The Dangerous Joining of the Far Right and Far Left

Has there ever been a better example, at least in recent years, proving that the extreme left and extreme right share more in common than those on their own side of the ideological divide when it comes to the issue of health care?

On the far right: the shouters shouting down other people who wish to speak at town meetings, whacko "birthers," and liars inventing "death panels" and obscenely and recklessly mentioning Adolph Hitler and Nazi symbols to scare people; irresponsible radio and TV talkers who use hate words and name-calling as a substitute for debating the issues civilly; and

On the far left: including the most vicious posters on the so-called liberal blogosphere, threatening businesses with one or more executives who offer personal ideas for achieving national health care reform different from the Administration's or Democratic congressional leaders' versions (full disclosure: I support all of President Obama's core principles for national health care legislation, though I still have many unanswered questions); hateful e-mails, phone calls, blogs, and personal attacks, distorting alternative ideas different from the Administration's approach and attacking the motives of those airing them; and intolerance for anyone who disagrees, including personal invective and demonization of those with different views.

When the far left and the far right join in the Politics of Hate and Demonization, it is time for the vast center-left and center-right of this country to speak up and call them out equally.

It is time for responsible liberal and conservative political leaders and talk show hosts to denounce these extremist haters who stand in direct opposition to President Obama's call for respectful discourse and debate and who threaten our democratic traditions and institutions.

Silence is no longer acceptable by responsible liberals towards the reckless far left or by responsible conservatives towards the reckless far right.

Silence is complicity.

Mr. Davis was former Special Counsel to President Clinton, 1996-98, and served on President Bush's Privacy and Civil Liberties Board, 2005-2006. He writes regular weekly columns for The Washington Times and The Hill newspapers.

Comments

[ForeverXL]

I agree with this article. The Far Right and Far Left have more in common then they would like to admit.
For starters they are all ready for the mental hospital.

[iburl]

"served on President Bush's Privacy and Civil Liberties Board"

That tells you all you need to know about Lanny Davis right there.

[iburl]

The dangerous joining of the immoral lawyers and the corporate fascists.

[LisaLisa1234]

I would like to consider myself a little objective since I come from neither the right nor the left (nor could I be considered the middle since some of my views lean to the right & some to the left)...

But there is no comparison between the language or the tactics of the different ends of the spectrum. I'll admit that I hate to see personal attacks from either side on this site; however, the threats, lies, distortions, misinformation, racist remarks, misogyny, slander and hatred flourish far more on the right side of the aisle--from those who profess to want a "Christian" nation.

As a Christian, I find it appalling; as an American, I'm embarrassed.

When did the truth cease to matter?

[S1m0n]

How Ironic. Lanny Davis, you ARE the far right.

[altohone]

What choice is there when the "centrists" work for Wall St. or coup leaders?

But really, 70% support the public option, so who exactly is the "far left" in his eyes?


Are we going to take advice about liberalism from Lanny? Wouldn't a liberal be more qualified?
Isn't dismissing your critics as wackos a sign of something or other?

BTW, equating the two "fringes" ignores that only one side gets their views aired by the corporate media.

[LHB58]

What this blog entry calls the "far left" isn't the far left. I'm the far left, and while I have no problem "demonizing" some of my opponents and their views in this debate, I don't wish to shut the debate down with lies, threats and misinformation. They do. I don't view "us" as being "joined" in any way, shape or form.

[nessus]

"The wretch who will write on any subject for bread, or in any service for pay, and he who will plead in any case for a fee, stands equally in rank with the prostitute who lets out her person."

-Thomas Paine

[reasonshouldrule]

You just haven't convinced me of a real problem here. I regularly read the posts on far right blogs (to make sure I'm getting as broad a picture as possible). I also read Huffington Post blogs. There is simply NO COMPARISON in the words and threats from the far right and those of what you call the far left. Ignore the snarky comments from both. You will see viciousness and threats of violence on the far right. You do not see that on the far left.

[Ohioan730]

I'm so tired of equivocators. Blogging, emails and phone calls are not the same as Hitler signs and bringing firearms to town halls.

When I was a community organizer, the words "left" or "right" were never uttered. Our org. was fighting subprime lending and the legislators on BOTH sides of the aisle that accepted cash from lobbyists to allow subprime lending to continue in Ohio. We called them, we blogged about them (before there was a thing called blogs), we frequently tried to meet with them and when they blew us off we showed up at their homes and jobs. We respectfully attended the senate finance hearings and organized press conferences without the upper hand of astroturf manufacturers. Our chants and signs had everything to do with predatory lending--something real and tangible that was a threat to our economy. About 8 years later, the economy collapsed under the housing bubble.

There is a difference between "radicals" and active citizens. Stop trying to equate the two.

[gulopartisan]

A rabid dog is not equivalent to an uncooperative hamster. Try an elementary class in "thinking.­"

[S1m0n]

Can you provide one example of those 'far left' threats to businesses?

[alexeipg]

You support all of President Obama's core principles for national health care legislation? What exactly are these principles, since i though a public option was one of them?

Or am I just being a "radical far leftist" who is engaging in destructive an hateful practices like making phone calls, emailing, and blogging. That's totally equatable to bringing guns to rallies and spreading wild untruths, while calling our president a racist and likening him to Hitler. Oh please, centrists and Clinton democrats (thanks for allowing credit default swaps, by the way) come rescue the country from radical leftists!

It's the centrists who are giving away, and who gave away during the Clinton administration, real health reform, so forgive me if I think this article is complete garbage.

[Nardwilly]

Take this crap to the WSJ. There is no equivalence between "liars inventing "death panels" and obscenely and recklessly mentioning Adolph Hitler and Nazi symbols" and " hateful e-mails, phone calls, blogs, and personal attacks, distorting alternative ideas different from the Administration's approach and attacking the motives of those airing them; and intolerance for anyone who disagrees"

To compare the two indicates your lack of objectivity. Distorting is not liying. Businessmen have a profit motive for their political positions. For them to act like they do not is a distortion. Hatefull e-mails are private. Hitler signs are public.

As a Hebrew you should be particulary insulted and agrieved by the Hitler and Nazi crap. You copare it to some nasty e-mails. Bull.

[WorkingClass]

Yeah right. Rush Limbaugh = Dennis Kucinich. I prefer non-voters to the mushy middle who perpetuate corporate rule.