I'm not sure that a lot of the folks victimized by the witch hunt were intent on overthrowing the government. Many were involved in labor movements or were in pursuit of racial/social equity and saw membership in the communist party, or involvement in related activities as a means to achieve other ends. The real irony is that many of them did in fact look to the Soviet Union as a benevolent comrade with related goals when in fact the Soviet Union's record of repression, racism, and violence against its own people is unprecendented.