As Britannica notes, the term is credited to Emilio Mola Vidal, a Nationalist general during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39). As four of his army columns moved on Madrid, the general referred to his militant supporters within the capital as his “fifth column,” intent on undermining the loyalist government from within.

Does such a group of subversive agents’ intent upon undermining American unity actually exist today? If they do, who are they, what are their methods and what is their goal?

Methods of a Fifth Column
Britannica states that “A cardinal technique of the fifth column is the infiltration of sympathizers into the entire fabric of the nation under attack and, particularly, into positions of policy decision and national defense.”

In America, there are those who “make policy” and those who “influence” policy.

We call the “policy makers” elected officials. Politicians decide national policy, including matters of national defense. But to be an effective fifth column, agents must meld into all facets of society, gaining positions of power to make or influence policy.

When it comes to positions of influence over policy, there is no more influential power in America today than that of the media. The press, the TV and movie industry, radio and news magazines, combine for a monumental influence over policy. Combined, the media controls the flow of information, which is used to shape public opinion and in the end, public sentiment will influence public policy at the voting booth.

In order to gain those powerful positions in a democratic society, politicians and media elites alike must conceal their ultimate intentions under a guise of something less overtly threatening.

In order to conceal their agenda of undermining the nation they claim to serve, these agents must use a plausible cover for their hidden agenda.

Hidden in the Open
In a trusting society of decent people, the best place to hide such an agenda is right under their noses. Britannica explains that “From such key posts, fifth-column activists exploit the fears of a people by spreading rumors and misinformation, as well as by employing the more standard techniques of espionage and sabotage.”

Past American generations were not so easily fooled or divided. They were more united by the common goal of individual freedom and liberty, and more aware of the obvious threats posed by Hitler’s Nazi Third Reich or Stalin’s Soviet Empire. Though both espionage and sabotage remain tools of the trade today, the more commonly used tool is the political exploitation of voter fears, most of which are rooted in rumor and misinformation and promoted by the media.

Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself
From the war we are “losing” in Iraq to homeland terrorism, global warming, rising energy prices and a looming shortage, unemployment, illegal immigration, racial tensions, bankrupt Social Security and Medicare systems, trade and financial deficits as far as the eye can see, corporate tyranny and collapse, the shrinking dollar, homespun terror on our school campuses, a world that hates us, an over-extended military, a collapsing infrastructure, to the mortgage crisis, - did I leave out anything we are supposed to fear today?

The best lies are always spun around a thread of truth and there is at least a thread of truth in each of the threats listed above. But there is far more fear-mongering than truth in most of that list. Do you think it’s an accident that all of these things are in such terrible condition all at the same time, which happens to be seven months before the next major election cycle? Have you not taken note of the fact that it happens before every major election cycle?

No...There are no accidents in politics. Nothing in politics is left to chance. And the one thing you are not supposed to fear is your politician who either created the problems you fear, is exploiting the problems you fear for political gain, or has no idea what to do with the problems you fear.

If you make policy decisions on the basis of these fears, there is indeed, nothing to fear more than fear itself. We have the power to makes the lies become true.

Who is the American Fifth Column?
In short, members of the American fifth column can be identified by their open or disguised opposition to pro-American policies, principles or values. Agents of the fifth column can always be identified as those working to “undermine a nation’s solidarity [unity].”

This is not to be confused with those who openly dissent against policies easily demonstrated to be at odds with true American interests, such as the case with federal power grabs, attacks on individual rights, private property, free speech, religious expression or the 2nd Amendment.

Citizens who openly dissent against an over-reaching tyrannical government are patriots in the truest sense of the term. They are not members of a fifth column, quite the contrary.

It is those who work to undermine American freedom, individual rights, economic supremacy, military superiority, national sovereignty or security, or even just America’s image in the world, who are agents of a fifth column.  Those who aid and abet America’s enemies by these means, be it from the halls of congress, the White House, the Judicial Branch, the media or the average Joe, are indeed agents of a fifth column.

Some are aware of the destructive nature of their actions and some are not. Some are leaders of a fifth column effort to undermine America, and others are unsuspecting “useful idiots” who believe they are doing the right thing, even though there is no real evidence to support that notion.

Vladimir Lenin is often credited with coining the term "useful idiots of the West," and used it to describe Western reporters and citizens who would knowingly or unwittingly endorse communist policies in the West. The implication being that the person in question was naïve, foolish, or in willful denial, and was being cynically used by the Soviet Union, or another Communist movement.

There is little doubt among those educated in modern American political science, that America has already adopted many Socialist policies and ideals over the last few decades and that our nation continues to vote itself back into tyrannical government control over every private asset and individual right even today.

But few understand why the freest people on earth are opting instead for government intrusions into even the most private personal challenges. In two words, the answer is the Fifth Column, which has spent decades changing how Americans see everything, including their once proud nation.

In a recent column, I wrote about how the greatest diverse nation on earth, which was once united by only a few simple but powerful common beliefs, is now broken into a thousand fragmented special interest driven voting blocs, easier for the conquering.

To take a closer look at the handy work of America’s Fifth Column, read Agents of Division Bring Devastating Change.

What is the Goal?
The goal is very simple. America has enjoyed an unbalanced abundance of personal freedom, individual liberty, economic prosperity and world power for more than 200 years and many in the world would like to improve their own status by taking it away from Americans, forcing America into “equality” with the rest of the world.

Unfortunately, many members of Congress are active members of America’s Fifth Column today, including but not at all limited to those who are listed in the membership rolls of organizations like the Democratic Socialists of America, who hold powerful positions in today’s Democrat Party. Others are members of the Communist Party USA or the Socialist Party USA, both of which now work behind the scenes of the Democrat Party.

The goal is “equality.” Since it is not possible to make everyone equally ambitious, equally talented, equally fortunate, equally intelligent, or equally willing to work and sacrifice, the route to true “equality” is to follow the teachings of Karl Marx, to “take from each according to his ability; and give to each according to his need” – This is the modern mantra of today’s Democrat Party and even many members of the Republican Party now accept these concepts.

This is the goal. These are the methods and those who “undermine a nation’s solidarity [unity] by any means at their disposal” are indeed members of the Fifth Column in America today.