Nationally, Democrats are just out of touch – despite controlling the White House, Senate, and nearly the US House. In states, similar tone deafness abounds. In Maine, for example, Democrats control the legislature and governorship, attorney general, and secretary of state. Objectively, this has been disastrous. Why? Arrogance of power, no accountability.
In Maine, and federally, when power is concentrated by those content to disrespect individual rights for personal or political reasons, the ambit of liberty necessarily shrinks. Spending, taxes, interest, costs, regulations, and mandates all go up. One-party power means no accountability – no exceptions.
Worse, as concentrated power becomes comfortable with its position, like Democrats in the Maine legislature and senate, the sense grows that those in power are untouchable. They cultivate this idea, and project it. They need not listen to constituents, since they have each other’s backs.
Whatever the label, Democrat, Social Democrat, Marxist Socialist (i.e. Soviet Union), National Socialist (i.e., Brownshirts), Maoist-Socialist, or some other disguise for “we will tell you what to do” ism – concentrated power is not complicated. It reduces to arrogance, thinking they are above it.
With disrespect for the average, hard-working citizen, content to push fear, no qualms about unfairness (like disregarding majority positions in hearings), and a sense of righteous coercion – since the government, after all, is about righteous coercion – things can get worse.
Those who rule in one-party nations or states begin to assume things, their own intelligence, a right to put others down, reshape the world, eroded respect for longstanding laws and institutions. Soon after comes the tide, a tide of soft, undeterred, uncommented corruption. I have seen it worldwide.
They begin to believe that they can do anything, and get away with it – push laws that ruin personal rights, in Maine, hurt children late in pregnancy, hurt girls, parents, and businesses, and endanger public safety, which they redefine to meet their whims.
Worse, they begin to think they can change how we think, cleverly use their power to redefine words – like one Maine Democrat decided to outlaw the words “prisoner,” “inmate” and “drug user,” apparently sure this will make us all equal, residential substance users, I suppose.
As Orwell so well predicted, they start to use language as a weapon, punishing those who do not agree with their redefinitions, of a girl, boy, biology, DNA, threat to privacy, safety, dignity, illegal aliens, and legal guns.
They try to reduce our expectations and reprogram us to think we do not have rights – free speech, worship, self-defense, defense of others, and home safety. They think no one is watching. But we are.
The longer those in power stay there, the more convinced they are they belong there, sure their insider moves, omissions, self-dealing, failures, and impact on liberty will be overlooked.
Nor are they wrong. As Lord Acton observed, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Unchecked, concentrated power becomes dangerous, and jumps the rail. The powerful, if not thrown out of office, feel protected by their corrupt tribe, herd, or mob. They get despotic.
They start to cancel opponents – as Maine’s secretary of state so glibly tried to do, as the Maine legislature did when disenfranchising the majority who overwhelmingly oppose “abortion at birth,” confiscation-minded “red flag laws,” and “transgender tourism,” legalized child abuse.
Where is the conscience of a legislature or governor who presumes to lead a People – that they ignore? Yes, they are mostly traditional and honest, hard-working, and Right respectful. And so?
Nationally and in places like the Maine legislature, rights that were long respected, buttressed by common sense, common law, tradition, family, faith, and decency – are being eroded, and taken.
So, how bad is it? Look at Maine again. Democrats have controlled the legislature since 2012, and governorship since 2019. And in that time? The number of Maine kids dying from drug overdoses skyrocketed, low ten years ago, with 417 dead kids in 2017, and 723 in 2022.
Why? Maine’s Democrat activists fell in with drug legalization and police defunding, let riots go, and are slowly bankrupting – through poor recruiting, retention, and respect – local police, towns like Van Buren and Limestone, putting new pressure on others.
Crime? Incomplete data offers the rosy picture, but drug abuse and trafficking are out of control – ask anyone. Chinese fentanyl to Chinese high potency marijuana grow houses, and property crime up 50 percent (i.e. more drugs, fewer police).
Thank the Democrat-controlled Maine legislature and governor. Yes, fewer arsons, but murder, rape, robbery, and assault were up in 2019, before COVID restrictions compounded it. Only 27 percent of females and 13.5 percent of males file crime reports, and 50 percent of violent crimes are never reported. Feel good?
How about Maine’s economy – under the Democrat legislature? Household costs are higher with subsidies, mandates, and overregulation, and who pays for all that? Consumers, you and me. Where? Gas, health care, groceries, heating oil, cars, and stoves… if we are allowed to buy them.
They spend on things we do not want, cannot afford, think we can pay for with money we do not have, and then pass the costs for things like residential drug treatment to locals. Thank you, Democrats.
Inflation which was 1.2 percent under Trump, went to 9 percent, is still high. Maine’s Democrats fell right in with Biden – closures, energy shutdowns and mandates, whole mess. We now have the highest interest in 22 years, no affordable housing, and crazy high credit card and car loan debt.
We are all in a world of hurt. Face it. Might be time for arrogant power … to be gone. You think?
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.
