Brief Assignment B: Argumentative Essay- Compare and Contrast
Alexa Riccardi
Professor Toohey
ENG 170-28
Compare and Contrast Essay
2 April 2024
Trump vs DeSantis: Who’s the Bigger Monster?
Political leaders have absolutely no trouble showing their true colors to a large audience. Many of them are somewhat able to appeal to this audience, despite being truly evil. Two recent figures that strike my mind: Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis: And though Donald Trump is notoriously evil, I believe DeSantis is a greater form of evil.
Thankfully, DeSantis has dropped out of the presidential race. But as a young voter, this is a tricky situation. Because although DeSantis is out, we may still have to deal with Trump getting reelected. So is it really a win?
Now getting into the nasty details of the two politicians, who are both currently in the news and important to today’s politics despite their terrible antics.
Donald Trump served as the 45th President, however before this, he was a business mogul with many successful additions to his “Trump Organizations”. He was also a reality TV star (The White House). So starting off from the bat, he doesn’t really have any prior political experience before running for president. During Trump’s four year political reign, he gave many American voters a great reason not to vote inexperienced people into office anymore. It is absolutely clear to anybody that uses their brain logically, that Trump is the most corrupt president the United States has ever had.
Trump has made racially insensitive remarks throughout his career, both before and during his presidency. Some examples include his calls for a ban on Muslim immigration during his 2016 presidential campaign, referring to Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and criminals, and his response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he suggested there were “very fine people on both sides,” (Citizens for Ethics). These statements and actions have been widely condemned as racist by various individuals and they absolutely should be.
Trump has also used many disgusting and derogatory comments about women. During his presidential campaign, recordings surfaced in which he made lewd remarks about women, boasting about sexually assaulting them. Trump has faced allegations of sexual misconduct and assault from multiple women, which he has denied (Citizens for Ethics).
Now Trump is the only president to be impeached multiple times and has faced felony charges in connection with efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia (Terkel). But somehow, he is still running for the 2024 election.
I am finally old enough to vote, and I will not be voting for this clown.
Ron DeSantis is the current governor of Florida. DeSantis attended Yale University, where he graduated with honors and was the He also graduated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG officer. He was first elected to Congress in 2012, as the U.S. Representative for Florida’s Sixth District (Florida Department of State). Though he is a highly educated and experienced man in politics, he lacks logic and has zero regard for anybody that is not a straight white male.
DeSantis signed legislation that restricts voting rights in Florida. For example, he signed a bill in 2021 that imposed new restrictions on mail-in voting and drop boxes, as well as a law that requires voters to show identification at ballot drop boxes. These measures attempt to suppress voter turnout, particularly among minority and low-income communities. This is not the 1800s, and everybody should have equal rights to vote.
DeSantis has been the biggest antagonist against LGBTQ+ rights notoriously. He signed a bill in 2021 that bans transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports teams in schools. His most infamous bill is the “Don’t Say Gay” law, officially titled the “Parental Rights in Education” bill, which prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity for children in kindergarten through third grade and emphasizes parental control over discussions of such topics in schools (Johnson).
DeSantis has voiced support for various anti-abortion bills in Florida. In 2020, he signed a bill into law that requires parental consent for minors seeking abortions. This law requires minors to obtain written consent from a parent or legal guardian before undergoing the procedure. He has supported numerous measures to restrict public funding for organizations that provide abortion services. He has expressed support for efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, a reproductive health organization that provides abortion services, among other services. In 2021, he proclaimed Florida a “sanctuary for the unborn” by signing a proclamation recognizing Sanctity of Human Life Day. He has indicated support for overturning Roe v. Wade, which is terribly dangerous for women who have become pregnant through rape or are just unable to carry a child of their own for personal, medical, or financial reasons (Protect Our Care).
DeSantis’ support for certain legislative initiatives, such as restrictive voting laws or measures targeting social protests, have drawn criticism from those who view these policies as anti-democratic or authoritarian. Supporters of DeSantis reject the characterization of him as a dictator, emphasizing his commitment to upholding the rule of law and advancing conservative principles. However, I believe Ron DeSantis wants to become a dictator over the state of Florida because he is incredibly narcissistic and his policies only reflect his monstrous self interests, not those of the people. Just the fact that he has made threats to “slit throats” and “smash the kneecaps” of federal bureaucrats and has made many other verbally abusive comments while campaigning, such as “destroying” those who disagree with him, shows his narcissism. Guess Americans aren’t allowed to have their own opinions anymore.
DeSantis is a worse monster then Trump because he is actively taking away the rights of women and minorities such as, people of color and people a part of the LGBTQ+ community (McDuffie). He’s doing all this while being highly educated through Ivy League education. That’s insane. There is no way he is so incredibly smart, yet so terrible to other people. He also is nasty and vile towards those who go against him. And yes, so is Trump. But one thing I’ve noticed about Trump is that he’s all talk. He talks in circles. During his presidency, he had made many proclamations and promises to his loyal supporters that he never followed through with. However, DeSantis is and will actively continue to sign bills into the Florida legislation that are taking the rights away from deserving people. He does what he says he will do, and that puts many people’s lives at risk. And if he were to ever become president, which thankfully he is no longer aiming to be, he would’ve taken the whole countries rights away and not just his single state’s.
Works Cited
Citizens for Ethics. “President Trump’s worst offenses – CREW.” Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, 19 October 2020, https://www.citizensforethics.org/news/analysis/president-trumps-worst-offenses/. Accessed 3 April 2024.
Florida Department of State. “Ronald Dion DeSantis.” Florida Department of State, 2019, https://dos.fl.gov/florida-facts/florida-history/florida-governors/ronald-dion-desantis/. Accessed 3 April 2024.
Johnson, Meredith. “The Dangerous Consequences of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill on LGBTQ+ Youth in Florida.” Georgetown Law, 2021, https://www.law.georgetown.edu/gender-journal/online/volume-xxiii-online/the-dangerous-consequences-of-floridas-dont-say-gay-bill-on-lgbtq-youth-in-florida/. Accessed 3 April 2024.
Levin, Bess. “A Comprehensive Guide to Why a Ron DeSantis Presidency Would Be as Terrifying as a Trump One.” Vanity Fair, 2 January 2023, https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/12/ron-desantis-just-as-bad-as-donald-trump-2024. Accessed 3 April 2024.
McDuffie, Candace. “Even More Racist Sh*t Ron DeSantis Has Done.” The Root, 20 August 2023, https://www.theroot.com/the-most-racist-sh-t-ron-desantis-has-done-1850679001. Accessed 3 April 2024.
Protect Our Care. “FACT SHEET: Ron DeSantis is Bad News for Health Care — Protect Our Care.” Protect Our Care, 24 May 2023, https://www.protectourcare.org/fact-sheet-ron-desantis-is-bad-news-for-health-care/. Accessed 3 April 2024.
Terkel, Amanda. “Trump arrested at the Fulton County Jail in Georgia: Highlights.” NBC News, 24 August 2023, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-arraignment-georgia-indictment-live-updates-rcna100652. Accessed 3 April 2024.
The White House. “Donald J. Trump.” The White House, 13 January 2021, https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/donald-j-trump/. Accessed 3 April 2024.