Political Violence and Domestic Surveillance: Has the Fuse Been Lit?

Ben Schreckinger at POLITICO has published a revealing and timely article that cuts to the heart of where America’s political tensions are heading. Titled “Trump Protesters Plan to Build ‘Tea Party’ of the Left,” the piece profiles a rising movement among progressive activists who are beginning to reevaluate the effectiveness of street protest—and what comes next.

Ben Schreckinger

One of the more eye-opening voices in the piece is Micah White, a veteran of Occupy Wall Street, who now openly concedes what many within activist circles have begun to whisper: traditional protest is broken. In White’s words, “The people cannot attain sovereignty over their governments by collective protest in the streets.” Instead, he lays out two stark options: win elections or win wars.

That binary alone is enough to raise eyebrows in national security circles. The idea that part of the American left may begin splintering into electoral vs. insurrectionist factions echoes the political volatility seen during the 1960s and 1970s. White himself says he supports the electoral route—but his acknowledgment that others will “go down the dark path of ’70s guerrilla insurrection” is chilling.

These words are not just rhetorical flourishes. With domestic extremism already a focus for agencies like the FBI and DHS, public declarations like this may signal an evolving risk landscape. The concern isn't just about fringe groups acting independently, but whether political factions might begin to openly tolerate—or even endorse—extra-political action to achieve their aims.

For conservatives and constitutionalists, the statement should serve as a warning bell. The path forward in a democratic republic must be through the ballot box, through legal institutions, and through civil society—not through veiled threats of revolutionary violence. As history shows, when political actors on any side of the spectrum lose faith in the democratic process and begin entertaining alternatives, the result is instability—not reform.

It’s also a reminder that the American Founders faced similar tensions. For over a decade, colonists petitioned, wrote pamphlets, sent delegations, and attempted peaceful resistance to British overreach. Only when all lawful channels were exhausted did conflict arise, and even then, it was declared with full moral, philosophical, and legal justification. Their model was not chaos—it was deliberation with restraint and principle.

As America enters yet another deeply polarized election cycle, Schreckinger’s reporting adds gravity to an already heated moment. The question for everyone—left, right, and center—is whether they will embrace the responsibilities of self-governance, or drift toward ideologies that prioritize power over process.

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Political Violence and Domestic Surveillance: Has The Fuse Been Lit? | Cato at Liberty Blog

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