Allen West is a Communist

Allen West said: "I believe there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democratic Party that are members of the Communist Party."  Allen West is wrong.  Allen West is wrong on a number of levels.

First of all, no one currently serving in Congress is a Communist.  West’s campaign manager defended the accusation, since "[t]his group advocates for state control over industries, redistribution of wealth, reduced individual economic freedom and the destruction of free markets."  Of course, we don’t have to get into a debate as to whether those things constitute communism because they aren’t true.  Not a single member of Congress has advocated for the destruction of free markets.  Not a single member of Congress is really advocating state control over industry.  State assistance for troubled industries … yes.  State direction of the kind involved in minimum wage laws … yes.   Sustained state control … no.  Almost everyone advocates for the “redistribution of wealth” at some level, so to throw that out as an accusation is a little silly.  If you think there is no place for social security, welfare, or taxes of any kind … then go ahead and make that accusation.  Otherwise, it would be best if we laid to rest accusations of communism, socialism, and fascism. 

Second, this is really just name calling.  Calling someone a communist, a socialist, a fascist, or a radical liberal accomplishes little.  It tells us nothing about the issues.  It provides no support for any argument.  It does little to foster the kind of cooperation and collaboration necessary for problem solving.  There is no place for this sort of behavior, and the folks that indulge in it probably have no business being elected to public office.

Third, this is more than just name calling.  Allen West is appealing to people’s fear and anger rather than appealing to logic and reason.  He knows the baggage that the word “communist” brings with it, and he is trying to dump that baggage onto his political opponents.  He wants folks to reject the communists out of hand rather than listening to their arguments and potentially forcing Mr. West to come up with a real argument as to why they are wrong.

Fourth, Allen West is playing the ‘enemy’ card.  Democrats are the ‘enemy.’  They are the ‘other.’  They can’t be real Americans, because what real American is a free market hating communist?  This of course means that they can’t be compromised or collaborated with.  Who would collaborate with the enemy?  I don’t see Allan West as the enemy.  I see him as a fellow American who I happen to believe just has it wrong on a number of issues.  I don’t have to question his citizenship, goodness, or motivation to show why I think he is wrong.  I can give real honest to goodness reasons why I think he is wrong, reasons based in … well … reason and logic. 

The bottom line is that Allen West should not be representing Americans in Congress.  No one that thinks Muslim points of view “represent the antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established” should be representing anyone anywhere.  He is spewing insults and hate, and there is no reason that the people of Florida, and the people of America, can’t do better than that.