Businessman and author Vivek Ramaswamy, the newest addition to the 2024 GOP presidential field, has liberals fuming after telling Fox News’ Tucker Carlson that if elected, he would repeal affirmative action on day one.
“As U.S. President, I will end federally mandated affirmative action – full stop,” Ramaswamy later tweeted with a clip from his appearance.
“I will repeal Lyndon Johnson’s Executive Order 11246 which mandates race-based quotas,” he continued. “Every Republican since Johnson had the opportunity to do it. I’ll do it on Day 1 without apology.”
By mentioning “every” Republican in his comment, the 37-year-old obviously said that intentionally to imply that former President Donald Trump lacked either decisiveness or courage to have done so during his administration, which is part of Ramaswamy’s narrative that he is a bolder and more direct culture warrior than the one-term POTUS.
As U.S. President, I will end federally mandated affirmative action – full stop. I will repeal Lyndon Johnson’s Executive Order 11246 which mandates race-based quotas. Every Republican since Johnson had the opportunity to do it. I’ll do it on Day 1 without apology. https://t.co/zwMyInEcDh
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
After his interview with Tucker Carlson where 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 for the MAGA base is getting messier and more crowded by the day. Over the next few months, Republicans are guaranteed to take exceedingly extreme positions on everything from banning abortion to cutting Social Security And Medicare and we look forward to continuing to ensure every American knows just how extreme the MAGA agenda is.”
I went on Tucker’s show last night to announce my candidacy. I committed to ending affirmative action & abandoning climate religion. Looks like the DNC issued a statement and is very unhappy with my entry into the race. pic.twitter.com/3azaHJHQCm
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
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What Ramaswamy Wishes to Achieve
In Ramaswamy’s theoretical administration, he states he would go farther than the other candidates on key issues by:
- Dismantling current climate change policies
- Limit federal bureaucrats to eight-years max of service
- Eliminate “worthless” federal agencies
- Economic independence from China
- ‘Annihilate’ drug cartels
In the lead up to his announcement, he has always expressed the need to focus on repairing what he considers a “national identity crisis” that has removed our society from basic American ideals.
“We are in the milder of this national identity crisis,” he said during his announcement. “We have celebrated our differences for so long that we forgot all the ways we are really just the same as Americans bound by a common set of ideals that set this nation into motion 250 years ago.”
We’ve celebrated our “diversity” so much that we forgot all the ways we’re really the same as Americans, bound by ideals that united a divided, headstrong group of people 250 years ago. I believe deep in my bones those ideals still exist. I’m running for President to revive them. pic.twitter.com/bz5Qtt4tmm
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) February 22, 2023
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GOP vs Woke
Ramaswamy’s openly ‘culture war’ focused campaign targets many of the similar areas expressed by other popular candidates (and potential candidates) such as former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Is this the tail wagging the dog or the other way around though?
According to a recent survey, GOP voters are heavily invested in issues directly impacting our societal discourse such as free speech, school choice, and hot button topics such as gender-transitioning surgeries for minors.
The Daily Signal noted that “93% of respondents want candidates to confront parental rights issues, including increased transparency with school curriculums and school activities. A full 76% also want candidates to ban gender-transition 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.
When commenting on these results, Jon Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs at the American Principles Project told Tony Perkins on his program that “The fight against the woke issues… that’s where the intensity really was.”
“Ultimately, voters are looking for someone who’s going to defend the family, who’s going to fight the woke Left, who’s going to fight to stop these horrific sex-change procedures that are being performed on kids,” said Schweppe. “I think a Republican candidate who emerges from this presidential primary is going to have to be strong on all those issues.”
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