Friday, September 16, 2022

Republican presidential candidates vie to outdo each other in inanity

Here's a little preview of what Florida Governor Ron DeSantis might be like as President. The original idea wasn't his, but he is happily owning the political stunt of flying 50 desperate Venezuelan illegal immigrants from Florida to the wealthy tourist island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has the dubious honour of originating this particular species of Republican political theatre, shipping poor, undernourished and desperate illegal immigrants from southern states up to the self-described "sanctuary" cities and states in the Democratic north of the country, like New York, Chicago and Washington, promising them housing and jobs (the Venezuelan migrants were even given a phony brochure detailing what they were entitled to in Massachussetts, which may now become the subject of a legal case). Doug Ducey of Arizona was quick to jump on the bandwagon, and, not to be outdone, DeSantis also wanted in on this wizard wheeze. He was probably highly amused by his choice of Martha's Vineyard as a destination, but the small island is now having to scramble to accommodate the influx of refugees, most of whom have no idea where they are or how they will survive there.

This, then, is a man who intends standing for US President in 2024, as a supposedly sane alternative to Donald Trump. Trump himself must be kicking himself not to have thought of the idea first, playing as it does with the lives and mental health of poor, confused individuals.

So, there you have, in a nutshell, a measure of the calibre of the Republican candidates for presidential election in 2024. Spoiled for choice?

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