Dems’ Unbridled Pursuit of Power Can’t Be Airbrushed Away

RealClear Politics ^ | 15 Jun, 2026 | Kenin M. Spivak

[MtnClimber]

The Democrats’ disquieting quest for power at the cost of our democratic principles cannot credibly be denied or rebutted by inapt whataboutisms.

During the 40 years from John Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961, four Republicans served a total of 22 years as president and a like number of Democrats served for 18 years. Democrats dominated other elective offices, however, controlling the Senate for 28 years, the House for 34 years, and adjusting for time in office, governorships by 57% to 43%, and state legislatures by 73% to 27%.

Then, the pendulum swung. For the last 25 years, Republicans (13 years) and Democrats (12 years) each elected two presidents, and Republicans gained control of the Senate for 13 years, the House for 17 years, governorships, 55% to 45%, and state legislatures, 59% to 41%.

Yet, despite an edge in winning elections and appointing 60% of Supreme Court justices confirmed over the last 65 years, since the 1960s conservatives have been on the losing end of nearly every social and cultural battle and most policy disputes. Donald Trump’s effort to restore American traditions is being resisted with trench warfare, including lawless judges, seditious elected officials, violent demonstrators, and assassination.

Most conservatives would rather leave things and people alone. By contrast, progressives organize, demonstrate, destroy property, and assault opponents. With great success, they also litigate and have patiently and strategically seized control of the American institutions that exercise real power. Presidents come and go, but careers in the administrative state, judiciary, education, and media can last 50 years.

Liberals generally, and progressives particularly, have devoted 75 years to securing control of education, federal and state bureaucracies, corporate boards, tech companies, entertainment, and media. They triangulated their efforts, consolidating control of institutions that fund, inform, regulate, accredit, authorize, and monitor each other.

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TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: bolsheviks; democrats; domesticenemies; insurgency; leftism

[MtnClimber]

They never stop.

[Carry_Okie]

The Democrats’ disquieting quest for power at the cost of our democratic principles cannot credibly be denied or rebutted by inapt whataboutisms.

Just look at California. A tapeworm is more benign and has more integrity.

[DIRTYSECRET]

I’m lovin’ it. It’s the Trump effect. He’s winning. I think it’s because we never had anyone who fights back. Now that they’re exposed for what they are they can’t handle it and they’re flailing. They always could smooth talk their way into convincing just a few of us that they were something they’re not. Think BJ and the Kenyan. You just gotta fool people. Trump doesn’t even try.

We got a big opportunity this November. We shouldn’t have to wait until ‘28.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

There is one problem with this article - it only goes back 70 years. The Democrats have been on an unprincipled quest for political power and dominance since before the Civil War. And certainly after the Civil War, their goal was power by any means including violence, whipping up racial hatred (back then, against blacks) and oppression. They are a cancer on the country.

[Carl Vehse]

The Demonicrats lie, glorify perversion, commit racism, murder their unborn children, and give aid and comfort to the enemies of the United States. Their megalomaniacal pursuit of power by any means should be no surprise.

It will not end until they are tried, convicted, and sentenced to become one-time rope testers.

[cuz1961]

This open rebellion and sedition by agency and black robes and sanctuary scofflaw politicians can only be stopped one way at this point.

All at once.

Trump must declare martial law and clean house.

It’s war in the open now anyways.

[Zathras]

The 2nd Nixon term taught the DNC and MSM that if they work together, THEY can control the political message and power.
Most Americans don’t know is “Watergate” was really about making sure Daniel Ellsberg wasn’t leaking nuclear weapon secrets to the USSR.

Daniel Ellsberg was working at Sandia Labs at the time and the FBI said it was very likely he would give them top secret weapon designs.

[daler]

Now that they’re not getting their usual run of SCOTUS wins, Democrats are increasingly calling for expanding the court by at least four seats.

If Thune and his “Republican” senate colleagues had any balls, they’d say “OK…we’ll start next week.”

[Steven Scharf]

it only goes back 70 years

Actually 65 years since January 1961. My whole lifetime. There was virtually no other parties until just before the civil war, so it is a bit of hyperbole to reference before the war.

[No name given]

Until they’re dead. And even then they have dead people voting for them.

[spintreebob]

LBJ expanded the central government with both the war on Vietnam and the war on poverty.
Nixon revenue sharing built on the war on poverty. The US can print money. State and local government cannot print money. So the central government prints money and uses it for matching funds for SNAP, Medicaid, highways, sewage plants, whatever we can dream up.

Thanks to Nixon revenue sharing Local government is now controlled by revenue sharing. Every local decision comes down to this: How do we locals get our fair share of that federal money. We will spend money on stupid projects just to get that federal money because it is stupid not to take FREE MONEY. We will raise local taxes and pass local regulations, not because they are good for our locality, but solely because they are necessary to get that FREE MONEY from the Federal government.

Everything Carter, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, Obama, Biden did was just a minor modification of the hand the LBJ-NIXON dealt them. Reagan...and now Trump tries to untie their hands in little ways. But except for Abortion and maybe Education, Trump has bitten into the temptation to centralize problems and solve them at the national level.

[Jacquerie]

It goes back 90 years to the New Deal.