Sunday, January 17, 2010

The New McCarthyism isn't so new


The right wing smear campaign ushered-in with the George W. Bush administration.  Commentators such as Glen Beck are inflaming  a chilling waive of new McCarthyism across the Nation by "cherry-picking comments" and "guilt by association" from the past of patriotic Americans serving in the United States government".  The accusations are "often provided in a highly misleading context. It's just the kind of vitriolic irresponsibility that McCarthy specialized in, too."  Text and video http://mediamatters.org/blog/200909100022


Disclosure:   "Media Matters for America" is a web-based progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media." Media Matters for America defines "conservative misinformation" as "news or commentary presented in the media that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda. 


Picture from  http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1769.html


Awareness of The New McCarthyism emerges

 (1/02) Welcome to the New McCarthyism. A chill is descending across the country, and it's frostbiting immigrants, students, journalists, academics, and booksellers. "
The Progressive, "The New McCarthyism", Matthew Rothschild, http://www.progressive.org/0901/roth0102.html
(6/28/2005)  In the 1950s the right wing attacked liberals as being communists. In 2005 Karl Rove has attacked liberals as being therapists. Thus is born a kinder and gentler form of McCarthyism. Named after the late Sen. Joe McCarthy, who never let the facts get in the way of his lust to charge liberals with sedition, McCarthyism has come to mean "guilt by association." The Washington Post "The New McCarthyism", E.J. Dionne Jr., http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/27/AR2005062701317.html

(2/16/05) "..the real terrorists that this nation should fear then went to work: the right-wing ideologues in our media and government, who are far more dangerous to our country than al Qaeda could ever be, and, yes, you can quote me." "the New McCarthyism", Jack Lessenberry, Metro Times (Detroit's award winning alternative newsweekly) http://metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=7335
(10/29/08)  The National Review is worth examining regularly these days–it has turned into something of a circular firing squad. In the current issue of National Review, Andrew McCarthy continues his campaign to link the Democratic nominee to various and sundry Hyde Park radicals. Harpers magazine "The New McCarthyism", Scott Horton, http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/10/hbc-90003779
 

Posted by Kathy Meeh
 

16 comments:

Unknown said...

(2/16/05) "..the real terrorists that this nation should fear then went to work: the right-wing ideologues in our media and government, who are far more dangerous to our country than al Qaeda could ever be, and, yes, you can quote me." "the New McCarthyism", Jack Lessenberry, Metro Times (Detroit's award winning alternative newsweekly)

Unbelievable that you would believe this. Talk about propaganda. Someone is brainwashed and it's not me.

Kathleen Rogan said...

No. It's not Glenn Beck. It is me.And other concerned Americans. In 2006 when the Democrats took over, they devastated the Republican Party with the help of George Soros and his money. Since 2006 the Republicans have been virtually powerless. Since 2006 the Democrats have been in charge. I started in San Francisco, listening and visiting neighborhoods, where I know people. Where communism is alive and thriving. See them in Berkely with their flags? Probably not. Well I do and so do others. Finally , the mainstream media is picking it up. Come on Kathy, give credit where credit is due. It's regular Americans, stupid.

Kathy Meeh said...

Lois, probably less like al Qaeda and more like national witch-hunt. Years ago, the Republican party used to be mainstream, now a radicalized element exists.

Kathleen, wow now you're pulling the radicalized Republicans victim card. Republicans have always had the financial advantage, big money from the financial and industry money. But, you're citing one substantial contributor? Some of us "little people" do our part too.

The issue is the shift in the Republican party toward radicalization.

mike bell said...

Bush and his crime family ransacked America. They compromised our civil liberties and our rights to privacy. They gutted FDA, FEMA, public education and bank regulations. They stole trillions in retirement savings of hard working citizens. They destroyed the middle class. They destroyed our military. They destroyed our good standing with the rest of the world. They gave the finger to our legal system and they stole elections. They are traitors.

Honestly, what is it that you miss so much about the "idiot boy" and his evil buddies. Now you worship social defects like Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Shawn Hannity, Ann Coulter and the stupidest (and most dangerous) person of all, Sara Palin. This group of neo-Nazi, phoney religious, faschists are by far the biggest threat to our great nation.

I'll take Abraham Lincoln's Republican party any time. We have to continue the fight for a free America by exposing these hypocrits locally and nationally.

Unknown said...

I like how you "interpret" what you have quoted and what the writer "said" very plain and clear to fit what you want to believe. Haven't seen the Republicans blowing up airplanes.

