It seems to me that the worst political extremists have been Republicans beginning with the likes of Joe McCarthy to the current nutcases like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck---heck, almost the entire news crew on Fox. Fox News is so blatantly biased and dishonest that they are barred in Canada, but their reporting has nothing to do with honesty and sometimes, even less with reality.

McCarthy screamed "communist". The current crew screams "socialist". Both labels are deliberately intended to engender mistrust and fear. That they are inaccurate and deliberate misinterpretations of facts is irrelevant.

McCarthy labeled President Truman and the Democratic Party as soft and in league with the Communists. Criticism of the current democratic administration is an echo of these charges, except we are no longer afraid of the word "communism." Unfortunately, most Americans do not know how to define "socialism" and are all to willing to accept that our current administration is trying to reditribute the wealth and create a single class. Like when McCarthy was in the height of his influence, too many Democrats--to many ordinary people are afraid to question what socialism really means, and too many Democrats, fearful of being labeled as "socialists" refuse to stand gainst the absurd charges. McCarthy was so influential that even President Eisenhower feared alienating him. Fear makes people behave stupidly. Fear weakens men.

We need another Ed Murrow. We need someone loved and respected by the people who will stand up to the Republican extremists and expose them for what they really are: mongers of fear and hate.

By the way, I do not think all Republicans are nut jobs; just the fringe factor.
P.S.: Two 'political' posts in a row! I am not usually a political type person, so I'm not really sure where this is coming from!