Just be normal.
Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis‘ vision of the world is so normal that he is now considered an exceptional individual in contemporary politics by comparison to the vast majority of politicians who are disconnected from reality.
What is meant by normal is the idea that hard work matters, families are the bedrock of any community, and America is an exceptional nation that deserves protection from threats from outside and within, among other tried and true methods of governance.
All of that used to be commonplace in society. Men and women living out those ideas made America the greatest country in the history of the world. Anything that went against those notions was considered an aberration in politics that should be guarded against.
However, over the past few decades, the Left has trashed those principles. Instead, generations have been taught that the U.S. is an evil nation with irredeemable sins. The institutions that created America and transformed the world — the argument goes — need to be completely dismantled and remade in a collectivist vision for a better future.
That message has received very little pushback in the public sphere. It has been hard to find anybody expressing those values concisely and effectively.
Yet on Tuesday, the re-elected chief executive laid out his successes in the Sunshine State and guiding belief system in a complete rejection of the status quo.
“We reject this woke ideology,” DeSantis said, speaking on behalf of Floridians’ opposition to leftism run amok. “We seek normalcy, not philosophical lunacy! We will not allow reality, facts, and truth to become optional. We will never surrender to the woke mob.”
What exactly does that “woke” ideology entail?
As the potential 2024 presidential candidate put it, it’s one that “rejects merit and achievement” while advocating “identity essentialism.” It coddles criminals while attacking families. It expands the government while trampling on individual rights. It spoils the innocence of children while shielding the guilt of “entrenched bureaucrats in D.C., jet-setters in Davos, and corporations wielding public power” who want to control life.
In other words — it is a complete abandonment of the Judeo-Christian principles laid out by our Founding Fathers and the belief in individual responsibility and limited government.
Those promoting said “philosophical lunacy” are not limited to the Democrats alone, it should be noted. Many establishment Republicans are all too happy to go along with this as well.
So, if that is what the Left in all its forms stands for, then what does DeSantis’ brand believe should be put forth?
Well, he really stands for the idea that Americans should have pride in their country, work to make a community better, have a government that defends its citizens, and a nation that promotes its founding ideals.
More than that, he wants each person to believe in himself or herself.
“Decline is a choice. Success is attainable. And freedom is worth fighting for,” the governor stated on Tuesday.
None of what he said are new ideas, really. He spoke a timeless message that can be applied to any American in any situation — not just politics.
DeSantis also emphasized his state’s reliance on God, in the great tradition of American history. He promised to fight back against a federal government that has let America’s borders become porous and enacted energy policies that make us dependent on others.
But more than that, the governor also emphasized that “results matter.”
“We lead not by mere words, but by deeds,” he claimed. “Four years ago, we promised to pursue a bold agenda. We did just that and we have produced results.”
Again, that is an entirely all-American message. In the U.S., we don’t play to have fun, we play to win; well done is better than well said; rely on yourself and your family, not welfare; all men are created equal; having responsibility is a good thing; faith matters above anything else.
Even the mere fact that DeSantis was willing to describe that as “normalcy” shows that he is ready and willing to fight the Left.
Consider that for most of our history, it hasn’t been the goal to view others in terms of racial or class groups, but to view each other as individuals. That hasn’t always happened in practice, but in theory, that was the objective as laid out in the Declaration of Independence. It isn’t in our heritage to depend on the government. Yet now, with radical gender theory and Critical Race Theory pervasive, all of that is at risk. The Left truly wants to “fundamentally transform” America and divide us by race, gender, and class while increasing government control.
The worldview that is being pushed now by the Democratic Party isn’t “normal” in America.
For some reason, many Republicans are afraid to put forth a positive vision of the future.
DeSantis is one of the best communicators of what our nation can look like — if only we have politicians willing to stand up. He does so not by lamenting upon the past, but by taking the lessons from history and applying them to the challenges at hand. Furthermore, he isn’t afraid to wield government power to implement his goals.
There are other Republicans who fit that description as well — Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH), for example.
To that extent, perhaps the greatest lesson of recent elections is that voters simply want competent Republicans in office who reflect the values they were raised with.
Americans are looking for elected officials who you would trust your kids around, or ones you would want to attend a BBQ with. These are men and women who have manners, but aren’t wussies and are tough when needed, and above all, are actually conservative populists with the results to back it up — in other words, authentic Americans.
If the GOP is looking for a creed to follow as the fight continues, they should glean ideas from DeSantis’ second inaugural address.
Ultimately, DeSantis’ speech is refreshing because it’s a message that we haven’t heard in a while, but one all patriotic Americans understand all too well.
The full text of the address can be read here.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.