Ron DeSantis Takes Aim At D.C.’s ‘Accumulation Of Power’

 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is advocating for breaking up the federal government’s heavy presence in Washington, D.C., by moving agencies across the country.

The Republican, who is widely considered a GOP primary frontrunner should he enter the 2024 presidential contest, provided a glimpse of his vision for the country in an interview with the New York Post’s Salena Zito.

“Too much power has accumulated in D.C. and the result is a detached administrative state that rules over us and imposes its will on us,” DeSantis said. “While there are a host of things that need to be done to re-constitutionalize government, parceling out federal agencies to other parts of the country could help reduce the negative effects of this accumulation of power.”

DeSantis, a former U.S. congressman who handily won re-election as Florida governor last year, has not formally declared a campaign for the White House, but he is increasingly taking on the mantle of being a national leader within the Republican Party.

“I don’t promise things I can’t deliver,” DeSantis said, which the publication noted was in reference to his efforts to keep woke topics out of schools.

“Virtually every major institution in our country is attempting to impose a ‘progressive’ agenda on society,” DeSantis said. “Florida strives to protect the ability of its citizens to live their lives free from this agenda being shoved down their throats.”

At the beginning of February, DeSantis announced a “Framework for Freedom Budget” proposal that he said would serve as a model for the rest of the country. A statement from the governor’s office said the proposal “builds on Florida’s successes” on issues ranging from the economy, parents’ and teachers’ rights, protecting the environment, and national disaster preparedness.

“Florida’s focus on freedom has led us to outpace the nation on all fronts,” DeSantis said. “Through the Framework for Freedom Budget, we are establishing freedom first policies to benefit Florida workers and families and to provide a framework for future prosperity. Florida will fight against federal headwinds by putting forth sound fiscal policies that keep more money in the pockets of Floridians. Our budget proposal not only builds on the successes of the past four years, but ensures that Florida will continue to thrive.”

In another move hinting at the governor’s future ambitions, DeSantis has a book, titled, “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Survival,” due for release on February 28.

“The Florida Blueprint is a simple formula: be willing to lead, have the courage of your convictions, deliver for your constituents, and reap the political rewards,” he wrote, according to an excerpt published by the New York Post. “This is a blueprint for America’s revival. We’ve shown it can be done.”

The governor’s talk about shaking up the power dynamic in the nation’s capital comes after former President Donald Trump, who won the presidency in 2016 on his pledge to be the people’s “outsider” and “drain the swamp” in D.C., ramps up his 2024 campaign for re-election. Trump has taken some early jabs at DeSantis, including testing out some mocking nicknames, as polling shows a competitive matchup if DeSantis were to enter the competition.