The Ron Side of the Tracks
“Both men claim to channel the rage of an electorate that feels sneered at and dismissed by liberal institutions. But while Trump, with his lazy, Barnumesque persona, projects a fundamental lack of seriousness, DeSantis has an intense work ethic, a formidable intelligence, and a granular understanding of policy. Articulate and fast on his feet, he has been described as Trump with a brain.” Dexter Filkins in The New Yorker: Can Ron DeSantis Displace Donald Trump as the G.O.P.’s Combatant-in-Chief?
+ DeSantis is the face. Peter Thiel is the cash. “New reporting shows Thiel has set his sights on transforming American culture — and funding its culture wars — through what his associates refer to as ‘anti-woke’ business ventures. These include a right-wing film festival, a conservative dating app founded by a former Trump administration ally and a firm, Strive Asset Management, that will ‘pressure CEOs to steer clear of environmental, social and political’ causes, said Vivek Ramaswamy, the firm’s co-founder. One example is oil companies ‘committing to reduce production to meet environmental goals.’ More such investments are coming, the people said — though Thiel himself isn’t sure of the endgame.” WaPo: Peter Thiel helped build big tech. Now he wants to tear it all down.
+ “Within days, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court is expected to hand down a decision that could severely limit the federal government’s authority to reduce carbon dioxide from power plants — pollution that is dangerously heating the planet. But it is only a start.” Republican Drive to Tilt Courts Against Climate Action Reaches a Crucial Moment.