> I first heard of LaRouche around 1977 or 1978, from a member of a far
> left party in Virginia whose comrades had been beaten up by his goons.
Since that time, he's provided steady (though, I imagine, poorly-compensated) employment for a small cottage-industry sector of indignant Democrats: Dennis King, Kalev Pehme, Berlet himself. I remember when these guys were running around New York back in the early 80s accusing anybody to the left of Jerrold Nadler of being a Larouchie. You were particularly likely to get tagged this way if you opened your mouth about Israel.