In America, "fellow traveler" is a pejorative term for people who are seen as foolishly attached to the far left without really understanding it. A kind of "useful idiot". But, it is generally not used when speaking of the far right. This is purely rhetorical.

As usual the complaints of the one are completely appropriate for the other. The truth is that both left and right wing ideologues depend on a large group of "fellow travelers" to provide the political force in pushing their agenda. Those people generally have a poor understanding of the philosophical aspects of the movement they support, and, at best, can parrot slogans and half-logic.

So, why do they go along for the trip? The answer is simple. The ideological leaders of each side appeal to the self-interest of their constituency. There is little piety in the leadership of these groups if it is measured by adherence to the public face of the movements. The ends, they believe, justify the means. They believe that when the people discover things aren't as they were represented, their eyes will be open to the wisdom and rectitude of the actual agenda.

This is why ideologues are the most dangerous, most destructive and least meritorious people on this planet. Their ideologies invariably lead them to do heinous things in service to a "greater truth". Codswallop. Unfortunately, pragmatism cannot appeal to immediate self-interest and so there is little hope in the current model of huge urban centers to adopt a pragmatic approach, which, I believe is the only option that isn't a form of immorality.

—Yaakov