Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D. 

Decision making by human beings is affected by both emotions and rational thought. Ideally, people should make decisions based on a reasoned assessment of the facts and the verifiable truth. Emotions can help motivate and energize, but may seriously interfere with making quality decisions that have lasting consequences. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, then President Franklin Roosevelt broadcast national weekly Saturday radio talks. On one of the broadcasts, he stated “…The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Although, he was not one of my favorite presidents, he was correct about fear in particular and emotions in general. The leftists in this country consistently use fear to convince people to support their programs, most of which would seriously undermine our country and lead us down the path to communism. Let’s look at a couple of examples. 

The Trump administration’s Department of Energy recently released a report prepared by a panel of scientists about global climate change in general and CO2 emissions in particular. The report found that the harmful effects of CO2 from burning fossil fuels are overstated and exaggerated since they based on erroneous models. Any global warming that is occurring is more likely due to the variation in the sun’s output. There is also no evidence that extreme weather events are occurring more frequently than in the past. Sea level rises are not increasing above the historical average. Finally, the measures to combat so-called man-made climate change (e.g. solar and wind power) are more detrimental to the US economy (and the environment) than CO2 emissions. Actually, increasing CO2 levels accelerate plant growth and are good for agriculture and the food supply. Of course, the Left and the climate extremists are up in arms about this report. How dare they challenge the Left’s narrative! What is important to note about this report is that it was released with a request for comments and feedback from interested parties. It was not issued as a government decree or mandate more typical of the Biden administration. In reality, the report opens the door for rational discourse and debate. Unlike the Left’s tactics of using fear such as the world will end in 12 years or the oceans will rise and destroy our coastal cities, this is a rational way to deal with the issue of climate change.

Another example of the Left’s use of fear is all the nonsense we hear about President Trump wanting to be a dictator. Actually, President Trump is respectful of the rule of law and the Constitution as he has repeatedly shown by appointing constitutional conservative judges. Meanwhile, the Democrats continue to block his nominees for various appointments to the Executive Branch. He has the authority to make those appointments. Evidence continues to mount that the Obama administration tried to influence the 2016 election with false claims that Trump was in league with Russian President Putin. Instead of debating the issues rationally, the Left want us to fear President Trump.

While most clear-thinking Americans can see through this fear mongering, this is not true for youth of this country. High school and college age individuals do not have the experience or wisdom to see through all of these fear tactics; especially when hearing it from their teachers and professors. This is why it is important for parents to discuss these issues with their children. What we really need to fear is the radical leftists who are increasingly controlling the direction of the Democrat Party. Avowed Marxists like the Democrat New York mayoral candidate Zoran Mandani show how far to the Left the Democrats have shifted.

Rational debate, not fear and emotions, needs to return to the political arena. However, this requires that both sides actually have respect for facts and the truth. When one side cannot win based on rational debate, we can expect more fear mongering and personal attacks. That is all the Left knows how to do.