Reply #28: I don't think its that specific term that's the problem, but the dismissal of leftists...

[Solon]

by using terms such as "looney left" and many others. Its almost like they think no good ideas come from the left side of the political spectrum, yet look at all the ideas that DID come from the left:

First political party to put civil rights on the platform, the Socialist Party USA.

Founders of the ACLU and NAACP, leftists, hell even some outright Communists(there's the red canard)!

Social Security was part of the platform for many Socialist candidates for President well before FDR ran for office. Same for Medicare and most other social programs.

A Socialist first made people aware of how horrible meat packing plants were, that would be Upton Sinclair. This awareness lead to one of the first regulations of the meat packing industry for food and worker safety.

Child Labor, 40 hour workweek, regulations on businesses ranging from safety to minimum wage laws were first advocated by leftists of all stripes.

I could go on, but these are the big ones.