McCarthyism Redux: GOP parties like it's 1950

 

Headline:  Talking Points Memo, 8/11/2025

Nicole LaFond reports:

In addition to the recent bout of anti-Islam rhetoric and xenophobia being resurrected by the Republican Party this cycle, I’ve also been tracking how Republicans are labeling anything Democrats support as “communism” amid the recent wave of progressive populist victories. 

It began as general fearmongering from President Trump about how the nation is being taken over by godless communists and socialists in response to some Zohran Mamdani-backed candidates beating out incumbents or incumbent-backed Democrats in a few extremely blue New York City congressional districts. But Republican members of Congress have since taken cues from the top and run with it all in increasingly freakish ways. Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) escalated things last week when he claimed that Medicare for All is a “communist” policy. [emphasis added]

Rep. John McGuire (R-VA) did something similar in a News Nation interview today when he suggested that humane immigration policies that Dems tend to support are actually “crazy communism.”

Related posts:

2026

Trump channels toxic and polarizing Joe McCarthy as he panics over GOP losses in midterm elections.  (7/23)

Trump team parties like it's 1950.  (7/9)

2025

Repression update #7 (Team Trump takes its Joe McCarthy Road Show to Colorado)  (9/18)

Donald Trump rips a page from the Joe McCarthy playbook.  (9/14)

2024

3 lessons Donald Trump learned from Joe McCarthys chief counsel Roy Cohn.  (5/22)

2015

Loving Donald Trump:  "He's speaking our minds!"  (12/10)

MISCREANT PREACHERS: Touching and kissing a child in the Name of the Lord (#369 in a series)

 

Mugshot:  12 News Phoenix

 Headline:  12 News Phoenix, 8/12/2026

Kevin Reagan reports:

Recorded statements of a Phoenix pastor admitting to kissing and touching a child can be used as evidence in the pastor's criminal case, the Arizona Supreme Court has ruled. 

On Wednesday, the high court released its decision regarding a case involving Mario Rodriguez-Ramirez, who was arrested in 2021 for allegedly abusing a child. 

Before his arrest, Rodriguez-Ramirez allegedly told another pastor he had secretly watched a child shower, as well as hugged, touched and kissed the girl. 

The other pastor recorded the conversation without Rodriguez-Ramirez's knowledge or consent. The other pastor shared the recording with the child's family and the family subsequently contacted law enforcement, court records show

"Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them." (Ephesians

Other miscreant preacher posts (which cover a multitude of sins):

August 2026

David Taylor.  (8/11)

Bienvenido Lopez.  (8/10)

Monty Chitty.  (8/9)

Melvin James Cuff.  (8/8)

Timothy Chaneyfield.  (8/5)

Aubrey Jamaal Butler.  (8/3)

Jacob Melvin Hart. (8/2)

Owen Thompson-Canzius.  (8/1)

July 2026 (19)

Jorge Gonzales Martinez.  (7/31)

Marcus Owens.  (7/30)

Kenny Baldwin.  (7/25)

Christina Donley and Chris Audibert.  (7/24)

Ryan McCandless.  (7/23)

Joel Leiniz.  (7/22)

Tracy Hamilton.  (7/19)

Emmanuel Marchica.  (7/18)

Thomas J. Tucker III.  (7/17)

Kevin Jones.  (7/16)

Richard Renaldo Garcia.  (7/15)

John Camardo III.  (7/14)

David Mercer.  (7/12)

Eddy Noelsaint.  (7/11)

Jeffrey Nowak.  (7/10)

Noel Walker.  (7/9)

Daniel Rabon.  (7/5)

George Finney.  (7/3)

Jeremiah Busby.  (7/1)

June 2026 (23)

Joshua Peter VanderKlok.  (6/26)

Isaiah Banks and Bryan Jackson.  (6/25)

Tony Spell.  (6/24)

Charles Barton Lewis.  (6/23)

Timothy Clinton Pruitt Sr.  (6/22)

C. J. Johnson.  (6/21)

Jackson Lahmeyer.  (6/19)

Reggie Joiner.  (6/18)

Jose Briseno.  (6/18)

Nicholas Rains.  (6/17)

David Ritchie.  (6/16)

Michael Lee Lucas.  (6/14)

Jose Seez.  (6/13)

Winston Batino. (6/12)

Alonzo Diego Fuller Jr.  (6/11)

Derek Nelson.  (6/9)

Scott Willmore.  (6/9)

Alan Chambers.  (6/9)

Jerry Maynard Sr.  (6/7)

Christopher Walter.  (6/7)

Elie Dorcius.  (6/6)

Richard Storey.  (6/6)

Anthony Odiong.  (6/6)

May 2026 (10)

Randon Carroll.  (5/23)

Robert Byrnes.  (5/19)

Christopher Riggs.  (5/17)

