It caused quite a stir when Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis (R), starkly critiqued Vice President Kamala Harris for her decision this week. Unsettling news for some, she’d selected Tim Walz, the notably progressive Governor from Minnesota, as her running mate. The duo, according to DeSantis, is one of the most extreme political groupings in the annals of United States history. DeSantis articulated his concerns both during a news conference and on numerous social media platforms immediately after the revelation on Tuesday morning.
#BREAKING: DeSantis on Walz being Harris’ VP pick
“They’re riots that Tim Walz as governor let happen. He sat back and let the city of Minneapolis burn.”
“This is a ticket that really represents the spirit of those 2020 BLM riots.”
“We do not need to see poop on the street,… pic.twitter.com/RN2tHzZNEc
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) August 6, 2024
Drawing focus to a particularly delicate issue, DeSantis recollected the notorious BLM riots that shook Minneapolis in the year 2020. These were tumultuous times borne out of a divided social fabric. The Florida Governor didn’t hold back, accusing Vice President Harris of instigating these demonstrations and orchestrating financial assistance for the protestors via the Minnesota Bail Fund.
Further, he also pointed a finger at Walz, through what was in his view passive or indifferent leadership at the time. Walz, serving as Minnesota’s Governor then, didn’t intervene during the chaos, DeSantis opined. Such inaction, according to him, led to a dire situation, resulting in Minneapolis witnessing destruction of considerable magnitude, eventually leading to its downfall.
Drawing a connection, DeSantis explained that Harris and Walz embody the pervasive essence of the BLM riots that took place in 2020. He painted a picture of a disconcerting political alliance – Kamala Harris, a Democratic figure often identified with San Francisco’s left-leaning politics, and Tim Walz, who is often compared to his fellow Minnesotan, Ilhan Omar, a known progressive advocate.
Emphasizing his critique, DeSantis expressed, ‘What we don’t need is a vision of America defined by the unsuccessful political experiments of San Francisco or Minneapolis. Neither city represents a model for success. Indeed, their current state is a glaring testament to policy failure.’
He further strengthened his scathing critique of these cities with a rather graphic observation, ‘Seeing feces on streets or witnessing cities succumbing to violent anarchy is not the cure for America’s challenges.’ This is not the blueprint to help America regain its strength, he argued with conviction.
Highlighting an interesting demographic shift, DeSantis drew attention to a pattern that had emerged between 2020 and 2021. He noted that during this period, people were five times more likely to migrate from Minnesota to Florida than the other way round. This mass exodus, he suggested, was a telling indicator of people trying to escape failed policies.
The Florida governor posed a critical question, ‘Why would that be a desirable future for America? Where is the refuge if policies fail at the national level?’ His comments are a hint towards his concern for the larger repercussions of nationwide policy failure.
He ended on a humorous yet sobering note, ‘While Florida is welcoming, we can’t host the entire nation. There are limits, believe me.’ This remark underscores his belief that importing failed policies and expecting different results is not a solution for the collective health of the United States.