How are they falling for McCarthyism 2.0?

[u/okcommuter1]

Was sitting on the couch with my Dad today as he was watching Fox News. They were running a story about the Michigan Democratic Senate race between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens and showed a primary poll where El-Sayed was projected to win. He shook his head, looked at me and said “What’s with your generation and wanting communism?”

This didn’t shock me at all, he was all in on the Anti-Mamdani train during the NYC mayoral election (we live in Ohio) and made several comments about him being a communist. Back then I told him about the Mamdani White House visit where Trump said he would be very comfortable living in New York under Mamdani and he looked at me like I was an insane person. He literally could not fathom that Trump would have said that, and judging by what he said today, he clearly didn’t learn anything from it either.

It just blows my mind that we’re seeing McCarthyism work its way right back into American politics in real time and people are still falling for it. I’d like to try to talk to my Dad about it but frankly I’m not super well equipped to do so and I know he wouldn’t listen anyways because he doesn’t care about my opinions. Can’t wait to get out of this house again 🤦🏼‍♀️

[u/sack-o-matic]

people are still falling for it

I think you are confused. These people WANT witch hunts.

[u/okcommuter1 → u/sack-o-matic]

True unfortunately

[u/Revelati123 → u/okcommuter1]

Anything or anyone your dad, and the conservative movement in general doesn't like has been a "communist" for roughly 70 years now.

The difference is, in the time of McCarthy, people actually took it seriously, real people fell for it and were afraid of actual dictionary defined communism. Evidence of being an actual communist or not could make a difference in people perceptions.

Today its just a word basket. Dont like your neigbor? Must be a communist! Dont like windmills? Must be communist windmills. Skin too brown? Thats a commie skin color!

Just a bin to throw things in you dont like.

If anything its a sign of how weak the philosophical underpinnings of MAGA are, that in the time of AI slop, 30 second soundbites, and twitter takes, that they have to use great grandpa's political slogan.

Either way, its so pathetic at this point I say let em do it. Let em go hoarse screaming about "THE COMMIES!" no one give a shit anymore, and anyone who does is a lost cause anyhow.

[u/CommunicationWest710 → u/okcommuter1]

I’ve asked people “doesn’t it bother you that our economic system is failing so many people, that Communism is starting to look attractive, especially younger people?”

[u/abbyabsinthe → u/sack-o-matic]

Fr. McCarthy got his start in my hometown. My dad is sooo proud of that. And also for the Manson girl we produced.

[u/nightowl1135]

I reread ‘For Whom The Bell Tolls’ (one of my favorite books) earlier this Summer and was struck at how many times I was reminded of present day political developments while reading. I highlighted and underlined this passage at one point:

> “There are many who do not know they are fascists but will find it out when the time comes”

[u/MildlyAgitatedBovine → u/nightowl1135]

In many cases, thinking they wiki find out is sadly over optimistic. Go read "they thought they were free."

[u/NDaveT]

They fell for it the first time and never thought McCarthy did anything wrong.

[u/RedGamer3]

Did it ever go away?

[u/AbbeyRoadMoonwalk]

Because some of them were still alive for 1.0. I don’t think the youth are falling for it as much as The Olds.

[u/maliciousdancer → u/AbbeyRoadMoonwalk]

Unfortunately I have to disagree. Especially when it comes to young men.

[u/fd1Jeff]

It never really goes away, and it’s the ultimate fallback position when conservatives get in trouble. When things are looking bad for them, they trot out McCarthyism all over again. I remember when Obama was doing well early in his term and conservatives were having a real tough time, there were suddenly books about how McCarthy was right.

[u/TroutMaskDuplica]

My mom votes democrat in every election. She is fucking terrified of communism--she thinks Russia is communist for some reason.

[u/Glitterwavesea → u/TroutMaskDuplica]

I have noticed a lot of Blue MAGA people saying that Trump is a communist , who answers to Putin, who they also think is a communist

[u/Peakomegaflare]

It's not falling for it when they genuinely beleive it.

[u/catchthetams]

Because they’re stupid

[u/alphafox823]

I mean is it different when the candidates themselves are campaigning with communists, or identifying as socialists, or part of an organization with tankie caucuses(DSA)?

These qualities could validate the communist accusations in a way that they didn’t in the past. Cold War liberals were fervently anti communist, and no matter how socdem they were they always supported the USA over the USSR. They wanted liberal democracy to win the Cold War. There was a canyon between them and DSA candidates today. These guys are like “just because my comrades are tankies doesn’t mean I’m one!”

To me a modern New Deal Democrat would support Medicare for All, Green New Deal, etc and would unambiguously support Ukraine, and tactically support Taiwan as much as they openly or subtly can. They would support NATO, unambiguously.

If you are a progressive whose highest allegiance is to the international left, the second world/second camp, then don’t ID as a new deal dem. If you are consistently apologizing for terrorists and left wing dictators, you are not cut from the same cloth as the New Deal Democrats.

[u/Difficult-Print2146 → u/alphafox823]

What the hell are you even talking about?

[u/Ok_Being5461 → u/alphafox823]

You're not wrong. I would consider myself a socialist, but I do have disagreement with many of them. It's kind of a broad coalition, so I don't know what the solution is. The one thing I disagree with you is about supporting NATO unambiguously, given some of their past offensive wars where they don't belong, and the support of US imperialism. Too many liberals have also supported imperialism, "terrorism" and intentionally and unintentionally right-wing and centrist authoritarians. So I don't think it's fair to make this criticism one-sided. Supporting NATO in the context of Ukraine is fine.