Charbel Jamhoury.  (5/11)

Jason Lee Allen.  (5/9)

Terry Reed.  (5/8)

Thomas Allen Hicks.  (5/7)

Billy Stephen Turner.  (5/4)

Douglas James Smallwood.  (5/3)

Richard Channing Shealy.  (5/2)

April 2026 (19)

Leslie Williams.  (4/29)

Joshua Trent.  (4/28)

Emilio Alberto Esperanza-Pacheco. (4/27)

Charlie Heffelfinger.  (4/26)

Archbishop Steve Wood.  (4/24)

Philip Vaught.  (4/23)

Kevin Jbon.  (4/18)

Marcus Eichelberger.  (4/17)

John Tyler Moreland.  (4/16)

Kenneth Anderson.  (4/13)

Troyce Hernandez.  (4/10)

Rodney Gibson and Kawiana Young.  (4/9)

Angelo Musicaro.  (4/8)

Ryan Pena.  (4/7)

David Kenneth Demenge.  (4/5)

Lawrence Turnbull.  (4/4)

Robert Glossenger.  (4/3)

Andrew Showers.  (4/2)

Luke Cunningham.  (4/1)

March 2026 (29, a new monthly record)

Alex Montealegre. (3/30)

Marcus Davy Jeffrey.  (3/29)

Misi Tagaloa.  (3/28)

Da'Qwone Hill.  (3/27)

Zachary King.  (3/26)

Bienvenido Lopez.  (3/25)

James Randolph.  (3/24)

Craig and Megan Hagin.  (3/23)

Aidan Smith.  (3/22)

Laurence LaPointe.  (3/21)

Curtiss Tolefree Jr.  (3/19)

Stephanie Remington.  (3/18)

Chuck Brown.  (3/17)

Timothy Thomas.  (3/16)

Patrick Anderson.  (3/15)

Christopher Willett.  (3/14)

Korey Lavergne.  (3/13)

Aaron Lockman.  (3/12)

Marco Zamora.  (3/11)

Bishop Emanuel Shaleta.  (3/10)

Catholic Diocese of Providence.  (3/9)

Mikah Brondyke.  (3/8)

Greg Locke.  (3/7) 

Ted Shuttlesworth.  (3/6)

Lorenz Roseman.  (3/5)

Brian Tome.  (3/4)

Nathan and Jonathan Peternel.  (3/3)

Lisa Levy.  (3/2)

Michael LaMarca.  (3/1)

February 2026 (23, a new monthly record)

Jerrod Geistdorfer.  (2/28)

Caleb Flynn.  (2/26)

Adrian Derrell Davis.  (2/25)

Tyrell Brown.  (2/24)

Myron Chorbajian.  (2/23)

Jonathan Elwing.  (2/22)

Garrett Harmon.  (2/21)

Cedric Monteze Sharp.  (2/20)

Elco Vallier.  (2/19)

David Rodgers. (2/17)

Robert and Jaclyn Dell.  (2/16)

Rod Loy.  (2/15)

Milton Otto Martin III.  (2/14)

William Robbins.  (2/13)

Robert Whipley.  (2/12)

Jose Luis Lopez-Hernandez.  (2/11)

David Lloyd Walther.  (2/10)

Brad Daniel Swink.  (2/9)

Junior Andrew Bennett.  (2/8)

Reymundo Almarez.  (2/7)

Anthony Bazemore.  (2/6)

Isaiah Teague.  (2/5)

Troyce Hernandez.  (2/4)

January 2026 (14)

Michael Mohr.  (1/30)

Brian Carn Jr. (1/22)

Matthew Masiewicz.  (1/21)

Rubel Martinez. (1/20)

Wesley Brobeck.  (1/19)

Theodore Gabrielli.  (1/18)

Korey Lavergne.  (1/17)

Michael Howard.  (1/16)

Jeffrey Anthony Charles.  (1/14)

Ricky Lee Taylor Jr.  (1/11)

Joshua Price.  (1/10)

Jordan Henderson.  (1/9)

Bruce Neal.  (1/8)

Donnie McClurkin.  (1/7)

December 2025 (15)

Enrique Molina.  (12/30)

John Paul.  (12/19)

Joseph Lyle Campbell.  (12/18)

James Watford.  (12/17)

Kenneth Edwards Jr. (12/16)

Doug Overmyer.  (12/13)

Milton Martin III.  (12/11)

Joseph Herzing.  (12/10)

Michael McMullen.  (12/9)

Robert Sullivan.  (12/8)

Danny Varnadore.  (12/7)

Roger Scalice.  (12/6)

Carter August Thomas.  (12/4)

James Stockton.  (12/3)

Michael Martin.  (12/2)

November 2025 (16):

Mark Vega.  (11/28)

