Hanson blames Democratic elite for inflation and rising socialist influence
Victor Davis Hanson argues that the Democratic leadership, not concerns about affordability, drove inflation and nurtured a socialist surge within the party.
In his column, Victor Davis Hanson attributes the surge in consumer prices during former President Joe Biden’s administration to policies championed by senior Democrats, noting an average inflation rate close to 5% and occasional peaks over 9%. He asserts that figures like Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and others cultivated a radical leftward shift that later manifested as a socialist movement within the Democratic Party.
Hanson lists numerous controversies—ranging from COVID-19 origin theories to the “defund the police” slogan—as products of mainstream Democratic influence. He further claims that this environment enabled extremist groups and narratives, culminating in a “Frankenstein-like” socialist entity now confronting its originators. The article also criticizes the party’s stance on immigration, gender issues, and anti-Zionism, portraying these as extensions of the same radical agenda. Hanson concludes that the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America reflects the culmination of a decade of Democratic radicalization rather than an external takeover.
Why it matters
The piece frames Democratic policies as the root cause of inflation and growing left-wing radicalism, influencing public perception of current political debates.
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