A new addition to the 2024 GOP presidential field, businessman and author Vivek Ramaswamy, has left liberals fuming after telling Fox News’ Tucker Carlson that he would withdraw his confirmation on Day One if elected.
“As US President, I will end federal mandated affirmative action – full stop,” Ramaswamy later tweeted with a clip of his appearance.
“I would repeal Lyndon Johnson’s Executive Order 11246, which mandated race-based quotas,” he continued. “Every Republican since Johnson has had a chance to do that. I’ll do it on Day 1 without apology.
By referring to “every” Republican in his comment, the 37-year-old obviously implied that former President Donald Trump lacked the decisiveness or courage to do so during his administration, which is part of Ramaswamy’s narrative. A bolder and more direct culture warrior than the one-term POTUS.
As US President, I will end the authorization of the federal mandate – full stop. I would repeal Lyndon Johnson’s Executive Order 11246 mandating race-based quotas. Every Republican since Johnson has had a chance to do that. I do it on day 1 unapologetically. https://t.co/zwMyInEcDh
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
After an interview with Tucker Carlson in which he announced his candidacy and laid out his agenda, the Democratic National Committee released a statement calling the son of Indian immigrants “extreme.”
“As Vivek Ramaswamy uses Tucker Carlson’s show to announce his campaign for president, one thing is clear,” the statement read, “The race to the MAGA base is getting muddier and more crowded by the day. In the next few months, Republicans will be more aggressive on everything from banning abortion to cutting Social Security and Medicare. Positions are guaranteed to be taken and we look forward to making sure every American knows just how serious the MAGA agenda is.
I went on Tucker’s show last night to announce my candidacy. I am committed to ending affirmative action and abandoning climate religion. The DNC seems to have made a statement and is very upset about my entry into the race. pic.twitter.com/3azaHJHQCm
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
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What Ramaswamy wants to achieve
On Ramaswamy’s theoretical governance, he says he goes further than other candidates on key issues:
- Dismantling current climate change policies
- Limit federal bureaucrats to eight years of maximum service
- Eliminate “useless” federal agencies
- Economic independence from China
- ‘Annihilate’ drug cartels
In the run-up to his announcement, he has always expressed the need to fix what he sees as a “crisis of national identity” that has distanced our society from basic American ideals.
“We are in the midst of this national identity crisis,” he said at the time of his announcement. “We’ve celebrated our differences for so long that we’ve forgotten that we’re all really the same as Americans committed to a set of common ideals that set this nation in motion 250 years ago.”
We have forgotten all the ways in which we are truly American, committed to the ideals that united a divided, disaffected group of people 250 years ago. I believe those ideals still exist in my bones. I am running for president to revive them. pic.twitter.com/bz5Qtt4tmm
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
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GOP vs VOC
Ramaswamy’s openly ‘culture war’ focused campaign has targeted many of the same constituencies expressed by other popular candidates (and potential candidates) such as former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Is it the tail wagging the dog or the other way around?
According to a recent poll, GOP voters are more invested in issues that directly affect our social debate, such as free speech, school choice and hot-button issues like gender-reassignment surgeries for minors.
The Daily Signal noted that “93% of respondents want candidates to address parental rights issues, including increased transparency with school curricula and school activities. A full 76% of candidates want to ban gender-reassignment procedures for minors, such as surgeries to remove healthy organs, puberty-blocking drugs and cross- Sex hormones.
Additionally, other areas of interest included immigration and US support for the conflict in Ukraine, where respondents were more mixed in their responses.
Commenting on these results, John Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs at the American Principles Project, told Tony Perkins on his show that “the fight against the woke issues … where the intensity really was.”
“Finally, voters are looking for someone who’s going to protect the family, who’s going to fight against the woke left, who’s going to fight to stop these horrible sex-change procedures they’re performing on children,” Schweppe said. “I think the Republican candidate that emerges from this presidential primary has to be strong on all of those things.”
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