Billy Townsend remembers Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s servile devotion to Trump while he was president. Now DeSantis is positioning himself to run for President against the old fool in 2024. But Ron D. has a serious liability: his continued friendship with a corrupt lobbyist for the charter industry.
DeSantis…banished Ralph Arza in 2018 from the sight of his campaign with much public dudgeon, for a pretty good reason: Ralph is a convicted criminal witness tamperer kicked out of the Legislature for making drunken, threatening, racial-slur filled phone calls. Ralph also happens to be director of governmental affairs for the Florida Charter School Alliance (FCSA) and chief political hit man for the Florida charter school industry…
Since DeSantis appointed Richard Corcoran, Ralph has been acting as the de facto second in command at the collapsing DeSantis Florida Department of Education, which has been run by disgraced, outgoing Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran. Corcoran once told me face-to-face he considers Ralph a “friend.”
Ralph is also a crucial figure in the ongoing DoE/Jefferson/MGT consultant bid-rigging scandal. Four of Ralph’s relatives worked for the Academica-owned charter school that Sen. Manny Diaz and Richard Corcoran forced on Jefferson County before it quit. And Ralph was present for no good reason during a potentially corrupt official meeting last fall, first reported by the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald. Full rundown of Ralph’s still not fully explained role in it here.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, is certain that Donald isn’t interested in running in 2024. His take: Trump is pulling off another Trumpian grift–raking in donations by holding out the possibility that he might run. And he’s doing this quite successfully. Grifters gotta grift. Trump will doubtless keep up the charade until the last moment, unless, by some miracle, AG Garland awakens from his slumber and actually indicts mob boss Trump for something.
The Trump-Falstaff comparison has some merit. Both are bloated windbags and through-going rogues, and both feel betrayed by their former friend, Prince DeSantis in the one case and Prince Hal in the other, but there’s a key difference. Falstaff actually is witty and a genius.
I will not take Trump seriously as a Falsaffian character until he staggers in from battle somewhat intoxicated and gets a brand of beer named in his honor.
LOL.
There are, in fact, several Trump-branded beers. One is called Dumb Donald. Another Chinga tu Pelo, Donald.
Other possibilities:
Con in a Can
Vlad’s Agent Orange Amber
Pathological Pilsner
De Dregs de Donald
Bloated Bloviator Brew II
Also:
Orange Moon
Putin Pilsner
Donald’s Drano (especially recommended for pain around the heart and dark around the eyes)
No doubt discussion of Republican corruption will bring a re-joiner of “What about Hunter Biden.” I got a haircut the other day where Faux News was, as usual in Tennessee, a constant presence. For the entire time I was getting the cut, the news never got off of Hunter Biden. No wonder the Republican Party votes for these buffons. They are being fed with empty intellectual calories.
Hunter Biden’s problems are finally being covered by outlets other than Fox, including the NY Times and the Washington Post. I’m an unusual person these days: I want corruption investigated no matter which political party is involved. You obviously don’t.
The FBI is investigating Hunter Biden for tax evasion. I will wait to hear what the FBI concludes.
The main reason DeSantis distanced himself from Arza is not because he does not agree with him, it is because his relationship will Arza will interfere with his political ambitions. DeSantis is an opportunist that aspires to spread his poison from coast to coast. While so many US politicians are rallying around the Ukraine’s brave stand against the Russian invasion, DeSantis has been silent. Voters should remember this when they go to the polls in 2024, if DeSantis gets the nomination. They should also remember all DeSantis anti-democratic legislation targeting people that disagree with him and his biased views.
Is DeSantis hoping to get the old Putin boost just like his mentor, The Idiot?
The Republican Party has, for the past five decades, made considerable political hay calling out the Democrats for being soft on defense. Will this continue? Or will 2024 be the year particular Republican silence on Ukraine makes those candidates a liability?
I have a campaign slogan for DeSantis:
We’re gonna Party like we’re Germany in 1933!
cx: DeSantis’ anti-democratic
Bob: Love it!