(Richard Santomauro) – All forms of socialism and communism are, by definition, left-wing.
What many forget is that prior to 1939, both Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini were admired figures on the world stage.
In fact, leaders and citizens in Allied nations often viewed them as strong, decisive men capable of restoring order in uncertain times. Even Joseph Kennedy, father of President John F. Kennedy, expressed open admiration for Hitler.
At one point, there was even discussion of reinstalling King George to the British throne due to his sympathies toward the Nazi leader.
The Great Depression accelerated this global drift toward the left.
Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal, often celebrated as a lifeline for struggling Americans, was in many ways a reflection of the era’s infatuation with centralized authority and, yes, elements of fascist governance.
Yet history has repeatedly shown that the government becomes too large, too corrupt, and too incompetent when it takes on roles better left to free people and free markets.
Programs like Social Security and Medicare – once heralded as solutions – are now teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.
The true evil of left-wing ideology was exposed by the blood-soaked legacies of Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. Even Emperor Hirohito’s Japan aligned with this authoritarian thrust, seeking to crush freedom and expand dominance.
Meanwhile, Western colonialism in Britain, France, Spain, and beyond had already seeded deep distrust of the West.
By the outbreak of World War II, the old colonial order was beginning to collapse, and the experiment of democracy and republican government – so new in the arc of history – was being tested.
America’s freedom has always rested on a fragile foundation: we have it only as long as we can keep it.
In modern times, no president advanced left-wing ideology more effectively than Barack Obama. His lasting legacy is not merely policy but the embedding of progressive ideology deep within the federal bureaucracy.
Those agencies and departments continue to undermine the traditional constitutional values that define our republic.
Looking ahead to 2026, the stakes could not be higher.
If either chamber of Congress is lost, the movement to save the nation may well collapse. Yet current Republican leaders – Senator John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson – seem oblivious to the magnitude of the moment.
Their reluctance to fully support the President’s agenda threatens to undo the progress achieved through executive action and conservative reform.
The fight for America’s future is not abstract.
It is immediate, urgent, and unforgiving.
Failure to recognize this truth may spell the end of our republic as we know it.
Richard Santomauro served the country in the US Navy during the Cold War fighting left wing ideologies of socialism and communism. He is a retired US Navy Submarine Lieutenant Commander. The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views.
