The Communist ideological menace is still an ever-present threat. Unfortunately, we were started down the primrose path of Socialism in the 19th century. Some, like William Jennings Bryan, tried to marry it as a Christian Socialist agenda (which is a contradiction in terms), but those that took over the Democrat Party back in 1896, simply wanted to purge it of sensible Conservative Bourbons (the last non-leftist Democrat President was Grover Cleveland, who was reviled by the growing leftist base of the party by 1896).
Of course, that Christian bit was out the window before long. Even Bryan spent his last days here in Tennessee defending Christianity in schools as the left was looking to purge it (Scopes). He “technically” won the fight, but was a pyrrhic victory.
As for “HUAC” (itself a pejorative), I call it HCUA, it has a curious history, to be sure. It was used for a time to root out Nazis (as they were competing with the Soviets as another ultraleft totalitarian ideology). Samuel Dickstein, a leftist Congressman from NYC, was a paid Soviet agent, and was heavily involved with the committee (he ducked out on assuming full command of the chairmanship, lest someone discover the fact that he was doing the bidding of the Kremlin).
Because the Democrats were the majority for most of the period of its existence, it is singularly curious and hysterical how Republicans (and McCarthy) get the “blame” for it. Especially so when McCarthy was a Senator and not a House member (HCUA is a House Committee), and he only served in a Senate with a GOP majority from 1947-49 and 1953-54 (indeed, he was only a freshman member, right off of defeating Bob La Follette, Jr., scion of the leftist Progressive Republicans, in 1946). He wasn’t really known to the public until his February 1950 Wheeling Speech and served as a Senate Chairman for barely two years (Gov’t Operations).
From the media hysteria and the rest, you’d have thought he was Dictator of America for 20 years, sending millions to the gulags and taking their jobs. He merely aired what was already known privately, and should’ve been told to the public, that there was extensive Communist and leftist-sympathizers in government, education and entertainment institutions and other bodies. It was a slow, systematic boil of our country.
I would say for that brief, shining moment, it was a glorious time when the left had to go running like the Satanic vermin that they are, made to feel precisely the way WE have felt since the 1960s, as they have waged war against us when they were able to successfully vilify McCarthy. That evil should’ve been exposed and fully excised like a cancer. Sadly, it hasn’t been, and the forces of darkness have marched onwards with little interruption.
I’m in absolute agreement with you that we must get back to God. This Republic (not a democracy) is only meant for a moral, Godly populace. When it ceases to be, we have lost the country. We may require another revolution or civil war to restore this nation to its proper place and standing. Eternal vigilance is the only prescription for our nation. As was pointed out, we’re always only a generation away from losing it all.
Even Bryan spent his last days here in Tennessee defending Christianity in schools as the left was looking to purge it (Scopes).
The whole thing was an exercise in putting Dayton on the map.
We shouldn’t be defining for God where His hand has to go in order to get a faith revolution, though there seem to be some signs such as Donald Trump and Mike Pence. They are bully pulpits for the good, which is in accordance with one of the government roles of Romans 11. Trump is the more remarkable witness as he has never been a churchman in his whole life, and if anything quite often the playboy. But he got a vision, and the church steeple was prominent in it.
Anyhow, it just seemed a tad cruel to me to figuratively quarantine people who HAD measles (i.e. those who had flirted with inimical philosophies) along with people who HAVE measles (i.e. those openly selling such philosophies now). In fact the entire Christian approach is not ad hominem, but towards the soul before God. Anyone willing can be washed and cleansed.
I do not like the idea of trying to put Christianity behind socialism. That’s going to effectively try to enthrone venal politics in the incorruptible seat of God. The way FDR got support from pulpits for Social Security seems an example. Can God use it? Yes. Perhaps especially where churches were falling down on charity mindedness in the gospel. Are there better arrangements? Yes. Are there political dangers to gaming it? Yes, yes, yes.