I live in a State where the democrats can do nothing wrong, and it is so disheartening. And there America I grew up in seems as though it is a mere shadow.I’m a Veteran and a very strong Patriot and a Strong believing God fearing man and to watch the crooked media, and the political criminals destroy the the state I live in and the Country I grew up in is absolutely appalling. But I’ve reserved myself to the fact that I’m in my 70’s that I so proudly served in the Military for and grew up in will never see that America ever again.Because the Democrats have lied, cheated,and stolen that America from the people of this great Country. Because the democrats have the whole country bamboozled the whole Country believing that it is good for uses my Children and Grandchildren will never see the country I grew up in because it has been destroyed.
Good article. It points at the strong effort in the works by the communist taking over our country – Called Democrats. They don’t care about American citizens, nor do they care about out of control spending. All they care about is staying in office, by what ever means. Do not be deceived, they know what they are doing and all of this is part of their master plan. Goodbye to “We the People” and hello to communist America. Very sad.
RBC, nice article and to the point. In the states that have government controlled by the Democrats, everything in your article has happened to them. Will the people/voters change their circumstances in these states? Only future elections will tell the difference and that is only if the people/voters wake up, get off their behinds and do something about it. Only time will tell.
It’s time for the states that no longer support the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution to ask the rest of the states if they can leave the union and join some other country. The entire northeast, for example. If you believe in tyranny, as the Democrats do, then you should not live in a free country.
It is time we all wake up. It has been clear to me something is very wrong with this two party system. It is no longer a two party system there are no checks and balances. One party has all the power and the conservative party has the virtue and good ideas. In 1962 John Kennedy allowed the Federal employees to Unionize. As a result fast forward to today. Every government agency and office are now Union members of which i have heard some 90% are Democrats. These employees Consider their loyalties to the Unions of the Democratic Party. Many of which will do anything to maintain their power. All the things we conservatives consider unfair, or wrong of course are used to raise contributions, but nothing to really solve the underlining problem. The Deep State is the Public Employee unions which have total control no matter which party is in office. Just look what they did to President Trump during his time in office. Look what they did during the November Elections. The Voter registrar, IRS, CIA, DOJ, Teachers, Hollywood, News Media ( which are part of Hollywood ), and all of the major trade unions all are against American citizens being free or to have the right to shear thoughts unless they agree with the left. The power is in their total control, and they are using it against common since. The unions put in governor Brown in California for two additional terms because they could control his every move, and give the government employees unions more power more Union jobs withe higher government paychecks, but less efficiency or responsibility. The same thing with President Biden. Most of the stimulus money went to government employees to do less or not work at all
( PAYBACK ). If you notice no one seems to pay for Fast & Furious, Clinton Emails, Muller Fraud, Hunter Biden, and all other crimes that any one with a conservative point of view would immediately be prosecuted for. This is the Deep Union State/ Democratic’s control they will have total control until America is destroyed. Instead of beating around the bush with each symptom of the problem recognition of the problem is needed to find a solution. There will always be differences of opinion life’s circumstances adjust our points of view, but total controle of our government agencies are leading us to be a Communist country. The Unions helped Russia become a Communist country, and history is repeating itself. There may be a few ways to change back to a balanced system with all the complications with so many Americans owing their livelihoods to the government. I have only been able to come up with one. Every Conservative at the wright time, change their party designation to a D instead of an R, and take over the Democratic Party including party leaders Senate and Congress. Since this is what the Democrats seem to want. Except we would all be one party I think with more conservative view points. This may take away from the union controle, and allow better representation. I don’t relish the idea of a D by my registration, but I would like to get back to both parties doing what is best to represent American interests. My thoughts continue to find a good solution, someone else’s thoughts may come up with a better one. I listen to a lot of conservative talk shows, and hear what they are saying but never quite getting to the cause of the problem I think it is the dominance of the Public Employees Unions.
The lawlessness of government and abuse of power is spread from sea to shining sea It’s not exclusive to Maine
I believe the most salient feature of our current “Democrat” leadership is their ongoing failure to invest ANY of our taxpayer dollars in ANYTHING that does not directly benefit THEMSELVES.
This group of “Leaders” that ignores their promise of leadership is doing nothing but taking from us. They take from us what is ours, and not theirs, because they are dishonest and dishonorable.
Ironic that Democrats are making abortion their main campaign issue when, at $5.00/gallon gas, Nevadans can’t afford to drive anywhere to get one. They seem to be relying on hatred of Trump to win this election since, obviously, they don’t care to solve problems they created; they don’t seem to think no one minds having these scabs pulled off!
Good start — Awaiting for Approval!!
The facts given, Mr. Charles, are pilling up to a very overwhelming load on the shoulders of the “working men and women” who live in the state of Maine. It would appear that several other states now under the sway of this over burdening party also have the same results, although I do not the needed facts to say this is true, in a legal sense.
What is the average American to do?
This is the question which voters face as elections come due.
Thank you for this factual piece. I am sorry to read it, as Maine has always been a favorite state to visit, and is one I one thought might be good to move to. I will defer that move right now .