And regarding your "Republicans have always had the financial advantage"...are you kidding? Wow.

Unknown said...

Is George Soros part of Bush and his crime family, too? Barney Frank with his "all is well with the Fannie Mae and Freddie"?

You want peace in the Middle East when we cannot even find it in Pacifica?

mike bell said...

If Pacifica's politicians weren't incompetent boobs and would stop their pathological lying, perhaps there would be peace here. (no offense intended towards Mary Ann)

I'd be happy with a sustainable economy and a government FOR the people.

Unknown said...

A Government FOR the people would make me happy, too, Mike.

Kathy Meeh said...

Hey Lois, I'm pretty careful with information, the best I can be. It commonly knowledge the Republican Party has always had the financial advantage of big money from Banking, Insurance, Oil, Captains of Industry. Don't think that can be true, you're welcome to do some research. I try to pull-out statements that seem meaningful, not aberrant; technical slicing of non-important trivia doesn't interest me.

Yes "fair" and productive government for all the people of this country, a "fair" and productive city for all the people-- not "pets", and not radicalism.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Bell is another Godwin's Law statistic. Of course, we can expect his blog moderator pal Sinai to give him a pass since he no doubt agrees with him and/or makes exceptions for his friends. Those of us he disagrees with, however, can certainly expect the full throttle of his nasty vitriol should we use similar language. Do you think if Lois, Kathleen, Jeffrey, MW or Butch made the “Nazi” reference he would have given them a likewise pass? Also, did you know you can post comments anonymously - without his condemnation - as long as you are one of Sinai's elite friends? ‘nuff said…

mike bell said...

Anonymouse,
You seem to be confusing fixpacifica's editorial policy with Riptide's OR you are just making a phony argument.
I haven't seen any of the so called "passes" you are referring to nor am I aware of any censorship.
fyi: Sinai and I barely know each other.

Unknown said...

There is no censorship on this Blog, Anonymous. People can be and are as obnoxious as they want to be.

Kathy Meeh said...

"Come on Kathy, give credit where credit is due. It's regular Americans, stupid." Thanks for the compliment, Kathleen, doubt that the scary rants of Glen Beck, John Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Reverends Whoever are isolated "regular American" comments rather than part of an orchestrated campaign. Some of the targeting against the Obama administration not only seems ideological and "sour grapes", but also raciest. Some of the rants also suggest violent action (all bad news).

Some of us continue to think (with cause) the Bush administration really screwed-up this country. On a smaller scale compare to this City Council in their past 7 years, based upon an ideology, they also screw-up this city.

However, giving you credit for "Commie" discovery in San Francisco, no doubt small cells of Communists exist there. About 25 years ago during the 21 day teacher's strike, I became aware of some Communist participation. Some of these people who then worked for Kaiser joined with us.

No one gets a break on this blog, including you hiding Anonymous. Godwin's Law is just a circulating "interesting" observation. Why don't you post a productive article of interest, or find something real to comment on?

Unknown said...

Kathy, you are so biased against anything Republican or Conservative that you can not see clearly. There are things that those on the left have said that are just as off the wall as some of the right-wing stuff but do you post that? No. Do you support everything that Mike Bell has said? Some of that is really off the charts. But since I believe that you agree with him, there is no comment.

mike bell said...

I don't buy the Democratic diatribe either.
The current healthcare reform proposal is a joke.
The continuation of slaughter in Iraq and Afghanistan is immoral.
Welfare for banksters is criminal.
But.......
Bush was nothing but the titular head of a very corrupt and morally bankrupt criminal enterprise.
These constant arguments about left-wing or right-wing, liberal or conservative, religious or atheist are the best defense against critical thinking and true reform for the good of human kind.

Kathy Meeh said...

Lois, my thought process is strictly mainstream, and on a political test I always am in the middle, just slightly over the line to the left.

This country has become polarized, based upon some radicalized faulty, biased information and propaganda. In Pacifica we've seen plenty of that from the left with a pre-set city council agenda where "for the good of the people" is not a primary consideration-- the 8-12 year city council problem (your timing was soo perfect on that comment).

Having known a time when there was a less polarized political climate I find this now multi-decade trend very disturbing and question whether this country can find civilized dialog solutions.

Many true conservatives have interesting views, example Charles Krauthammer, George Will, others. In the past William Buckley. I'm pro-thinking, and careful factual consideration about serious issues. Fits into the category of "critical thinking", which Mike just referred to. We are not going to agree on all issues, which keeps life interesting.