Top Three Takeaways – May 6th, 2021
- For better or for worse? No, I’m not about to discuss wedding vows. But what I want to discuss is something akin to a marriage for many. Political allegiance and an ever-growing issue we seem to have thinking beyond it. Exhibit “A” is this Tweet from Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried from earlier this week: Democrats need every seat we can get, hold, and gain in Congress. Every vote could make the difference. Make the difference in what specifically? And that’s my point. It doesn’t even matter to Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner. While she is currently failing to comply with Florida’s Waterway’s Act, while we’re facing Florida’s most significant toxic algae problem yet recorded in Lake Okeechobee, her concern is ubiquitously electing as many Democrats in Congress as possible. Got it. This is an example of political allegiance at its worst. As is this tweet from her yesterday: One day closer to ending more than two decades of GOP governors of Florida. How miserable does one have to be to wake up in Florida and view the world that way? And this is what happens when one simply see’s the world through the realm of a political party. Also, it’s sad insight into how Nikki Fried views the world. But here’s the thing. How guilty are you?
- What comes to mind? When I say Donald Trump. How about Joe Biden? Or Ron DeSantis & Nikki Fried? At the point where we simply hear names, or political parties rather than issues and decide whether they/it are good or bad we’re probably guilty of politics for worse. It doesn’t make you a bad person, it does make you a jaded person. As I’ve been investigating the new Lake O’ toxic algae crisis, the failures of Florida’s Agriculture Department to comply with state law pertaining to the monitoring and the potential that the boom in Florida’s cannabis industry could be a contributing factor to why the contamination is worse than ever...I’ve come to realize something. I don’t hate Nikki Fried, but it sure seems like she hates me. And anything or anyone who isn’t a Democrat. And that’s sad. Here’s another recent tweet from Nikki: He doesn’t want you to vote, doesn’t want you to protest & doesn’t even want you to disagree with him. I’m not describing the leader of a communist country, I’m talking about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. First observation, Twitter’s double-standard. Remember when President Trump’s tweets would be disclaimed for potential untruths (before he was de-platformed)? So, Nikki gets to say Florida’s governor doesn’t want you to vote and that’s cool? Should I point out the obvious that he needs people to vote to win elections too? But this isn’t really about Twitter. It is about how broken Nikki is and what can happen when you allow yourself to see the world the way she does. The more obvious point, while playing into false narratives that Florida’s election integrity bill somehow prevents people from voting, is that Nikki is projecting. DeSantis is the bogeyman, comically analogous to communist leader.
- Don’t be like Nikki. We should all be more open-minded. Even the best politicians, or our preferred political party are flawed. Even the worst politicians and political parties can have good ideas. It’s important for those of us who are informed and engaged to advocate for the best policy and that only happens when we hold all politicians and parties accountable. Incidentally, that principal is what’s behind the Trump-Cheney-GOP battle right now. It’s often ugly but it’s healthy. The lack of a willingness by Democrats to do the same is what’s led to the current state of the party and Nikki’s apparent bitterness towards anyone who isn’t in it. That’s not healthy.
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