- May 5, 2024
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‘It’s like we never learn. We go in a little bit and hope things get better.’
When Congressman Ron DeSantis jogs every morning in Washington, D.C., he gets inspired as he runs by the monuments and government buildings of the capital. He sometimes runs up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial or passes by the Jefferson Memorial.
As he runs, he’s reminded of the founding fathers and the principles of individual freedom and liberty guaranteed by the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
“It keeps me grounded,” he said. “I remember there is more at stake than the latest petty squabble in Washington.”
He also goes by the war memorials for people who died for freedom.
“We’ve got to a better job as caretakers of what they fought for,” he said, adding that for the first time in history, people don’t think their children will have it better than them.
DeSantis, a Republican who represents Florida’s sixth congressional district in the House of Representatives, just won re-election, and spoke at the Knights of Columbus Prince of Peace Council 8791 Annual Veterans Recognition Dinner on Nov. 8. The sixth district includes St. Johns and Flagler counties, as well as large portions of Volusia and Putnam counties.
About 90 people attended the dinner. Col. Arthur Keating, U.S. Army, retired, said the dinner was to celebrate “vets, patriots and heroes; past, present and future.”
DeSantis told the audience in the social hall that ideas of democracy can only endure if there are people willing to put their life on the line.
“If you don’t have that, you won’t keep freedom,” he said.
He hears people say that America is “war weary,” but he said people haven’t experienced the recent wars, like they did when America had a draft. Because of the volunteer Army, only a small percentage of people serve or know someone who serves.
“When I was in Iraq, I saw people who had been there two or three times,” he said. “A very small segment of society has born the burden. It’s easy to avert our eyes from the sacrifice.”
He doesn’t like the current situation of sending advisors to Iraq in increasing numbers in noncombat roles.
“If your boots are on the ground, you’re in combat,” he said.
What he would like to see, he said, before committing military, is a concrete mission and resources provided to accomplish that mission.
“It’s like we never learn,” he said. “We go in a little bit and hope things get better.”
On the recent reported problems in the Veterans Administration, DeSantis said the government passed a bill to help, but more needs to be done.
“I’m disappointed how the bill was implemented,” he said. “We’re going to push for accountability.”
A native Floridian, DeSantis graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School.
He served in the U.S. Navy as an officer in the JAG Corps. During his active duty, he supported operations at the terrorist detention center in Guantanamo Bay and deployed to Iraq during the 2007 troop surge as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL commander.
He has written a book, “Dreams From Our Founding Fathers: First Principles in the Age of Obama.”
He is currently an officer in the U.S. Navy reserve.
