fox files

In recent weeks, it has become clear that the Democratic Party has adopted “get tough” as their primary strategy.  Not tough in Teddy Roosevelt’s “speak softly and carry a big stick” sense, but tough in the “accuse loudly and use the stick” at every opportunity. It is devoid of tolerance and civility.  It is a strategy that is less about debating the issues and more about political life-and-death gladiatorial combat – marked by bogus narratives, false accusations and irrational name-calling.

This approach has left behind the voices within the Democratic Party that once called for national unity, objective reasoning, and—brace yourself—civil dialogue. Those poor souls are now relegated to the political equivalent of an old Soviet GULAG — sipping lukewarm latte while the dominant radical left of the party rattles its rhetorical sabers.

Resistance as Religion

The Democrats’ “get tough” strategy is rooted in obsessive resistance. Not principled opposition, mind you, but obsessive resistance pursued with the passion of a zealot. The kind that turns every policy disagreement into a moral crusade. If you disagree with them, you are not just wrong—you are evil (a racist, sexist, homophobic or …  all of the above).

This strategy has birthed a culture of angst, anger, bitterness, name-calling and mendacious propaganda narratives.  It is not new.  It started with the unprecedented “Resistance Movement” that was launched by radical left-wing Democrats immediately following Trump’s election in 2016.  It has brewed among the radical left ever since – boiling over after Trump’s impressive win in 2024. (How dare half the American people have the audacity to oppose radical left-wing ideology, philosophy, theology AND restore Trump to the presidency.}

The now firmly branded “get tough” strategy doesn’t just promote hostility—it thrives on it. Outrage is the fuel, and social media is the engine. Every day presents a new opportunity to demonize the opposition, to “own” someone, to go viral with accusations of fascism, Nazism and authoritarianism. To incessantly trope.

And yes, it has led to violence – as anyone could  foresee. Let us not forget the 2020 summer of the bizarrely labeled “peaceful protests” (a phrase that deserves its own comedy special). Cities burned, businesses were looted, and police precincts were overrun—all under the banner of justice.

Promoting Violence

While some Democrats condemned the violence, their response was tepid at best. Others directly or indirectly encouraged the violence. Kamala Harris famously promoted and contributed to a bail fund for rioters.  Democrat prosecutors refused to prosecute.  Democrat mayors and governors ordered police to “stand down” and the National Guard to get out of town. (Nothing says peace and harmony like helping rioters, looters, arsonists and vandals return to the streets for the next round of civil unrest.)

The abject intolerance of the Resistance Movement has turned America into a political battlefield. Not a metaphorical one—a literal one. Families are divided, friendships are severed, and Thanksgiving dinners now require diplomatic immunity.

Democrats’ promotion of identity politics and political correctness has fractured American unity – e pluribus unum – into political tribalism. It is not enough to oppose Republicans – the left that now controls the Democratic Party must destroy them. Debate is dead. Dialogue is for suckers. The only acceptable outcome for today’s Democrat leaders is total ideological submission — or cancellation, whichever comes first.

This scorched-earth mentality shows a deep contempt for alternative viewpoints. Not just those fringe conspiracy theories—but legitimate, mainstream perspectives. If you believe in legal immigration, border security and the deportation of illegal aliens who are ineligible for asylum, you are a xenophobe. If you question climate policy, you are a science denier. If you support school choice, you hate public school teachers. It is a rhetorical game of whack-a-mole, and the mallet is always labeled “intolerance.”  There is no common ground.

Theatrics Over Substance

The “get tough” strategy is performative. It is politics as theater, with every press conference as a monologue and every tweet a soliloquy. Substance is secondary. Optics are everything.  It is designed to theatrically distract from real issues – and the truth.

The most tragic casualty of the “get tough” strategy is national unity. Once upon a time, Democrats – at least some of them — spoke of bringing people together. Of healing divisions. Of finding common ground. That era is over.

Now, unity is conditional. You’re welcome to join the fold—if you agree with everything the left says and demands. If not, you’re the enemy – a threat to democracy, itself. The party of self-proclaimed inclusion has become the party of ideological purity tests and social shaming.

Summary

So, what are the results of this “get tough” strategy? A nation more divided than ever. Political discourse devolved into tribal warfare. Trust in institutions eroded. Political violence is on an uptick – most notably on the left.  And the average American feels alienated from the process.

Democrats may think that going “tough” is a winning strategy—but at what cost?  Oh, it may energize the extreme element of their base, but it alienates the middle and justifiably angers the millions of targets of their wrath. It may dominate headlines in the crony news media, but it undermines credibility among the general public.

And let us be honest: it is exhausting. Americans are tired of being told they are terrible people for having opinions. They are tired of being labeled. They’re tired of the outrage machine. They want solutions, not mendacious accusations.

The people demand — and expect – more.  They long for unity, harmony, civil debate, and respect for the opinion of others. There is still time to remember that disagreement doesn’t mean hatred.  Rational discourse is better than fist-pounding propaganda.  Peaceful protest is better than promoting and defending street violence.   Debate is better than demonization.

Until then, however, the Democrats’ divisive “get tough” strategy will continue to make matters worse. It is a strategy built on anger and bitterness, sustained by outrage. America deserves better than noise and violence.  The Democrats’ current line-in-the-sand approach will ultimately be rejected. At least we should all hope so.