Victor Davis Hanson
American Greatness
The Pavlovian Left goes berserk at the mere prospect of each new Trump initiative.
Its escalating reactive venom and hysteria are calibrated to the success of Trump’s latest policy.
Yet the new hard-left Democratic Party offers no counter-agenda to explain its furor.
Still less do Democrats attempt bipartisan efforts to craft shared legislation.
Take foreign policy.
Democrat senators trashed the recent Trump-Putin Alaskan summit as a failure. Then they became depressed when, just days later, an entourage of European leaders and President Zelensky of Ukraine suddenly flew to the White House.
The Euros praised Trump for offering some sort of negotiated pathway to peace after over three years of war and some 1.5 million dead, wounded, missing, and captured on both sides—on Europe’s doorstep.
So why did Democrats object to such negotiations by Trump?
Was the reason that no such thing occurred during the Biden administration, when Putin invaded Ukraine, after his earlier invasions during the Obama era?
What is the left’s alternate plan? The old Biden idea of supplying Ukraine with enough money and arms to keep fighting and dying, but with no path to either victory or a negotiated peace?
Would they prefer a fourth, fifth, or sixth year of war, or an additional one million casualties?
The more Trump pressed almost all NATO members to pay their promised two percent of GDP on defense, the more Democrats grew irate over Trump’s overseas influence.
NATO members now want to raise defense spending to five percent of GDP and gush that Trump is “Daddy.”
Democrats steamed at that, since Europeans are supposed to hate Trump, not admire him for rebooting NATO.
Would they prefer the old, disarmed NATO?
Under the Biden administration, over 10 million illegal aliens flooded the country, sometimes 10,000 a day at the southern border.
More than half a million criminals swarmed in.
Yet now there is essentially zero illegal immigration and over 100,000 criminal aliens deported. A million who entered illegally have voluntarily gone home.
Yet the left has fought the enforcement of immigration law tooth and nail.
Do they believe that it is lawful and moral to break immigration law but immoral and illegal to enforce it?
What is their solution?
To allow in 20, 30, or 40 million more illegal aliens to distort the census and bring in new voters and constituencies?
Is their plan to protect 400,000 illegal-alien criminals to roam at will?
Or to add another 600 sanctuary jurisdictions that will not hand over criminal illegal aliens to immigration authorities?
Democrats used to support reciprocal tariffs to save American jobs and businesses—while warning of Chinese mercantilism.
But now they blast Trump for negotiating tariffs with dozens of nations in efforts to reduce an unsustainable $1 trillion trade deficit.
So far, Washington projects $300 billion in new revenue.
Foreign businesses have promised to invest between $10 and $15 trillion within the United States.
Trading partners have lowered tariffs on U.S. goods and services.
So why the left-wing frenzy?
Do they object to too much new federal income?
Is there too much new foreign investment?
Are new foreign tariffs too low on U.S. exports? Are Democrats worried that China may lose money?
In 35 minutes of precision bombing, Donald Trump disabled the Iranian nuclear program that was readying nuclear weapons.
Few Iranians and no Americans died. No wider war followed.
And the Democrats still cursed the Trump action.
Did they prefer the Obama-era “Iran Deal” that had brought Iran to the threshold of nuclear acquisition?
Did they want theocratic Iran to have nuclear weapons to threaten democratic Israel?
Do Democrats complain that Trump tweets too much and sometimes is crude in his postings?
Not really. California Governor Gavin Newsom tries to out-Trump on social media.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett responds with scatological attacks.
Democrats in Congress let off f-bombs.
What explains the Democrat nihilism?
One, the prior Biden administration was among the most aimless, corrupt, and unpopular in modern history.
So the contrast with Trump’s successes is too hard to bear.
Two, Democrats so hate Trump the messenger that they seek to destroy his entire message, even when it benefits their own country and the world at large.
If Trump conducts peace, they prefer war.
If he wages war on crime, they side with the criminal.
If he stops illegal immigration, they want more illegal immigrants.
Three, they fear they have no alternatives to the Trump record, because his agenda is common sense and supported by a majority of Americans.
Fourth, the left cannot stop Trump’s success.
Nothing seems to destroy him—not the raid on his home, not 93 lawfare indictments, not efforts to strike him from state ballots, not two impeachments, not even two assassination attempts.
Instead, all that only made him stronger—and thus more hated.
