NeoMcCarthyism
Michelle Bachman Edition

Astonishing.

There's no way to defend insanity like this, so the usual response by the offenders is to argue push false equivalence claims--that is, to try to argue that the Dems are just as bad. This tends to involve fishing around in the depths of the internet for some commenter somewhere who's as crazy as, say, Michelle Bachman.

But the madness that has gripped the Republican party reaches higher and spreads out more broadly than any current insanity on our side of the aisle. There is, no doubt, some hatred among Dems, but it's less intense and more isolated. This is partly because the demonization of political opponents is simply more characteristic of the right--but it's also partly a consequence of words and ideas coming from the tops of both parties. McCain and Palin are actively stoking the fires of anger, Obama and Biden are dampening them.

The charge of anti-Americanism always seems to be ready to hand on the American right. Disputes between liberals and conservatives never have to go on very long before the latter play the patriotism card. It's an invariable law, as predictable as anything can be in politics.

Perhaps our side sucks in its own way--but we can at least be proud of the fact that we suck way less than the other side. We're number two! We're number two!

And, given that the Dems form the only bulwark the nation has against the excesses of the GOP, I think we get to feel at least a little bit proud of them these days.