Stephen Santeli Castro.  (11/26)

Jesus Gabriel Saldana.  (11/25)

Kenneth McFarland.  (11/24)

Yersson Solarte.  (11/23)

Jason Allen.  (11/21)

Glenn Rosenbaum.  (11/17)

Adolfo Castillo.  (11/16)

Donald Aaron Axtell.  (11/15)

Quintilo Segrero.  (11/14)

Matthew McGinley.  (11/11)

Christian News reports on the rampant number of child sexual abuse in the Name of the Lord by miscreant preachers in 2025.  (11/8)

Eli Regalado.  (11/7)

Andrew Ervin.  (11/6)

Elmer Baca Flores.  (11/4)

Michael and Vickie Hall.  (11/2)

Jason Andrew Swick.  (11/1)

October 2025 (15)

Joshua David Kemper.  (10/31)

Lindsey Whiteside.  (10/25)

Robert L Carter.  (10/23)

Daniel Kellan Mayfield.  (10/22)

Xamie Reyes.  (10/20)

Luis Sosa.  (10/19)

Silas Shelton.  (10/17)

Mark Francis Ford.  (10/16)

Michael Ritchason.  (10/11)

Adrian David.  (10/9)

Gary Thomas Keesee.  (10/8)

Virgil Mozee.  (10/7)

Kevin Curtis Jones.  (10/4)

Robert Morris.  (10/3)

Ryan McElrath.  (10/2)

September 2025 (10)

Jon Paul Sheptock.  (9/27)

Macario Garcia.  (9/26)

Matthew Stephen Masiewicz.  (9/25)

Nathan Wayne Walker.  (9/21)

John McKinzie.  (9/20)

Isaac Tilden.  (9/19)

Diego Fuller.  (9/17)

Walter Sevillano.  (9/13)

Bernadel Semexant (9/12)

Aaron Williams, Jr.  (9/11)

August 2025 (7)

Neal Creecy.  (8/22)

Shelton Burkart.  (8/15)

Jacob Ryan Barnett. (8/9)

Thomas Pinkerton.  (8/8)

Kendrick Oakley.  (8/7)

Clemente Olvera Guerrero.  (8/5)

Nelson David Ochoa Vasquez.  (8/2)

July 2025 (11)

Brett Jarad Monroe.  (7/31)

Stanley David Jay. (7/30)

William Jones. (7/26)

Eli Regalado.  (7/23)

Kenneth Flowers.  (7/18)

John Gibson.  (7/15)

Jonathan Nguyen-Young.  (7/12)

Nelson Alexander Chay.  (7/9)

Devin Cyrus Carroll.  (7/8)

Francier Obando Pinillo.  (7/5)  

Roy Andrews.  (7/3)

June 2025 (11)

Clarence Barry Hungerford.  (6/30)

Christopher Cassell.  (6/27)

Justin Rhodes.  (6/26)

Edward Gabrielli.  (6/25)

Parrish Terry.  (6/24)

Albert Benjamin Wharton.  (6/18)

Dominic Foor.  (6/14)

Ryan McElrath.  (6/10)

Jim Mustain.  (6/7)

Nelson Alexander Chay.  (6/4)

Nathan Roach.  (6/3)

May 2025 (11)

Mitchell Summerfield.  (5/31)

Daniel Lamppin.  (5/30)

Alan Buresh.  (5/29)

Myron Chorbajian.  (5/28)

Shaun Donald Hertlein.  (5/20)

Christopher Whitehead.  (5/16)

Daniel Champ.  (5/13)

Paul Dyal. (5/11)

Yersson David Solarte Basto.  (5/10)

Leo Parker.  (5/8)

Aaron Luke Bradley.  (5/7)

April 2025 (7)

Gregory Jones.  (4/30)

James Vincent Henry.  (4/28)

Brad Swink.  (4/12)

Jaime Arriaga.  (4/10)

William Galbreath.  (4/9)

Darren Day.  (4/8)

Elmer Baca-Flores.  (4/6)

March 2025 (17)

Matthew Lee Richards.  (3/30)

Joshua Lucero.  (3/26)

Jeffrey Summers.  (3/24)

Sergio Guardia.  (3/22)

Marvin Upton.  (3/21)

Rodger Strong.  (3/20)

Britt Taylor.  (3/19)

Christopher Willett.  (3/16)

Daniel Menelaou.  (3/15)

Robert Morris.  (3/14)

Jose Saez Jr.  (3/12)

Stricjavvar Strickland.  (3/11)

Terrance Owens Elliott.  (3/10)

Waymon Jordan.  (3/8)

Stephen Hutto. (3/5)

Charles Brinson.  (3/4)

Michael Eguino.  (3/1)

February 2025 (9)

Jesse Santos.  (2/26)

Richard Lee Sentell.  (2/22)

