Ron DeSantis in Office: An Unauthorized Account of the Florida Republican's Efforts to Uphold the Constitution as a Congressman and Governor

By Cason Longhurst

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Ron DeSantis made Florida the freest state in the country. While other politicians advocated lockdowns and masking policies, DeSantis did everything he could to keep businesses open and protect civil liberties.

DeSantis began fighting for civil liberties years earlier, though. He launched

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cason Longhurst
• Release date: Jul 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781088056929

Book preview

Introduction

Let me welcome you to the freest state in these United States. Governor Ron DeSantis opened his 2022 Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) speech to applause. The attendees had gathered in Florida because, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Florida truly was the freest state in the country.

Most of the country was still in lockdown mode, as local governments limited citizens' ability to gather in groups, including for work and church meetings. Many public schools remained closed, and the open schools overwhelmingly required students to wear face masks.

On the other hand, Florida had been largely open for business for over a year. The state’s quick action to end lockdowns benefited not only businesses but also the citizens of Florida. Rapidly reopening allowed the state to get back on track economically and begin to rebound from the negative impacts of COVID-19.

The enthusiastic crowd of Republicans at CPAC seemed to give the governor full credit for Florida’s success. The economic and public health outcomes of the pandemic in Florida were better than in most states, largely due to Governor Ron DeSantis's leadership. The CPAC attendees stood and applauded, many sporting red, white, and blue clothing as DeSantis celebrated his success.

The governor criticized politicians who locked down their constituents during the pandemic while taking personal vacations to Florida. Such politicians displayed contempt for their constituents while risking exposure to the virus and taking resources away from their home states when they were needed most.

Although DeSantis did not name her specifically, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was the best-known offender of this type. AOC, the self-proclaimed democratic socialist representing New York's 14th Congressional District, had no problem leaving her locked-down constituents behind as she jetted off to Florida for a mask-free vacation.

DeSantis noted that for politicians, the safe course of action during the pandemic was to shut down as the medical professionals told them to do. Politicians often make decisions that are in their own best interest rather than what would be best for their voters. This can lead to policies that benefit the politician but not the voter and can create a disconnect between those who are elected to represent the people and the people themselves. DeSantis had famously kept Florida open and functioning, despite intense criticism, and the governor explained why:

We did it because my duty is to stand up and protect the freedoms and the jobs of the people I represent. And if that puts me in political jeopardy, then so be it. I will stand with them. I'm not going to try to protect my own hide. And I really believe had Florida not led the way, this country could look like Canada or Australia.

At the time, Canada and Australia were in a state of extreme lockdown. Australia had implemented quarantine facilities that reminded many commentators of forced relocation camps. Both countries had brushed aside civil liberty concerns in ways that caused unnecessary economic damage and social disruption.

Continuing his speech, DeSantis described numerous issues on which Florida was leading America. He noted that people voted with their feet, and they were moving to Florida in droves. People vote with their feet by choosing where to live, and this is the most accurate way to gauge whether a place is worth living in or not. In the previous year, the state had more new residents (from migration and immigration) than any other state in the country.

As he delivered his remarks, DeSantis looked Presidential. He wore a well-tailored suit, flashed a winning smile, and spoke with confidence and force. He came across as a man in control.

Anyone who watched the speech planning to see a clone of Donald Trump was surprised. DeSantis was clearly his own man – the country’s most successful governor. Over the years, he had borrowed a few mannerisms from Trump, but his ideas were his own.

CHAPTER 1

The Book

Before he became a politician, Ron DeSantis wrote a book about politics, and that book might be the key to understanding everything he’s done since. An author's first book is often indicative of their true identity because it is written before they have had a chance to develop a false persona or alter their opinions to appeal to a wider audience. The DeSantis book reveals the future governor’s political thoughts and shows them to be very consistent with his subsequent actions.

