[West Palm Beach, FL] Ever since his name was mentioned as a possible contender for the GOP‘s VP spot in the 2012 presidential election, U.S. Rep. Allen West (R-22/Fort Lauderdale) has dialed up the crazy talk.

The darling of the Tea Party people seems to never miss a chance at grabbing headlines for his outlandish statements. He just can’t help himself. He’s Allen West!

It has only been a few short weeks since “Mama Grizzly” Sarah Palin, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and “Pizza Guy” Herman Cain all proclaimed that Colonel Allen West was their first choice for the VP job. Since then, West has come unhinged. Completely unhinged.

According to West, he’s uncovered a plot within the Democratic party so devious that it already comes neatly prepackaged with an ultra-buzzy buzz word. In fact, it is one of the biggest buzz words of all time in American cultural history: communists.

ABC News reported that Allen West said: “I believe there’s about 78 to 81 members of the Democratic Party that are members of the Communist Party.”

Note to West: you are supposed to dial down on the loco when people are considering you for the second most powerful job in Washington D.C. Third most powerful if you count Grover Norquist. And you should.

The Palm Beach Post also reported that West said the following (yes, he refers to himself in the third person):

“I really wish that, standing here before you, was Allen West and President Obama,” West said. “We could have a simple discussion. But that ain’t ever gonna happen.”

“Why not?” an audience member asked.

“Cuz he was too scared!” West responded in a mocking voice.

WATCH HIS COMMENT HERE:

President Obama is “too scared” or doesn’t care? He doesn’t have time to meet with every member of Congress individually. And President  especially doesn’t want to “hang out” with one of the most extreme members of the opposition party that constantly bashes him.

Or maybe it is just because the President of the United States doesn’t want to hang out with guys like Allen West, who “pals around” with outlaw biker gangs and has tortured prisoners against international and U.S. law, as previously reported by Sunshine Slate.

In defense of West’s “commie” comment, spokeswoman Angela Melvin told The Huffington Post that, ” The Congressman was referring to the 76 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The Communist Party has publicly referred to the Progressive Caucus as its allies.”

“The Progressive Caucus speaks for itself. These individuals certainly aren’t proponents of free markets or individual economic freedom,” Melvin said.

So he did mean exactly we thought he meant, Melvin. Of course, equating progressive Democrats to communists is an extremist point of view, some would say.

Wouldn’t want you to start the RED SCARE PART 2, now would you Congressman West? You know how the American people loves sequels.

Well, not everybody. Count the NAACP not amused: they dropped West from a scheduled speech-appearance.

By: Mark Christopher/Sunshine Slate

Lead image: TexasGOPVote.com  (Allen West photo), graphics by Sunshine Slate Images

Allen West