In the old Soviet Union, political opposition was characterized as treasonous, and later, when that ceased to fly, as an illness for which there was medical treatment.
Political prisoners were treated with psychoactive drugs and kept in mental institutions.
How interesting to see the extent to which the attitudes, if not yet the practices, of our Cold War opponent (ah, the good old days!) have penetrated the thinking of some Republicans! Political opponents are called traitors, and now "ill" in some way. I guess it's true, that if you spend enough time trying to imagine how your enemies think instead of thinking for yourself, you become them.