ORBANISM

I've long said we better hope the Great Orange Dope gets the nod for the Repukican nominee for President. For me for two reasons. Biden will for sure hand the Dump his head on a platter, as I would hope many have moved on from his bullshit and 2, a Biden DeSaintis fight will be even more hateful, and would Biden have the energy? Then there is the truth. DeSantis is far more evil, crazy and dangerous then the Dump will be if he gets in.  After my lovely trip to Budapest Hungary, a stunning and very enjoyable trip...and the people were downright welcoming and happy. It's it almost hard to believe they have a crazed dictator running the country. And I worry DeSantis is not following the GOP...but that of Viktor Orban. In June of last year, Hungary's far right government passed a law cracking down on LGBT rights, including a provision prohibiting instruction on LGBT topics in sex education sex classes. And then a banning of certain books, and any "subjective art" in school be removed. Sound familiar?

About nine months later, Florida Dipshit DeSantis signed the so-called "Don't Say Gay bill banning all classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identify up through the third grade...and since then, up to 12 grades in a matter of months. The two bills are closely connected. A senior editor, Rod Dreher who is with the American Conservative magazine said he was told by a conservative reporter from a FL newspaper said DeSantis's press sectary even admitted they are watching Hungary very closely.

It's easy to see the connections, in both provisions and justifications. And this is not a one-off example. DeSantis, who has built a profile as a pugilistic culture warrior with his eyes on the presidency, has steadily put together a policy agenda with strong echoes of Orban's governing ethos. Most recently there was DeSantis's crackdown on Disney's special tax exemption; using regulatory powers to punish opposing political speech and views in one of Orban's signature moves. On issues ranging from higher education to social media and gerrymandering, DeSantis has followed a trail blazed by Orban, turning policy into a tool for targeting outgroups while entrenching his party's hold on power. Orban has recently emerged as an aspirational model for many on the Trump friendly right. During his presidency, many observers on both sides of the aisle compared Trump to Orban...but I disagree with that. Trump was not smart or competent or even disciplined enough to implement Orban style authoritarianism in America.

DeSantis's agenda in Florda is evidence that the Republican shift in the direction is continuing, maybe even accelerating. Look at all the havoc and gutting he's down alone already with the Don't say Gay Bill, and other trans related issues. What's next, Pride events will be outlawed??? What worries me is, is that DeSantis is smarter than the Dump. DeSantis is already showing how it could actually be implemented in practice. Look at how many other states already jumped on with similar bills. The consequences for democracy in Florida and America in general could be dire if he is elected.

Orban's political model has frequently employed a demagogic two step: stand up a feared or marginalized group as an enemy then use the supposed need to combat this groups influence to justify punitive policies that also happen to expand his regime's power and take the deflection off the real issues that need addressing. If DeSantis is in fact following and creating a blueprint for a "American Orbanism" that he and the Republicans across the country choose to follow, and I think it's already happening, look at the whole nonsense of the drag queen issue...the implication for American democracy could well be disastrous. I only wish I had more faith in the Republican voters to wake up.