The United States could now be as close to some kind of tragic and deadly internal confrontation as it has been since 1860. At this point, we are well beyond attempts to portray the increasing political violence and dangerous rhetoric as a “both sides” issue. On the right, the gloves have remained on in the face of multiple very public and unambiguous threats, while, on the left, the gloves came off probably within weeks of President Donald Trump returning to the White House. On May 19, though, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) crossed the Rubicon when he made clear what he had in store for the MAGA movement, should Democrats regain control of Congress.
The tendency among conservatives has been to shrug off the tough talk from the left. Most of them have never seriously believed those on the radical left will make good on their constant threats. Continuing to think like that would be the gravest of errors. These are the words of Jeffries, when he spoke at a Center for American Progress event on May 19:
“Part of how we as House Democrats view this moment: either MAGA extremists are gonna break the country, or we’re gonna break them – and our goal is to break them. We will defeat them… we have to defeat them electorally and then we have to break their spirit…”
If that isn’t a wake-up call for MAGA, then nothing is. No sensible person wants violence in the streets, a breakdown of society, a neighbor against neighbor confrontation. Just a couple of decades ago – before Barack Obama burst on the scene – Americans mostly got along. They may have disagreed, but they at least peacefully coexisted. Nobody found themselves cut off from friends and family because of political differences, and only small extremist factions on either side were talking about violence.
Most Americans, in truth, would welcome a return to those days.
Keep Your Powder Dry, MAGA
What is MAGA to do, then? Really, it need do nothing except two things: Stop thinking the left is all talk and no action and prepare for the day that action comes. We should all continue to live peacefully and shun political violence – regardless of our party affiliation or beliefs – but no one can afford to assume the worst won’t happen.
Breaking down Hakeem Jeffries’ words, he isn’t threatening to “break” the MAGA spirit by winning elections. He clearly stated the Democrats would first defeat MAGA at the ballot box and then break their spirit.
What does he mean by that? One cannot destroy a political movement as large and as determined as MAGA through legislation – not without total control of every branch of government. So, that leaves two options: endless subpoenas and hearings at the federal level and at the state level – at least in blue states – and harassment, intimidation, and even violence on Main Street.
It is no longer uncommon for rabid leftists to directly go after ordinary Americans who don’t vote the way progressives want them to. Obama started this trend, talking about Midwesterners clinging bitterly to their guns and Bibles. Then Hillary Clinton came along, asserting that Trump supporters could all be put into a “basket of deplorables.” Joe Biden once referred to those who support Trump as “garbage” and, on at least one other occasion, as “MAGA extremists.”
Democrats Targeting Ordinary Americans
That term stuck, and elected Democrats and left-wing media pundits have used it. So, when Hakeem Jeffries speaks of “MAGA extremists,” It should be clear he’s referring to everyone who voted for and continues to support the 47th president.
Upon reasonable analysis, then, the Minority Leader is saying that, if Democrats regain political power in November, they intend to devote their energy to crushing the “spirit” of 77 million Americans.
That can only be done by taking the most extreme measures. And, for anyone still thinking this was just an off-the-cuff remark that was not intended to be as ominous as it sounds, they would be advised to put it in the context of additional rhetoric from current and former Democrat officeholders.
Back in April, Jeffries himself threatened “Maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time.” Those remarks were made in the context of the ongoing redistricting battle being waged across the country. Still, “maximum warfare” sounds much broader than just a fight for congressional seats – especially when it is pledged “everywhere, all the time.”
Many of the more incendiary comments made by Democrats over the past ten years have been thoroughly documented by the conservative media. Still, their verbal tantrums continue to throw up outlandish ideas.
A Democrat statehouse candidate in Georgia, Suzanna Karatassos, just recently voiced her own idea for punishing the MAGA movement. “When this is all over, and Trump is gone, and Democrats are back in charge, and we’re rebuilding everything,” Karatassos proposed, “the punishment for MAGA for voting Trump three times needs to be that they lose their Internet access for four years,” adding that Trump voters should not be allowed to “post videos or comments on social media.”
Many of the Democrats’ ironically fascistic ideas of retribution are reserved for President Trump, his administration officials, and federal immigration agents. But others have, like Karatassos and Jeffries, expanded their warnings beyond government.
Susan Rice, Obama’s former National Security Advisor, pledged in an interview: “It’s not going to end well for them,” referring to “the elites, the corporate interests, the law firms, the universities, the media” who have “taken the knee to Trump.” Apparently, the irony of listing all the institutions that largely back the Democratic Party was lost on her. Still, she said: “They’re going to be held accountable by those who come in opposition to Trump and win at the ballot box.”
Take Them at Their Word
Jeffries’ words could have been drawn verbatim from a speech made by any dictator since the beginning of human civilization. Put it alongside these comments from other Democrats – not to mention the far worse things said by hundreds of progressive activists on social media. America’s future under left-wing rule resembles a fascist dystopia in which half the country lives in fear – or much worse.
This is no longer about political differences or dueling agendas. Jeffries and Co. have made it clear their priority is revenge, retribution, and punishment. There is little chance that such a plan, under a future Democrat-controlled federal government, does not spill over to violence in the streets, with left-wing mobs such as Antifa and BLM actively hunting down Trump supporters. Anyone who thinks that exaggerates the situation hasn’t studied history.
