On the heels of Maxine Waters’ now-infamous proclamation that conservatives should be harassed in public, we’ve heard a lot about ‘restoring civility.’ According to the left, the blame rests with Trump, but they acknowledge that the situation has gotten out of hand. Political attitudes have suddenly become so mean-spirited that we all need to take a step back, reassess the situation, and tone down the rhetoric.
Chuck Schumer called such vitriol un-American, saying:“If you disagree with someone or something, stand up. Make your voice heard. Explain why you think they’re wrong, and why you’re right. Make the argument. Protest peacefully. If you disagree with a politician, organize your fellow citizens to action and vote them out of office. But no one should call for the harassment of political opponents. That’s not right. That’s not American.”
Around the same time, Nancy Pelosi issued a statement demanding unity:“In the crucial months ahead, we must strive to make America beautiful again. Trump’s daily lack of civility has provoked responses that are predictable but unacceptable. As we go forward, we must conduct elections in a way that achieves unity from sea to shining sea.”
As we approach the midterms, this line of reasoning has become part of the Democrats’ meat and potatoes whenever they appear in public. Things are too nasty in America, and we need to get back to a time where we could disagree without wanting to destroy each other. It’s a nice thought.
The problem is, they don’t mean it. They’re well aware that calling for calm plays well in the press but it’s a political calculation; there’s no genuine intent there. We know this, because – at every level of power - they’re telling us that’s the case.
At the federal level, there are multiple powerful Democrats who continue to call for Trump’s impeachment. People like Al Green, Brad Sherman, and Maxine Waters are still out there demanding the president’s removal on an almost weekly basis. They have no legitimate reason to drag him out of the White House, but that’s their goal.
Those Democrats who understand that this is a terrible image for the party may have decided to ignore the effort, but you’ll note that they’re not refuting it either. That’s because the Democrat base is in lock step on the issue. They want Trump gone. If they can’t secure impeachment and removal, they’re willing to look at anything, including possibly hundreds of Trump-targeted investigations designed to placate their most faithful followers.
That brings us to the activist crowd.
The sad fact is that the modern Democratic base has adopted the mob mentality of groups like Antifa. Dems who know how to look good on TV like to paint them as the “extremist fringe,” but the fact is you’d be hard pressed to find an issue where the party disagrees with their goals.
Sixty-seven percent of the party now views socialism favorably. Left-wing rockstars like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demand the elimination of immigration enforcement and support open borders. Potential presidential candidates like Elizabeth Warren have decided: “the hard truth about our criminal justice system: It’s racist. I mean front to back.”
They may know how to look good in front of a reporter, and they massage their messaging, but there’s not a hair’s breadth of light between far-left elected officials and the violent goons they claim to deride. If you need proof, just watch the dance they do when they’re asked about such organizations. They invariably paint violent mobs as “protests,” destruction of public property as justified “outrage,” and (even if they denounce the organization) they never fail to acknowledge the validity of the “grievances.”
That brings us to the rank-and-file.
I don’t doubt that there are plenty of Democrats out there who hate what their party has become. I’m willing to entertain the idea that there are still a few JFK-style Dems who believe in capitalism. They probably even like lower taxes and a strong economy. Heck, for the sake of argument, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and suggest that they’re even amenable to the idea of strong borders.
The problem is, they’re largely silent.
For whatever reason, probably fear of left-wing excommunication, they don’t speak up. The simple fact of the matter is that they’re either on board with, or disinterested in opposing, what the Democratic Party has become.
So, when you hear calls for “kumbaya,” remember, they are telling you who they are. They’re the people who openly call for the end of capitalism. They’re the people who view U.S. history with disgust and hate law enforcement. They’re the people who think they should be able to decide what level of success you’re allowed to achieve.
They say they want civility and unity. What they want is nothing less than complete and unfailing compliance with their agenda.
If they win in November, you’ll see what leftist “civility” looks like.