Part 9/20:
Adding to the left’s anxiety is the urban factor. Major cities—often controlled by progressive leaders—become epicenters of disorder, with soft-on-crime policies and activist district attorneys undermining law enforcement. Despite being in deep red states, cities like Atlanta, Houston, Denver, and Phoenix operate under progressive mayors and prosecutors who view criminal justice through an ideological lens, emphasizing equity over law and order. During the 2020 protests and riots, police were often obstructed or de-funded, with many arrests leading to little or no jail time—sending a message that disorder could go unpunished, emboldening radical actors.