By: Daniel Nardini
When is a Communist really a Communist? U.S. House Representative Allen West (Republican-Florida), at a town hall meeting of Tea Party supporters, when asked how many Marxists are in the U.S. Congress by someone in the audience, replied, “I believe there’s about 78 to 81 members of the Democratic Party that are members of the Communist Party.” West was referring to the Democratic minority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Of course, all of the Democratic minority called his statements rubbish, and even the vice-chair of the Communist Party U.S.A., Libero Della Piana, called West’s comment a, “cheap shot.”
Sadly, West is far from being the only one to call any Democrat a “Communist” or “socialist” or “leftist” these days. It is sad that the whole Democratic Party is being likened by conservatives to being little more than a socialist, leftist party in disguise that will foist socialism (and when these certain people say “socialism,” they really mean Communism ) on an unsuspecting American public. I personally find it insulting that a growing number of people are using the terms “socialism” and “Communism” without defining what these political forces really are. As someone who has experienced the Communist system from Cuba to East Germany, the Soviet Union and China, I can tell you exactly what it is.
As someone who has experienced some of the worst of what the Communist system has done, I can tell you exactly what it does. I am no fan of Communism, and I certainly have no love for the Communist Party U.S.A. or any Communist Party. That all said, I am especially careful about whom I would call a Communist. I may not be all that happy with what the Democratic Party is doing these days, but the Democratic Party is certainly not socialist. U.S. President Barack Obama is certainly no socialist. Yet leading conservative pundits like Ann Coulter have frequently used terms like “leftist” and “socialist” to describe everything Obama does from his health care reform policy to his domestic agenda and whom he associates with.
When you think about it, too many Republicans and leading conservatives use guilt by association as the yardstick to try and tar someone. It is a tactic that is still in use. This has been known to ruin so many careers and people’s reputations. Even though this may not be the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950’s, such words can still bite in the minds of people who can be easily influenced. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone would someday call me a “Communist” as well because they do not like what I say. Many people today in the real world may dismiss the whole thing that being accused of being politically incorrect will mean anything to ordinary people. In the real world it would have little or no meaning at all. In the world of politics, being accused of being politically incorrect might be a virtual death sentence or a badge of honor. The world of politics is anything but honorable these days.
Communists in the Congress?
By: Daniel Nardini
Sadly, West is far from being the only one to call any Democrat a “Communist” or “socialist” or “leftist” these days. It is sad that the whole Democratic Party is being likened by conservatives to being little more than a socialist, leftist party in disguise that will foist socialism (and when these certain people say “socialism,” they really mean Communism ) on an unsuspecting American public. I personally find it insulting that a growing number of people are using the terms “socialism” and “Communism” without defining what these political forces really are. As someone who has experienced the Communist system from Cuba to East Germany, the Soviet Union and China, I can tell you exactly what it is.
As someone who has experienced some of the worst of what the Communist system has done, I can tell you exactly what it does. I am no fan of Communism, and I certainly have no love for the Communist Party U.S.A. or any Communist Party. That all said, I am especially careful about whom I would call a Communist. I may not be all that happy with what the Democratic Party is doing these days, but the Democratic Party is certainly not socialist. U.S. President Barack Obama is certainly no socialist. Yet leading conservative pundits like Ann Coulter have frequently used terms like “leftist” and “socialist” to describe everything Obama does from his health care reform policy to his domestic agenda and whom he associates with.
When you think about it, too many Republicans and leading conservatives use guilt by association as the yardstick to try and tar someone. It is a tactic that is still in use. This has been known to ruin so many careers and people’s reputations. Even though this may not be the anti-communist hysteria of the 1950’s, such words can still bite in the minds of people who can be easily influenced. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone would someday call me a “Communist” as well because they do not like what I say. Many people today in the real world may dismiss the whole thing that being accused of being politically incorrect will mean anything to ordinary people. In the real world it would have little or no meaning at all. In the world of politics, being accused of being politically incorrect might be a virtual death sentence or a badge of honor. The world of politics is anything but honorable these days.