will try to get away with.

I guess him hurting people who don’t agree with them is more important than conservative values. I honestly don’t know what else could be the reason for supporting what DeSantis is doing.

Wow you have some good points! I wish I had more time to reflect and respond. I have such a busy day at school today. Maybe tonight I can reread your post and give a proper response.

 

[SFIDC3]

I get all that. But what I don’t get is that people who identify themselves as conservative can look at what DeSantis has done in FL, which is very much big government interference in people’s lives, and say “yep, this is what I want”. This seems to go against almost all conservative principles.

And then add in the naked cronyism - how his donors are being given preferential treatment at a level that is far exceeding what a normal politician will try to get away with.

I guess him hurting people who don’t agree with them is more important than conservative values. I honestly don’t know what else could be the reason for supporting what DeSantis is doing.

He is trying to out culture war Trump, which in my guess, is the only way he thinks he can win. To call DeSantis a "conservative" one would have to change the definition of conservative.....he is a wannabe tinpot dictator just like Trump, under a different disguise....

For whatever reason, lots of folks who claim to be conservative love him.....it's utter insanity.....

 

[SteveSBrickNJ]

He is trying to out culture war Trump, which in my guess, is the only way he thinks he can win. To call DeSantis a "conservative" one would have to change the definition of conservative.....he is a wannabe tinpot dictator just like Trump, under a different disguise....

For whatever reason, lots of folks who claim to be conservative love him.....it's utter insanity.....

Note to self...@SteveSBrickNJ..combine tonight's response to @SFIDC3 w/ my response to @MT15
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LOL...the system won't let me @ myself

 

[Optimus Prime]

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Ron DeSantis opened the 2023 legislative session Tuesday by declaring that while he has pushed Florida onto controversial, conservative ground over the past four years, he is determined to shift the state even further right in coming weeks.

Speaking to a House chamber crowded with lawmakers – DeSantis' State of the State address was structured to echo far beyond the state Capitol, in advance of his expected bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

“We find ourselves in Florida on the front lines in the battle for freedom,” DeSantis said in his 30-minute speech. “Together, we have made Florida the nation’s most desired destination and we have produced historic results.”

After running through highlights of his first term – fighting COVID-19 vaccine mandates, pushing parental rights in schools and blunting migrants from staying in the state – DeSantis pledged that more is to come.

“Now’s not the time to rest on our laurels. We have the opportunity and indeed the responsibility, to swing for the fences,” he said, telling the Republican-controlled Legislature, “Don’t worry about the chattering class.”

“I can promise you this, you ain’t seen nothing yet,” the governor concluded............

MSN

 

[coldseat]

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Ron DeSantis opened the 2023 legislative session Tuesday by declaring that while he has pushed Florida onto controversial, conservative ground over the past four years, he is determined to shift the state even further right in coming weeks.

Speaking to a House chamber crowded with lawmakers – DeSantis' State of the State address was structured to echo far beyond the state Capitol, in advance of his expected bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

“We find ourselves in Florida on the front lines in the battle for freedom,” DeSantis said in his 30-minute speech. “Together, we have made Florida the nation’s most desired destination and we have produced historic results.”

After running through highlights of his first term – fighting COVID-19 vaccine mandates, pushing parental rights in schools and blunting migrants from staying in the state – DeSantis pledged that more is to come.

“Now’s not the time to rest on our laurels. We have the opportunity and indeed the responsibility, to swing for the fences,” he said, telling the Republican-controlled Legislature, “Don’t worry about the chattering class.”

“I can promise you this, you ain’t seen nothing yet,” the governor concluded............

MSN

I wonder if any of those Cubans in Miami are having buyers remorse? Or are they loving what they're getting out of DeSantis?

My sister lives in Florida and really wants to get out.

 

[SteveSBrickNJ]

Wow you have some good points! I wish I had more time to reflect and respond. I have such a busy day at school today. Maybe tonight I can reread your post and give a proper response.

I get all that. But what I don’t get is that people who identify themselves as conservative can look at what DeSantis has done in FL, which is very much big government interference in people’s lives, and say “yep, this is what I want”. This seems to go against almost all conservative principles.

And then add in the naked cronyism - how his donors are being given preferential treatment at a level that is far exceeding what a normal politician will try to get away with.

I guess him hurting people who don’t agree with them is more important than conservative values. I honestly don’t know what else could be the reason for supporting what DeSantis is doing.

