In 1860, the Democrat Party refused to accept the election of Abraham Lincoln. They were convinced he was an abolitionist that would put an end to their 'peculiar institution'. He was not. Lincoln often spoke against slavery, but his main objective was to preserve the Union while keeping slavery out of the new territories.
The American Civil War was not a civil war at all. It was a war of secession. The South had no interest in taking over the seats of government in Washington. They merely wanted out of the Union. Today's Democrat Party does not want out, they want in and they want it all.
With their control of the media, education, Hollywood, and much of the government, the Left has carefully sown and cultivated several generations of malcontented, disgruntled, and disaffected people. Those citizens were purposely promised a utopia from benefactors who knew they couldn't make a difference...all to create an atmosphere where the Constitution and our institutions were made to appear inadequate to govern a modern society.
There was a time in modern Democrat history when the Far Left was just a small section of the Party in a cramped corner of the room. No more. There are effectively no more 'wings' of the party. They now are the mainstream. Most moderates are either gone or have been beaten into submission. The Far Left has taken over and they are not looking back at either the centrists they left behind or the Kennedy wing that has, like JFK, been long dead. An early forecaster of the future, Ronald Reagan, said, "I didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me.
I remember when Democrats believed in God, the Constitution, a strong America, equal rights, equal opportunity, capitalism...America as founded. Sure, there were differences in methods of achievement, but now what they demand is an aberrant country, a nation no one who loves America would ever recognize. These new Democrats are filled with the arrogance to think they can cancel the laws of God, nature, and the market place, and they will drag millions of the ignorant with them.
When the number of Democrat voters proved insufficient, as in the last several election cycles, immigration became a hot topic using the ever-reliable issues of racism, family and child welfare to goad their followers to become angry mobs...rationalizations for their demonstrations and violence. They have struggled to keep the borders open, immigrating millions of potential new voters from countries without any culture or tradition of freedom or republican democracy.
Like all Communist or Fascist movements, they are working to lower the ceiling, not raise the floor. They are demanding not just equal opportunity, but equal outcome. Socialism and Liberal ideology is incompatible in a free society and constitutional republic.
The Left, like a pilot's worst nightmare, has run out of altitude and ideas. They have nearly exhausted their enticements. We've gone from trillions in welfare, food stamps, section eight housing... all programs of assistance, to now serious proposals and actions for 'taking charge of personal lives' like guaranteed income, guaranteed jobs even to the unqualified, open borders, guaranteed healthcare for citizens and non-citizens, free housing, advocating reverse discrimination, doing away with the family, gender identity and meritocracy.
Who can deny that violence against Republicans and Conservatives is on the rise? The Left is getting fringier and freakier by the day. They preach love and hate everyone. Debate has been substituted with in-your-face confrontation. They demand their ideology and world view be implemented and will not accept any detour...no divergent opinions permitted. Like the South of the 19th century, they're letting emotion rule, goaded by a selfish and corrupt elite, financed by the likes of George Soros and organizations like the Tides Foundation. Our brothers and sisters don't understand what they are cultivating.
We have a mechanism in this country to change how we govern. It's called THE VOTE. Demonstration certainly has its place, but any political party that will not demonstratively accept that vote ceases to be a legitimate part of that country and the political process as spelled out in the Constitution.
What will be the catalyst that ignites the fire? How will Conservatives and Independents eventually react to a constant flood of harassment?
We now have the possibility of a real civil war from the same protagonists as in 1861, because, like their predecessors, the Democrat Left refuses to participate in a government for which they did not vote. Obama said it right..."Elections have consequences." Yes, it does, but that road runs in both directions.
So, what will it be, civil discourse or civil war?
Ray DiLorenzo is a career pilot having retired after 22 years as a contract fire pilot with the California Department of Forestry (Cal-Fire). He is presently affiliated with Stand Up America US Foundation founded by Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely (Ret).
In 1860, the Democrat Party refused to accept the election of Abraham Lincoln. They were convinced he was an abolitionist that would put an end to their 'peculiar institution'. He was not. Lincoln often spoke against slavery, but his main objective was to preserve the Union while keeping slavery out of the new territories.
The American Civil War was not a civil war at all. It was a war of secession. The South had no interest in taking over the seats of government in Washington. They merely wanted out of the Union. Today's Democrat Party does not want out, they want in and they want it all. 
