My reply is not germane to the tenor of the posted article but using any of these words as pejorative words is annoying.
As far as I remember the 1950s the CP/USA first used McCarthyism.
As far as I have read the New Left first used "neo-con" as a sarcastic condemnation of the betrayers of the self-described intellectual 1960s "Bring it all down, man" revolution. The traditional, patriotic Party is gone -- we now have (sorry, but I saw this the other day and like it), Pelosi galore.
Swiftboating came from the haters of John O'Neill -- I still remember something as frightening as any horror movie. To wit, Lawerence O'Donnell's repeated guttural growling "Liar" as though a demon refused to give up and vacate his body.
All lack substance and depend deeply upon distortions and emotion.
I have a better perjorative word: Watergating.
Doesn't mean Nixon, et al. did no wrong -- it simply asks the question, "Hey MSM! LBJ bugged Goldwater, where were you guys? The Democrats' Dick Tuck played dirty tricks too. Where were you guys?. . . ."
I agree with your points.
Thanks.