Ruel Barbee.  (2/16)

Ashley James Crouse.  (2/15)

Lee B. Patrick.  (2/14)

Charles Thessing.  (2/12)

Timothy Nall.  (2/7)

Dwight Suttles.  (2/6)

Jimmie Whaley Jr.  (2/5)

January 2025 (14)

Adrian Daugherty.  (1/29)

John Fiedler.  (1/26)

James McMillan.  (1/25)

Jeffrey Merrow.  (1/18)

Johel LaFaurie.  (1/17)

Jeff Taylor.  (1/16)

Dallas Majewski.  (1/15)

Bruce Hollen.  (1/14)

Francier Obando Pinillo.  (1/13)

Michael Ronald Goble.  (1/11)

Timothy Nall.  (1/9)

Kevin Robert McDonald.  (1/5)

Arturo Laguna Camas.  (1/4)

Lindsey Whiteside.  (1/3)

 

December 2024 (14)

Edward Monk.  (12/23)

Joshua Lough.  (12/22)

Ignazio Medina.  (12/20)

Anthony Odiong.  (12/19)

James Gorman Houston III.  (12/18)

Richard Broom McGee.  (12/17)

Danny Duane Pitts.  (12/12)

Vincent Bishop.  (12/9)

Arturo Alarcon.  (12/8)

Hunter Eubanks.  (12/7)

Daniel Kellan Mayfield. (12/6)

Roy Shoop.  (12/5)

Zachary Joseph Radcliff.  (12/3)

Rodney Martin Locklear.  (12/2)

November 2024 (19)

James McMillan.  (11/30)

Stephen Melton. (11/29)

Charles Sulivant.  (11/24)

Geoffrey Carter.  (11/22)

John Radcliff.  (11/21)

Garrett Harmon.  (11/20)

Aleta Grace Pearson.  (11/17)

Edward R. Monk.  (11/16)

Victor Hernandez-Pineda.  (11/15)

George Bell.  (11/14)

Jose Mora.  (11/13)

William Pounds.  (11/12)

Edward-Richard Hines.  (11/11)

Charles Randall.  (11/9)

Jackson Gatlin.  (11/7)

Harold Norman Cole, Jr.  (11/5)

Gateway Church quartet.  (11/4)

Thomas Moriarty.  (11/3)

Charles Goff.  (11/1)

October 2024 (25)

Stephen Johnson.  (10/27)

Josh Howerton.  (10/26)

Craig Stone.  (10/26/2024)

Steven Lawson. (10/25).  

Scott Crenshaw.  (10/25)

Byron Copeland.  (10/25)

Josiah Anthony.  (10/25)

Ronald Goines.  (10/24)

Tony Cammarota.  (10/24)

Robert Morris.  (10/24)

Luke Cunningham.  (10/24)

Mike Buster.  (10/23)

Tony Evans.  (10/23)

Terren Dames.  (10/23)

James Randolph.  (10/23)

Zachary Joseph Radcliff.  (10/22)

Timothy Charles Rupard.  (10/21)

Matt Queen.  (10/18)

James Vincent Henry.  (10/17)

Pheguel Pierre Louis.  (10/16)

Roy Shoop.  (10/12)

Matthew Lynn Dedmon.  (10/8)

John K. Amanchukwu Sr.  (10/5)

Rodney Martin Locklear.  (10/3)

Gabriel Mills.  (10/3)

September 2024 (16)

Prince Amala Jesuraja Jebamalia Selvaraj.  (9/27)

Marvin Scales. (9/27)

John Raymond.  (9/27)

Roby Cruz-Hernandez. (9/26)

Juan Barrios.  (9/23)

Demiro Johnson.  (9/22)

Glen Dean McCoy.  (9/22)

James Swanson.  (9/21)

William Dunfee.  (9/21)

Steven Lawson.  (9/20)

Andrew Lovisone.  (9/19)

Jeffrey Duane Smith,  (9/19)

Rocky Goodwin.  (9/19)

William Johnson.  (9/17)

Tim Ballard.  (9/13)

Apollo Carreon Quiboloy.  (9/13) 

Extreme weather: Catastrophic flooding in Cambridge City Indiana

 

Screengrab and headline:   The Weather Channel, 8/12/2026

Stephanie Nims reports:

Heavy flooding caused the town of Cambridge City, Indiana, (population 1,751) to shut down on Wednesday morning. Several water rescues were needed as the water continued to rise overnight after storms pushed through the region on Tuesday.

 

Local Conditions (road closures)

Good luck with your clean-up, folks:

Greetings from Trump's America:  Sharp County, Arkansas, where Trump's FEMA is forcing flood-ravaged residents to fend for themselves.  (10/18/2025)

Texas flood prevention:  The indecision and callousness always start at the top.  (7/22/2025)