Surveying the stupefying spectacle of barefaced lies and weasly distortions, facile abandonment of previously-heralded high principle, cynical exploitation of pain and loss and official fatuousness, can we  be blamed for asking: "What is going on here?

While there is nothing new in kind about the hysterical attacks on conservative political and media figures coming from every sector of the Establishment Left in the wake of the Tucson shootings, there does seem to be a big difference in intensity and quantity. It is everywhere; it is unrelenting, and "passionate intensity" does not even begin to capture its virulence.

A desperately frightened establishment is trying to stave off a revolt that began with the reaction to the health care bill and continued with the stunning 2010 midterm elections. To understand the dynamics of revolt and counter revolution, where better to turn than the experts? Here is guidance from "the official website for Revolution newspaper, voice of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA":

"To be clear, then, counter-revolution means active opposition to revolution, with the intent to destroy the revolution, revolutionary group, or individual.

"Those serious about making revolution must set and insist on standards for the revolutionary movement that favor revolution and oppose all forms of counter-revolution.

"There is a very important distinction that must be made between struggle, even sharp struggle, carried out in a principled way over differences in line and approach as opposed to wrecking activity which is objectively counter-revolutionary. Carrying out principled struggle is very different from efforts centered on spreading lies, innuendos, provocations which not only do not bring clarity but are designed to spread confusion and derail revolution..."