how McCarthyism affected the lives and political thinking of people in the U.S.?

Answer 1

"McCarthyism" means pointing out positions taken by liberals that are unpopular with the American people. As former President Bush said, "Liberals do not like me talking about liberals." The reason they sob about the dark night of fascism under McCarthy is to prevent Americans from ever noticing that liberals consistently attack their own country.

The portrayal of Senator Joe McCarthy as a wild-eyed demagogue destroying innocent lives is sheer liberal hobgoblinism. Liberals weren't cowering in fear during the McCarthy era. They were systematically undermining the nation's ability to defend itself while waging a bellicose campaign of lies to blacken McCarthy's name. Everything you think you know about McCarthy is a hegemonic lie. Liberals denounced McCarthy because they were afraid of getting caught, so they fought back like animals to hide their own collaboration with a regime as evil as the Nazis.

A half century later, when the only people who call themselves Communists are harmless cranks, it is difficult to grasp the importance of McCarthy's crusade. But there's a reason 'Communist' now sounds about as threatening as 'monarchist' -- and it's not because of intrepid New York Times editorials denouncing McCarthy and praising Harvard educated Soviet spies. McCarthy made it a disgrace to be a Communist. Domestic Communism could never recover.

Answer 2

Wow, there's a question. That was one of the watershed moments in American history. It was a turning point for the modern media, which, until then, had seen itself as - I won't say subservient, but, say, not above the government. Broadcast media took up the old newspaper role of watchdog and kingmaker in politics, a role that really solidified with the election of Kennedy and the Watergate scandal. It was a similar turning point for the left. Since McCarthy, the accusation of communism lost all weight, con says 'commie' lib replies 'McCarthyism' - lib wins.

We could go into all kinds of detail and analysis, but those are the two points I find really significant, today.

Answer 3

It cost people their careers and stained their reputations without a shred of tangible proof. The Red Scare, which began after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and continued in various guises until the 1950s, ruined a lot of people. My own father had been a merchant seaman for all of his life. He had been awarded the Merchant Marine Medal on no less than five occasions for his service in two World Wars and Korea. On the last occasion he was decorated by President Eisenhower at the White House. Yet, because he was a life long Socialist, he did not become a naturalized citizen until 1956, after Joe McCarthy had been found out to be the fraud he was and was himself personally disgraced.
There were members of the film industry who were blacklisted, along with others in radio and TV. College professors came under suspicion and were terminated from their academic positions. The supreme irony of this three-plus decades of "red baiting" didn't become evident until after the collapse of the Soviet Union. One of the senior members of the House Committee on Unamerican Activities in the 1930s ( a Congressman from NYC) was revealed to be a paid agent of the Soviet KGB, even during the time he served on the committee.

Answer 4

JFK was actually a personal friend of his and never stood up to him either.

Sen. Joseph McCarthy was a friend of the Kennedy family: Joe Kennedy was a leading McCarthy supporter; Robert F. Kennedy worked for McCarthy's subcommittee, and McCarthy dated Patricia Kennedy. In 1954, when the Senate was poised to condemn McCarthy, John Kennedy drafted a speech calling for McCarthy censure but never delivered it. When on December 2, 1954, the Senate rendered its highly publicized decision to censure McCarthy, Senator Kennedy was in the hospital. Though absent, Kennedy could have "paired" his vote against that of another senator, but chose not to; neither did he ever indicate then or later how he would have voted. The episode seriously damaged Kennedy's support in the liberal community, especially with Eleanor Roosevelt, as late as the 1960 election

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JFK

Answer 5

At the time it created a scenario where everyone was scared to say what they really felt or thought. No one wanted to be dragged in front of that commission. Now a days its just used as a political buzz word to attach the idea of fanaticism to a person or institution.

Answer 6

Joeseph McCarthy was a bigoted demagogue who destroyed the lives of many decent people. He spread--until the American people rejected his unAmeerican behavior--hatred and fear.

In short, he was the Bush/cheney of 50 years ago. The fact that some neocons admire this scumbag says volumes about their lack of character--and their equal lack of real patriotism.

Answer 7

McCarthyism is alive and well in the US, it is a method often used to promote fear and division. so that agendas go unfettered. Shout down any who question your motives or policy call them anti American etc. see PNAC and others for examples on this site.

Answer 8

we now have the same type of reincarnated witch hunt with the prosecutors and karl rove. sadly those who dont learn from history are condemmed to repeat it.

Answer 9

McCarthy was right, just look around you.

I was going to provide links to info on the Verona cables but, do some research yourself. Read about it.

Answer 10

He ruined allot of careers and names for life when they were innocent. he should have be put to death for that. He caused allot of hurt to allot of nice people. he was insane and the Government listened to him.