Excellent article! The only Democrat alternative that this country could continue to succeed down the road is an old school moderate. However, as you point out correctly the Democrats that are still loyal to their party would rather pursue this Marxist agenda they have adopted. Our constitutional republic is not completely out of the woods yet, the leftist must not regain control of the house in the midterms. It’s sad and scary that they even have a chance.
Victor: Not only do I enjoy your YouTube podcasts with Sami and Jack, I always look forward to your opinions in your Blade of Perseus articles. A true voice of reason in a society where reason seems to be fleeting at an ever increasing rate. What really irks me lately, is that we constantly see or hear about the ongoing indiscretions committed by these political, perfidious lemmings and nothing gets done about them! One committee after another that gets our hopes up that justice will be served, then UNDER THE POLITICAL RUG it is swept, never to be heard from again! ‘Flying high’ with hope on Mondays only to be ‘shot down’ in despair on Fridays! No doubt I am not alone in this observation and frankly, at this point in the political arena, it’s becoming ponderous. God bless America, our military, POTUS and especially our Veterans.
Whoops! I meant the Leticia James decision, not E Jean Carroll.
MSNBC to rebrand as MSNOW (Mostly Stupid NOW). I’ll bet that cost them a lot of money.
Trump keeps winning!
The Court of Appeals ruled that the E. Jean Carroll settlement was excessive and set it aside. How much did Trump get from ABC and donate to charity because George Stephanopoulos repeatedly called Trump a rapist? To quote Forrest Gump, “Stupid [leftism] is as stupid [leftism] does.”
The Democrats alternative can be seen in their effusive support of a communist who may soon become mayor of NYC. In 2020, the old communist Sanders was surging in the primaries. But the “party” aka Obama felt it was too soon to adopt his beloved communism so they forced him to drop out in favor of a candidate in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. So now the question becomes: what do they have to lose by fully adopting communism. All they can do is roll the dice and lose even more. We may be living through the historical demise of the Democratic party, and they can.only blame themselves. The same Democratic party that started the first Civil War and would like nothing more then to start another is orchestrating their own destruction. Good riddance.
Thank you, VDH. As always you have so much common sense. You saved my sanity in the last two years of Biden-Harris.
But the Democrats DID give us their alternative to Trump – Kamala!
The good news? For the most part, they are too embarrassed to look a Trump supporter in the eye, and say out loud, ‘I believe Kamala is a better alternative than Trump’, and STILL the DNC and NYT insists that is the case. How can that be?
I believe it is the work of a counter-culture – – with a decidedly foreign accent.
The short answer is, the Bolsheviks.
The democrats reactions to Trumps administration shows their abject disbelief in the intelligence of most Americans.
Sensible, rationale voice from the “Valley.”
The current Democrat Party is akin to a ship at sea that’s lost power. Unable to release the anchor, it’s tossed about and spins uncontrollably against the waves. The Captain and the crew are huddled awaiting rescue—-but no one is coming, and few, if any really care.
The Hard Left Democrats have political-religious beliefs. They do not have political beliefs based upon reason, nor do they have religious beliefs based upon faith in a deity. Since the Political State is their deity, and since they actually believe in what they are shouting, then no amount of rational debate will ever occur. Prof. Hanson, this is not a situation where a religious group gained political power. This is a situation where a political group exercises political power with a religious fervor.
Good thoughts, Professor Hanson. (As usual, by the way.)
I don’t want any Democrat currently holding office to be re-elected, as they only care about their power. Simple, I hope my wish comes to pass…
VDH offers a calm, matter of fact assessment that is clear and concise. His thoughts on ending the war in Ukraine, while sobering, are accurate. As unappealing as it is to negotiate with Putin, what is the alternative? Thanks for being a voice of clarity in a sea of confusion.
Once again,, as only VDH can do, he takes an impossibly dangerous situation and brings absolute clarity. But what now? Are there enough dem voters to recognize their leaders mania and turn away. We can only pray.
Wow ! Simply amazing article – right to the heart of things .. All with no answers from the left haters . ( great point )
The fact that a non- politician came in ( twice ) and accomplished so
Much both times just doesn’t sit well with the “ click “ ( establishment ! )
Thank you for a great read … love it
Jimthepro
Well said
If they ever stop long enough to realize that DJT won’t be on the ballot in 2026 or 2028 the Ds may have an alternative to “Orange man bad”. But I doubt it
Instead they are going with Dr Geobbels approach:
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Just replace “the State” with “ the Party” and it fits