Are we headed for a Biden vs. Trump rematch in 2024?
Are we headed for a Biden vs. Trump rematch in 2024?
With both candidates' approval ratings low, voters are looking for alternatives.
I'm interested in how the two major political parties in the United States choose the candidate they present to the American people. Well, I've recently become interested—this past weekend.
Ross Perot's fleeting moments aside, these things tend to come down to a choice between two people.
The Republican and Democratic parties didn't start letting voters give their two cents (and that's about what it was worth) on presidential candidates until the early 1900s. To put it mildly, this was a gradual process, and it took until the late 1960s for the parties to fully embrace the idea of direct primaries.
Of course, there's been plenty of controversy since. Hillary Clinton got more votes than Barack Obama in the 2008 primary contests, Bernie Sanders had the scales tipped against him twice, and so on and so forth. Hyper-partisans on both sides know the talking points better than I do.
Here's what I'm getting at: we're a year and a half away from the 2024 presidential election, and it seems we've already accepted our choices. It'll be Joe Biden (maybe Gavin Newsom) vs. Donald Trump (maybe Ron DeSantis).
Why?
With Biden and Trump's approval ratings hovering in the mid-30s, most of the country wants to go in a different direction. Yet we don't give the people who would take us in a new direction much thought. When asked why, we turn into political pundits and start talking about electability, fundraising numbers, and the most critical precincts in Wisconsin.
Something is broken. I'm not sure what. I'll tell you one thing: this public service announcement is about as much as I'm willing to do about it.
We have other options.
1️⃣ How CEO Clifford Hudson transformed Sonic Drive-In into a global brand
Clifford Hudson, the former CEO of Sonic Drive-In, is an example of what a leader can accomplish when they are committed to excellence. After only a few years in the legal industry, Hudson was able to join Sonic in the early 1990s. Over the next 23 years, he demonstrated his dedication and savvy business acumen by leading Sonic from a $200 million company to one worth an impressive $2.3 billion when Sonic was acquired by an affiliate of Roark Capital in 2018.
He recently sat down with CEO.com to discuss what he's learned over the years. Hudson's success has been further immortalized in his book, Master of None, which speaks to the idea that one does not have to be a master of any particular thing, but instead can be successful by being good at many things.
2️⃣ The potential of the SaaS and M&A market with FE International Chairman Ismael Wrixen
One of the leading figures in the SaaS and M&A space is Ismael Wrixen. As a former investment banker, Ismael has worked in the SaaS and M&A room for 13 years. His experience and knowledge have been invaluable in helping businesses of all sizes make the most of the opportunities available.
In a recent interview with CEO.com, Ismael discussed the state of SaaS, his background, and how he ended up in the SaaS and M&A space. He explained that after working in investment banking for several years, he identified a gap in the market. This gap was in the representation that businesses below specific price points had access.
3️⃣ Microsoft's $75 Billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard approved by EU
The European Union's antitrust watchdog approved Microsoft's planned $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard on Monday, giving the two companies a win after the deal hit a regulatory roadblock in the U.K.
The decision comes weeks after the U.K. regulator rejected the agreement, saying it would crimp competition in the country's gaming market. Microsoft has said it would appeal that decision. Monday's approval in Brussels won't have any direct legal bearing on that process, and antitrust lawyers say Microsoft faces long odds in overturning the British decision.
4️⃣ Apple's mixed reality headset: The next big thing in tech?
In the coming weeks, Apple will reportedly release a mixed-reality headset. The headset is a high-end device that will cost around $3,000 and will be aimed at developers and early adopters.
The headset features two 8K displays, a high-resolution camera, and a powerful processor. It will also track users' eye movements and hand gestures.
5️⃣ California's budget in crisis, Newsom proposes $32 billion deficit
California's budget deficit has grown to nearly $32 billion, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday, saying the state's challenges are partly due to high federal inflation rates and the state's decision to let some people delay filing their taxes after winter storms.
That's about $10 billion more than Newsom predicted in January when he offered his first budget proposal. The deficit is part of Newsom's overall proposal for a $306 billion budget, by far the most significant state budget in the nation.
May 17, 2023 | 12:00 PM MDT | David Alvo
David Alvo V. is an Endeavor Entrepreneur and impact investor.
Industrial Engineer with a Master's in Business Engineering. Through his journey in the startup ecosystem, David has founded, invested, and worked in +10 startups, participated in +5 global incubators/accelerators, invested as a VC/Angel in +30 companies, accelerated +80 early-stage Latam startups, and co-founded 2 VC institutions (ACVC and Latam Ventures Club), which has allowed him to experience and learn about Tech, Product, Marketing, Sales, Fundraising, Scaling, Legal and Finance.
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Originally published on CEO.com.