"DeSantis has a theory about the Republican electorate: He believes that Republican voters do not care whether or not a politician makes their lives better in any meaningful way. What they want is a politician who will punish their enemies."
Precisely! Substitute "Republican politicians" for "DeSantis" and you have the most important fac…
"DeSantis has a theory about the Republican electorate: He believes that Republican voters do not care whether or not a politician makes their lives better in any meaningful way. What they want is a politician who will punish their enemies."
Precisely! Substitute "Republican politicians" for "DeSantis" and you have the most important fact to grasp about American politics today. If mainstream journalists tattooed it on their foreheads and read it every morning in the mirror, the world would be a better and less confusing place. Performative politics has existed since the dawn of human society -- in fact, throughout history there has been much more of it than policy-based politics. That's because politicians throughout history share one basic motivation: to retain power. If your policy positions are widely unpopular because, let's say, they are designed to satisfy your rich supporters, distract the masses by waving the bloody shirt, or today perhaps the bloody Tweet. Once you have power, you can enact any policies you wish. Most of the leaders history has labeled "charismatic" have been masters of performative politics. In some cases, of course (FDR comes to mind), performative leaders can use their power to benefit the vast majority of their subjects/citizens, but that has been rare in political history...
DeSantis may have a reason to think that people don’t always want their lives to be better. Have you ever read “Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland” by Metzl?
"DeSantis has a theory about the Republican electorate: He believes that Republican voters do not care whether or not a politician makes their lives better in any meaningful way. What they want is a politician who will punish their enemies."
Precisely! Substitute "Republican politicians" for "DeSantis" and you have the most important fact to grasp about American politics today. If mainstream journalists tattooed it on their foreheads and read it every morning in the mirror, the world would be a better and less confusing place. Performative politics has existed since the dawn of human society -- in fact, throughout history there has been much more of it than policy-based politics. That's because politicians throughout history share one basic motivation: to retain power. If your policy positions are widely unpopular because, let's say, they are designed to satisfy your rich supporters, distract the masses by waving the bloody shirt, or today perhaps the bloody Tweet. Once you have power, you can enact any policies you wish. Most of the leaders history has labeled "charismatic" have been masters of performative politics. In some cases, of course (FDR comes to mind), performative leaders can use their power to benefit the vast majority of their subjects/citizens, but that has been rare in political history...
DeSantis may have a reason to think that people don’t always want their lives to be better. Have you ever read “Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland” by Metzl?