Because it sounds more threatening and it's absolutely meant to immediately turn people off and fearful without thinking?

Then every American liberal or progressive could be labeled a - whoooo.... scary "leftist"...most liberals and progressives are also socialist as well....I know I am.

"Leftist" is used by AP is to lie and imply Chavez is a dictator when as Penn stated, Chavez has been elected twice and the last time by over 62% of the people of Venezuela!

AP & other corporate media use "leftist" to always insinuate liberals or progressives in Latin America who aren't the propped up puppet dictators for the American multinational corporations...

I'm surprised the "Rightist" Regressive Republicans haven't used that term against us liberals and progressives here in the U.S. - Just watch they will, and the same fools as now will be frightened, screaming & pointing the finger as they are told to - against what the uninformed morons don't fucking know anything about.