(Substack)—From Washington DC to Portland and in nearly every major city in between, there are two near-certainties. First, Democrats control the lion’s share of mayors’ mansions, city council seats, and police chief offices. Second, Democrat voters have been indoctrinated into believing the problems Democrat politicians created can only be solved by Democrat politicians. They are not as ready for change as many Fox-News-watchers believe.
In conservative media echo chambers, we read stories or watch videos of citizens in cities like Chicago and Memphis complaining about crime and welcoming federal intervention. We see viral videos of Border Patrol officers getting thanked by sidewalk diners at local cafes in leftist cities. We hear anecdotal tails of reformed Democrats seeing the light. But these cases are not nearly as prevalent as we’re being led to believe.
The “Woke Mind Virus” is still widespread in these cities. “Trump Derangement Syndrome” is still commonplace. Despite great strides being made to wake the people up from the decades of brainwashing, the bulk of people living in major Democrat-run cities are still captives of the cult.
We see this in New York City where a full-blown Marxist is about to become the most powerful mayor in the world. I personally see it regularly in Los Angeles where a huge chunk of the city thinks ICE is their enemy. Even those who appreciate the raids and deportations will often still side with the “F- ICE” radicals.
Several cities can make a claim as being the most indoctrinated, but one stands out.
Portland used to draw people in with its offbeat vibe, craft beers, and that whole “keep it weird” mantra. These days, a trip there feels more like stepping into a cautionary tale about unchecked progressive governance. Fox News Digital columnist David Marcus, after spending time in the city, described an encounter that captures the absurdity perfectly.
His Lyft driver spent the ride insisting “President Trump has laundered money for Russia for decades and that Antifa doesn’t exist,” only to file a discrimination complaint afterward because Marcus pushed back on the rant.
That kind of exchange isn’t just a one-off; it points to a broader mindset where dissent gets labeled as bigotry. Marcus observed how residents appear convinced that stumbling over dead bodies on sidewalks counts as everyday life in America.
“Occasionally walking past dead bodies on the sidewalk is a normal American experience,” he noted, painting a picture of a population desensitized to the chaos around them. Elaborating on this, it’s clear the denial runs deep—people chat casually about fentanyl overdoses and tent cities as if they’re minor inconveniences, not symptoms of failed policies like drug decriminalization that turned streets into open-air markets for addiction.
Counter-protesters Marcus met on the ground put it bluntly, saying they’re fed up with “Antifa, drug addicts and woke policies that have ravaged a once-great city.”
Their frustration makes sense when you look at the numbers. Homelessness exploded after Oregon’s Measure 110 decriminalized hard drugs in 2020, leading to a surge in public use and related crime. Even though the state recriminalized possession earlier this year, the damage lingers, with encampments still dotting downtown and overdose rates stubbornly high. Antifa’s presence hasn’t vanished either; groups continue to clash in ways that disrupt normal life, all while locals downplay the violence as isolated or exaggerated by outsiders.
This isn’t just Portland’s problem anymore. With similar policies popping up in places like San Francisco and Seattle, the rot spreads. Marcus warns of the certainty among residents that supporting President Trump isn’t just mistaken—it’s downright immoral.
“Anyone calling themselves a Trump supporter isn’t just wrong, but immoral,” he wrote, describing the judgmental atmosphere that stifles debate. In such an environment, basic fixes like bolstering police presence or enforcing laws get dismissed as regressive.
President Trump’s recent crime crackdown initiatives offer a potential turnaround. His administration has already pushed back against the soft-on-crime approaches that let this mess fester under previous leadership. Yet, as Marcus’s experience shows, changing minds in these echo chambers won’t happen overnight. If cities don’t wake up to the delusion, what started in Portland could become the new normal everywhere—luxury condos next to squalor, ideological purity over public safety.
We have to keep chipping away at the brainwashed masses on the left. Some are irreversibly lost; they’d rather live dangerously than acknowledge that their side created the problems and our side is offering a solution. But others will come around. We need to educate them. We need to beat the drum of law and order while also defending the necessary actions of the administration.
That doesn’t mean DHS or the rest of the Trump administration is doing everything right. I would argue that they’re mishandling certain aspects of the ongoing crackdown. But some of our fellow American citizens voting against their own best interests may just need a dose of reality to snap them out of their indoctrination.
It’s not our responsibility. It’s not even our duty. They did this to themselves. But even if we’re not living in those cities, we’re still affected. It makes a whole lot of sense to expose them to the truth whenever possible. It behooves us to try to change the occasional heart and mind.
Why the National Debt Is the Looming Threat to Your Retirement Plans
The Hidden Crisis No One Is Talking About
Every day, headlines warn about inflation, market volatility, and global instability—but the greatest looming threat to your retirement might be something far more fundamental: America’s skyrocketing national debt.
You can learn more about how the national debt affects you by reading this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“.
With debt growing faster than most Americans can possibly fathom, the government’s borrowing habits have reached historic—and dangerous—levels. To cover spending, Washington is making moves with their budget packages, tariffs, and taxes. Is it enough? No. It’s not even close to what would be necessary to stop out-of-control debt, let alone reverse it.
How Debt Erodes Your Nest Egg
There are only so many levers government and the Federal Reserve can pull to try to protect Americans, assuming that’s even a top priority for them. Unfortunately, pulling one level to relive one pressure invariably adds pressure from another direction. This is why prices keep going up even as inflation reportedly slows.
For retirees and pre-retirees, that’s a perfect storm. The dollars you’ve worked hard to save lose value, and your cost of living increases while your investments lag behind.
If you’re relying solely on paper-based assets—stocks, bonds, or mutual funds—you’re essentially tied to the same system that’s creating the problem. It’s a system that was designed to work well in the 20th century, not in today’s world with people living longer and the dollar rapidly losing value.
This is why the 3-minute report, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now,” is so important.
The Precious Metals Hedge
Thousands of Americans are looking for a tangible, time-tested hedge: physical gold and silver.
Unlike paper assets, precious metals aren’t dependent on government policy or the stock market’s mood swings. They’re real, finite resources that have maintained value for thousands of years through wars, recessions, and inflationary periods.
In fact, during times of high inflation and fiscal instability, gold often performs its best—because it’s seen as a store of value when faith in the dollar weakens. This is why prices have skyrocketed this year and are expected by many economists to continue going up in the future.
Take Control with a Gold IRA
One of the most effective ways to protect your retirement from national debt fallout is through a self-directed Gold IRA. This IRS-approved account lets you hold physical gold and silver within your retirement portfolio, giving you:
- Direct ownership of your assets
- A hedge against inflation and dollar decline
- The control to diversify beyond Wall Street
Augusta Precious Metals specializes in helping Americans just like you take this step with confidence. The company has earned a strong reputation for transparency, education, and personalized service—making it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
The Next Step: Secure Your Financial Future
Augusta Precious Metals has helped thousands of Americans with at least $50,000 to invest from their IRAs, 401(K)s, TSPs, and other retirement accounts safeguard their savings through precious metals.
If you’re concerned about what the rising national debt could mean for your future, now is the time to act.
Read this 3-minute report titled, “Debt Will Hit $40T in 2026: Prepare Your Retirement Now“ and learn the simple steps you can take to protect your retirement.