ent as a parade of horribles fueled by systemic racism, sexism, and homophobia. In their telling, slavery, rather


than freedom, is our nation’s defi n- ing feature. Everyone except straight white


men is part of an oppressed group trapped in a Sisyphean struggle to avoid being crushed by a sys- tem designed to keep them down. This ideological cynicism about the American project fuels destructive policies: The criminal justice system is


rigged, so why prosecute people (other than our political enemies) for most crimes? The education system is rigged, so


DOUBLE STANDARD The lack of interest in President Joe Biden’s connection to the questionable business dealings of his son Hunter contrasts sharply with the multiple investigations into Donald Trump.


The “woke” revolution they are leading is a force of destruction.


A cynic might note that politi-


cians have always done whatever they could to gain power. But their conduct has long been constrained by the American people, who have long believed in American institu- tions and American values. Rank-and-fi le Democrats no lon-


ger provide such guardrails for their leaders. Instead of say-


ing enough, most are cheering their party’s seri- al subversions of the system. Terrified by


cancel culture and desperate to appear virtu- ous and smart, Democrat voters have swallowed the propaganda of pro- gressive activists in politics, media, entertainment, and academia who


cast Republicans as fascistic Neander- thals. No decent person could support the GOP, so what choice do I have? That Manichean mindset, howev-


er, is relatively benign compared to more profound corruption of thought that the progressive elite have wrought among their followers through the normalization of cynicism. The “woke” revolution they are leading is a force of destruc- tion. It offers no


vision of a prom- ised land. Its main impulse is to expose, dele- gitimize, and


dismantle American institutions and American values. Instead of a shining city on a hill, they present America’s past and pres-


why expect kids to study or behave themselves? The economic system is rigged, so


why work hard? Other human beings are a bother,


so why get married or have children? Is it any wonder that a recent Gal-


lup poll found a record low number of respondents say they are extreme- ly proud to be Americans? The tragic fallout from this eff ort


is obvious. Crime is rising, schools are failing, productivity has cra- tered, and loneliness abounds. The irony is that left-wing policies


appear to do special harm to those who support them — as liberal men and women suff er the highest rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. As much as they hate Republicans, they also loathe them- selves and the world around them. The historic indictment of Trump


on weak, politically motivated charges underscores how far Demo- crats have knocked our country off the rails. Their incessant attack on the pillars of our society is creating a nation of cynics who no longer believe in anything. When the rule of law is dead, everything is permitted.


J. Peder Zane is a columnist for RealClearPolitics.


MAY 2023 | NEWSMAX 13


YASIN DEMIRCI/ANADOLU AGENCY VIA GETTY IMAGES E. JASON WAMBSGANS/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE VIA GETTY IMAGES


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100