By George Tristan | Guest Columnist, Rocky Mountain Voice
Nearly all the plexiglass barriers have been removed from checkout lines in grocery stores. It is rare to find any of the 6-foot spaced markers that facilitated social distancing. And thankfully, toilet paper is back in full supply on store shelves. However, the fear of COVID lives on. Many people still wear masks – some even don gloves.
A law enforcement officer recently refused to shake my hand when I extended mine to thank him for his service.
Undoubtedly, the most significant recent example of the effect of fear on the human psyche, was the pandemic.
The daily uptick in the global death toll gripped the world in fear. It drove the masses to stand in line to inject an experimental drug into their veins that did not protect them from contracting COVID. Nor prevent them from spreading a virus that had a 99% or better recovery rate for individuals with no comorbidities (heart disease, diabetes, asthma, etc.).
Fear is a powerful motivator.
Democrat members of Congress are still reeling from their decided loss of the Whitehouse and Senate last November. Most are feeling utterly powerless, as their scathing efforts to block cabinet appointments have been an exercise in futility.
They can do little to impede the steady stream of executive orders (EOs) which are reversing the radical policies of open borders, DEI, men in women’s sports, and climate alarmism–or halt the reclamation of the corollary government spending allocated to implement this woke agenda.
Winning back the House, Senate – or both in 2026, is at the forefront of Democrat leader’s minds. A plan to achieve this goal, to this casual observer, is beginning to take shape.
The ACLU is leading the charge by leveraging the judiciary and challenging many of President Trump’s EOs.
Ironically, the lawsuits of which many judges have issued temporary restraining orders, are not supported by the majority of public opinion.
A Washington Post-Ipsos poll from February 2025 found that 89% of Americans support deporting undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes. A New York Times-Ipsos poll from January 2025, reported 79% opposition to transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports. A Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll conducted February 23–25, 2025, found that 76% of respondents favored a full-scale effort to find and eliminate fraud and waste in government expenditures.
These lawsuits are effectively doubling-down on the same issues that lost the Democrats the 2024 election. They are literally betting the “House” with this strategy.
Some Democrat leaders are aware that their party went too far left and recognize the need to win back the hearts and minds of working-class Americans versus drag queens, illegal migrants or Palestinian sympathizers.
However, many other Democrats like Bernie Sanders and AOC are hellbent on taking the party even further left by way of their “Fighting Oligarchy” tour, which made Colorado stops last week.
I watched the AOC speech. It was rife with fearmongering rhetoric such as this notable quote: “We are witnessing an oligarchy in America. When those with the most economic, political and technological power destroy the public good to enrich themselves, millions of Americans pay the price.”
Speech such as this will surely foment fear and reprisal from radical leftists like those that are fire-bombing American Tesla dealerships and terrorizing private Tesla owners.
Radical leftists committing wanton acts of vulgarity, property damage and violence such as this, is sadly not uncommon. Federal charges of felony domestic terrorism will be a heavy price to pay for those who believe this is what Democracy looks like.
Ginning up anger by stoking fear is a strategic, calculated and a purposeful plan of action devised by the Democrats.
Its intended goal is to infuse the belief that Republicans are justifiably deserving of any pain and suffering meted on them. Schumer, Schiff, Watters, AOC, Sanders, etc.., are in effect, issuing a call to action to the radical faithful, much as they did during the BLM riots of 2020 and the more recent Palestinian protests that saw students taking over university buildings and terrorizing Jewish students.
How can I make an accusation as damning as this? Because Democrat Senators and Representatives fail to condemn or disavow the behavior.
Their silence speaks volumes.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.