Earlier this week Trump and his campaign released a document bashing Florida while claiming that “the real DeSantis record is one of misery and despair.”
The document seemed absurd to most of us at a cursory glance, but the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board decided to do a fact-check on the document and here’s what they reveal:
The Trump release includes links to news reports and left-leaning studies claiming that Florida is unaffordable and unsafe, with low teacher pay, a “failing education system,” a “failing medical environment,” and much more. “ESPN wrote that Florida is the Worst State in The Nation To Die,” the statement says. Is Mr. Trump in the habit of taking policy advice from ESPN? Or was some intern told to do a Google search for this amateur hit job?
Some of the statistics come from groups with progressive agendas. Mr. Trump cites a 2022 Oxfam report that says Florida is the 29th best state for workers. But this scorecard dings states that have a “so-called ‘right-to-work’ law (which suppresses union activity).” Another factor is “statewide policies on collective bargaining for public workers.” Florida also loses points because it doesn’t allow “localities to implement their own minimum wage laws.”
Mr. Trump cites the Florida Policy Institute, which demands “Driver’s License Equity” by allowing “(undocumented) immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.” Wasn’t immigration Mr. Trump’s signature issue in 2016? They say politics makes strange bedfellows, but Mr. Trump’s one-night stand with this outfit is bizarre.
Many of the rankings in Mr. Trump’s statement come from the website WalletHub. To take one example, Florida is 26th on its list of best states for working moms. That assessment is based on an analysis of “17 relevant metrics” that were given different weights, everything from the “Gender-Representation Gap in Different Economic Sectors” to “Pediatricians per Capita.” Take this kind of study with a shaker of salt.
Not mentioned by Mr. Trump are many WalletHub rankings that put Mr. DeSantis’s state near the top. Florida has been listed as the No. 2 best state in which to retire, No. 2 for starting a business, No. 2 for fewest coronavirus restrictions, No. 2 “most fun” state, No. 4 best for teachers, No. 6 for low taxes, and No. 7 for best state to live in overall. Mr. Trump’s own behavior demonstrates that Florida remains the No. 1 state for retiring as a billionaire ex-President.
That gets to the bigger point, which is what economists call revealed preferences. Whatever WalletHub says, hundreds of thousands of Americans are moving to Florida because they think they can build better lives there. The latest Census Bureau numbers say that Florida gained a net 318,855 people via migration from July 2021 to July 2022, making it the top state by far in the competition for U-Hauls. People see opportunity in Florida, and competent conservative leadership is one reason.
In short, Trump pulled from a bunch of far left sources suggest Florida is a shithole state under DeSantis.
In light of this, what makes Trump any different than Biden, who constantly lies about the GOP with absurd claims such as the ones being made by Trump? What makes Trump any different than those Democrats and media outfits who smeared him for years during his presidency? What makes him any different than those trying to smear him now?
If Trump’s supporters are okay with Trump lying like this in order to try and win, are they really saying the ends justify the means? It sure seems that way to me…