By C J Waldron

To hear Donald Trump and his MAGA minions tell it, all our country’s ills can be blamed on the radical left. But who are they? They are those who do not slavishly worship Trump and are therefore, a threat to democracy. They are those who believe America is a nation of immigrants. They believe in religious freedom. They support a woman’s right to choose what medical procedures can and cannot be performed on their own bodies. They believe that all PEOPLE are created equal.

Are these radical ideas?  Absolutely! So radical that, after centuries of being ruled by emperors, kings and tyrants, it was only finally expressed 250 years ago when we declared our independence from colonial rule. So yeah, it is a radical idea, but one upon which our nation was founded.

And so, I hereby declare that I am the Radical Left!

What is their response?  In a recent interview, Trump ignored  his own incendiary rhetoric and claimed that the reason the nation can’t heal from the murder of right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk is that the radical left won’t “play fair”.

Play fair?!  Is he serious?

Was it fair to send a mob to the Capitol in an attempt to overturn an election he lost?

Is it fair to try to alter the representation in Congress so that you can try to prevent losing control after next year’s midterm elections?

Is it fair to threaten institutions, colleges and universities, law firms, the media and even late-night talk show hosts with retribution if they don’t bend to your will?

Is it fair that our children have to experience lock down drills and live in fear of being the next victim of a mass casualty school shooting by someone exercising their “God given” Second Amendment rights?

Is it fair that in this land of opportunity, children go to Sleep hungry while billionaires are given more and more avenues to accumulate more wealth?

Is it fair that a person of color can be profiled by police based upon their race or that they speak another language, but not be allowed to use race or gender to gain meaningful Employment or admission to a college of their choice?

Is it fair that those with questionable immigration status are denied due process?

Spare me the hypocrisy of what is fair!  You sound like a whiny child upset they didn’t get the last cookie.

And it goes even further. In another unhinged rant, madman Stephen Miller has demanded , following the murder of Charlie Kirk, that the Democratic Party be labeled a ‘domestic extremist organization’.

First, he needs to switch the decaf. Second, he needs to be reminded that he made no such demand following the murder of a Minnesota congresswoman and her husband. Nor did he demand such treatment when Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home was firebombed. And he was definitely not heard from when the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was revealed.

So, take a seat, jackass!

It’s time for our Spartacus moment. It’s time we stood up and declared that WE are the radical left!

C J (Chris Waldron) has been contributing his insight to Lean to the Left practically since its inception. He took some time off following Trump’s election in 2024, but has since returned and is welcomed with open arms. Chris is coauthor with Lean to the Left’s founder Bob Gatty of the trilogy, Hijacked Nation, Donald Trump’s attack on America’s greatness. He is a former college English professor and public school teacher. Living in Myrtle Beach, SC, he hails from upstate New York.

Bob Gatty Author, Podcaster, Blogger

For many years, Bob Gatty worked as a writer, editor, and communications consultant, based on the Washington, DC area with a focus on government and politics. He began at The Pittsburgh Courier, an African American weekly, covering crime and the courts. His salary was $55 per week before moving on to two local Pennsylvania dailies. At age 24, he began reporting for United Press International covering state politics in Pennsylvania and then New Jersey, where he was UPI’s state capitol bureau in Trenton.

Tempted by the allure of Washington, DC and big-time politics, at age 29 Bob became press secretary and chief of staff for two Congressmen – first Republican Edwin B. Forsythe, and then Democrat James J. Florio, who later became governor of New Jersey and until his recent death was a frequent podcast guest and co-host of Bob’s NFN Radio News podcast (now called Lean to the Left).

After seven years on Capitol Hill, Bob opened a communications business in Washington, first providing political media consulting to candidates and then freelance Washington coverage for business and trade magazines, plus creative communications services for trade and professional associations, including social media. This work involved articles and analyses of key governmental developments affecting businesses, such as the food and Health industries, retailing, and the environment.

His work as a communications consultant to trade and professional associations included launching and editing association publications, providing website content and social media assistance, and covering conferences and conventions.

Bob retired from G-Net Strategic Communications in 2016 and moved to Myrtle Beach, SC, where he launched his blog site, first called Not Fake News, now known as Lean to the Left.

Hijacked Nation
In August, 2020, Bob and co-author Chris Waldron, one of Lean to the Left's most loyal and prolific contributor, published "Hijacked Nation-Donald Trump's Attack on America's Greatness," a two-volume compilation of blogs regarding Trump's presidency and the consequences for our nation. A followup volume was published by Luna Global Media in September 2024. It is available at https://amzn.to/4ePrTF7 .

In all three volumes, blogs from Not Fake News and Lean to the Left create a virtual play-by-play of key actions of the Trump administration and Congress. For more information, please visit https://leantotheleft.net/books/, and visit Bob's Author's Page on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/stores/Bob-Gatty/author/B08C7HWXZ5?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=4e603563-7251-4074-b54d-40800c4ce40a.

The Lean to the Left Podcast
The Lean to the Left podcast provides commentary and interviews with newsmakers and others with interesting stories to tell. Video and audio podcasts stream twice weekly on major channels. More info at https://podcast.leantotheleft.net.

The Lean to the Left YouTube Channel
You'll find all of the audio tracks for the Lean to the Left Podcast here plus original videos, including complete video versions of each podcast.
https://www.youtube.com/@LeantotheLeft.