When the topic of his book comes up, DeSantis typically jokes about how few people have read it. The nonfiction volume did not become a bestseller, but there is still time for that. After all, how many copies did Barack Obama's biography sell in 1995, before he entered politics? It was only when Obama ran for President in the 2008 election cycle that his book became a bestseller.

Similarly, DeSantis’s book could see a resurgence in popularity if he makes a successful bid for the White House in 2024. As a successful politician, DeSantis would have greater name recognition and media attention than he did when his book was first published, and journalists would undoubtedly scour the book for controversial passages. In the meantime, though, DeSantis is content to keep joking about how few people have read the book.

Obama’s autobiography, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, tells the story of Obama’s early life. It focuses on his personal experiences, including his attempts to connect with his Kenyan father, experimentation with drugs, and formal education. The autobiography does not set forth a coherent political philosophy other than a persistent desire to change the system. Perhaps understandably, the young Barack Obama expresses a naïve view of society and the ability of idealists to remake it.

In a typical passage, Obama reflects on his legal education:

The study of law can be disappointing at times, a matter of applying narrow rules and arcane procedure to an uncooperative reality; a sort of glorified accounting that serves to regulate the affairs of those who have power – and that all too often seeks to explain, to those who do not, the ultimate wisdom and justness of their condition.

Despite his Harvard legal education, the President indicates here that the law is tedious and arcane, portraying America's judicial system as soulless and shortsighted. The future President repeatedly expresses contempt for the American system without providing any clear solutions to the problems he perceives. If Obama wishes to criticize the legal system, then he should at least offer some potential solutions. Otherwise, the criticism is worthless and only serves to further divide Americans. Obama’s book differs markedly from the DeSantis book.

Dreams from Our Founding Fathers: First Principles in the Age of Obama is a response to Obama's politics. It sets forth a consistent, Constitution-based approach to law and politics while strongly critiquing Obama and his administration. DeSantis writes, for example:

Americans take pride in an old saying that ours is a government of laws, and not of men. Though not contained in either the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, the maxim stands for the idea that the liberty and livelihood of the individual should be subject to the rule of law, not the arbitrary and unrestrained dictates of individuals.

Unlike Obama, DeSantis sees wisdom in America’s legal system. The fact that laws take precedent over subjective experience is a good thing – not merely a set of arcane procedures. The rule of law provides a consistent and objective standard by which everyone must abide. This helps to promote fairness and justice, as well as to deter crime. Additionally, it allows for predictability in society, which can lead to greater stability and order, and it ensures that people's rights are protected.

DeSantis based his title on the title of Obama’s book. The cover of the book is reminiscent of Obama’s cover, but instead of childhood photos of the author, it includes images of America’s Founding Fathers. DeSantis was making a point. Americans do not need to study the subjective experiences of a young Obama; they need to study the wisdom of the Founders. Those Founders understood human nature and had a deep knowledge of history, which they used to form their opinions on government and society.

Heartfelt or Tactical?

Some critics have suggested that DeSantis wrote his book for tactical reasons, to promote his future political campaigns. There is nothing wrong with writing a book as part of a campaign. Most serious presidential candidates today release an autobiography or political manifesto ahead of their run for office.

In the 2020 presidential election cycle, at least 20 of the candidates published books before their candidacies, and it was clear that many of them were written as part of their campaigns. For example, in 2018, Julian Castro published his autobiography An Unlikely Journey, Pete Buttigieg published Shortest Way Home, and Kamala Harris published The Truths We Hold: An American Journey. It seems, however, that DeSantis did not intend his book to be a political tool.

Instead, DeSantis’s subsequent actions have demonstrated that Dreams from Our Founding Fathers accurately describes the author’s personal beliefs. The text itself suggests that DeSantis felt a need to identify the problems with Obama’s politics, and especially with Obamacare.

The book is not a light read; it delves into the weeds of law and policy to make its case. The overall tone is more heartfelt than tactical. DeSantis wants readers to understand his principles, and he’s clearly passionate about sharing them.