* The one thing that matters most in the 2024 presidential election cycle is blasting Joe Biden and the Dems out of the Oval Office.
* While there’s a growing number of GOP candidates, the race, right now, is really between former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
* I don’t have a dog in this fight yet. Still a long way to go. Heck, DeSantis isn’t even officially in the race yet.
* But after losing to “Sleepy Joe” Biden in 2020, Trump’s gonna have to persuade GOP primary voters that it won’t happen again; that he can pull off another miracle like he did in 2016.
* He hasn’t done that yet.
* While Trump’s most ardent supporters are still in his camp, other past Trump voters have serious and legitimate questions about his electability in a general election that will be heavily swayed by independent, non-ideological voters.
* For DeSantis – yes, he has an admirable record as governor of Florida. And absent Trump’s prickly personality, a case can be made that he’s the more electable general election candidate.
* But there are legitimate concerns about his ability to take a punch on the national stage. And he’s been taking his share of them over the past couple of weeks - and not handling it very well.
* That’s not a question when it comes Trump. He’s already proved he can take whatever the media dishes out and return fire…with gusto. You may not like the way he does it, but does it he does.
* And the NYC DA’s absurd indictment has done nothing but help Trump in the court of public opinion. One wouldn’t think it possible to make Donald Trump a sympathetic figure. But they did.
* Don’t feel rushed to pick a side. Let’s see how this all plays out, especially after DeSantis officially enters the contest.
* Liberal Dems continue burping out ridiculous legislation in Carson City, with more dumb to come. Latest example: AB338, which is being sponsored by bleeding-heart liberal Assemblycritter Sarah Peters (D-Washoe).
* The bill would force Medicaid to pay for “art therapy” – though the bill has been amended to refer to it as “federally recognized creative art therapy.” Yeah, that makes it much better.
* Why in the world should the taxpayers fund finger-painting? These are not serious people. But guess what? It could pass. The goofy Dems have the numbers.
* Perhaps the worst of the many failures of the Sisolak administration’s ham-handed handling of the COVID crisis was the absolute fuster-cluck in processing the hundreds of thousands of unemployment claims filed after Sisolak shut the state down.
* Not only was DETR (Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation) a disaster in getting checks out to the victims, but it ultimately “paid out an estimated $1.4 billion in improper benefit payments.”
* That means “fraud” in layman’s terms.
* So I found it hilarious when a friend forwarded a press release this morning announcing that DETR had won an award for its “commitment to reducing fraud and promoting unemployment insurance (UI) integrity.”
* “We are thrilled to bring another award home,” DETR Deputy Administrator Nancy Stclair said. “We are proud of our staff and all they do to improve the services we provide.” (Cue laugh track)
* Expect the announcement of a new GOP candidate for CD3 next week. He’s FAR better and more viable than the other announced Republican in that race, Elizabeth Halseth-Helgelien, who has more dirty laundry than a football team locker room.
* Elon Musk decided that those on Twitter who wanted a blue check mark for their accounts verifying their identity would have to pay a nominal monthly fee for the privilege. His company; his rules. OK by me.
* But for YEARS, liberal Nevada blubber-blogger Jon Ralston whined about his inability to get pre-Musk Twitter to blue-check him for free. It finally did. Now it’s gone because Jonny Jihad is too cheap to pay for the privilege.
* So now Nevada’s #2 liberal blogger (everyone else is tied for first) is having another of his patented hissy fits and whining like a spoiled brat who’s told he can’t have a seventh scoop of ice cream.
* And I’m loving every minute of it.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
“I don’t understand much about politics…” – Liberal blubber-blogger Jon Ralston, 1/2/20
Mr. Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, publisher of Nevada News & Views and blogs at MuthsTruths.com. His views are his own.