Conservatives mostly want the free market to be unencumbered.
Conservatives mostly SHOULD want to not expand government spending and not do anything to raise the taxes.
Anti-woke Republicans are a relatively new thing and it gets tricky for me to separate out those anti-woke issues from historically traditional conservative stuff.
It is my impression that numerous previous Governors and US Presidents have given people they've known and trusted positions in their administration or sometimes other desirable placements.
I'm not really turned off by DeSantis doing that.
I wish he would not try sooo hard to push the limit on how anti woke he can be.
I'm not liking that. I'd like him to focus on how he'd govern differently than Biden and why that would be good for our country. Yet....since Florida law has not yet been changed, DeSantis can't currently declare himself a candidate for President...thus my hope for where his talking points will focus will have to wait. Probably he'll declare in May.
DeSantis is my best hope to prevent Trump from gaining the nomination, I'm sticking with DeSantis for now. @SFIDC3

 

[MT15]

Anti-woke is all he is, Steve. I’m not seeing a whole lot else.

 

[Taurus]

Conservatives mostly want the free market to be unencumbered.
Conservatives mostly SHOULD want to not expand government spending and not do anything to raise the taxes.
Anti-woke Republicans are a relatively new thing and it gets tricky for me to separate out those anti-woke issues from historically traditional conservative stuff.
It is my impression that numerous previous Governors and US Presidents have given people they've known and trusted positions in their administration or sometimes other desirable placements.
I'm not really turned off by DeSantis doing that.
I wish he would not try sooo hard to push the limit on how anti woke he can be.
I'm not liking that. I'd like him to focus on how he'd govern differently than Biden and why that would be good for our country. Yet....since Florida law has not yet been changed, DeSantis can't currently declare himself a candidate for President...thus my hope for where his talking points will focus will have to wait. Probably he'll declare in May.
DeSantis is my best hope to prevent Trump from gaining the nomination, I'm sticking with DeSantis for now. @SFIDC3

@SteveSBrickNJ
While there is no Left in America politics, it's also clear that there's no Conservative party, either.

A party whose official position on religion is "no comment"
Who doesn't care and won't spend a dime to police your bedroom habits.
That takes an investment based approach to spending.
That acts on government's role as a referee between corporate and living citizens.
That believes some regulations are obviously in the public good.
That seeks to slow and think through social change as opposed to rolling it back fifty years at a go.

That party doesn't exist and it's a damn shame. Because we need it.

 

[brandon]

@SteveSBrickNJ
While there is no Left in America politics, it's also clear that there's no Conservative party, either.

A party whose official position on religion is "no comment"
Who doesn't care and won't spend a dime to police your bedroom habits.
That takes an investment based approach to spending.
That acts on government's role as a referee between corporate and living citizens.
That believes some regulations are obviously in the public good.
That seeks to slow and think through social change as opposed to rolling it back fifty years at a go.

That party doesn't exist and it's a damn shame. Because we need it.

Homie that’s literally the Democratic Party.

 

[Taurus]

Homie that’s literally the Democratic Party.

Almost.

The Dems want to oversee my diet and hassle me about putting in a gas stove.

But in many ways you're right. The Democrats are the closest thing we have to a Conservative party.

What we have in America is a center-right, quasi conservative party and a gang of knee-jerk reactionaries who just want to burn it all down because governing is hard, y'all.

 

[MT15]

BTW - I opted for the induction range. Getting a Bosch 30” slide in. Turns out my 30 yo electric range had what they called at the time a “down draft” exhaust fan - so no overhead hood and it’s in an island, so not easy to add one. There is exactly one gas stove model that can use that exhaust option, a KitchenAid, so I went with induction. Moving it to the wall nearby and putting in a OTR microwave with a hood fan. Ordered them today.

 

[Taurus]

BTW - I opted for the induction range. Getting a Bosch 30” slide in. Turns out my 30 yo electric range had what they called at the time a “down draft” exhaust fan - so no overhead hood and it’s in an island, so not easy to add one. There is exactly one gas stove model that can use that exhaust option, a KitchenAid, so I went with induction. Moving it to the wall nearby and putting in a OTR microwave with a hood fan. Ordered them today.

Nice!

 

[brandon]

The Dems want to oversee my diet

I have no idea what you're referring to here.

hassle me about putting in a gas stove.

This sort of regulation to protect people from unnecessary poisoning will force stove technology makers to make non-gas stoves equivalent in cooking ability to gas stoves, which will also help protect the environment.

Are you also an advocate for asbestos insulation and lead paint, or are you mad at Dems for taking those away, too?

 

[SteveSBrickNJ]

Anti-woke is all he is, Steve. I’m not seeing a whole lot else.

Well IF he ever campaigns in Ohio and PA he(as you know) will need something else.