That was an odd thing to do... If he had used your "correct" term in his post, it would not have been a good indicator of Republican behavior and would therefore ruin the example. His post uses the term in a description of other posts -- just as your post does.
You make a good point. I just have a knee-jerk negative response to phrases like "death tax" when not used with bitter irony. (I have Republican relatives.) I probably deserve my -5 for being obnoxious.
Rash, knee-jerk reactions are often a social liability, which reminds me of a funny bar anecdote:
Guy: So, you're waiting for someone?
Girl: Yeah, some college friends. They're an hour late. Oh my... Boy, friends can be really rude sometimes.
Guy: Tell me about your sister. How old is she?
Girl: What?
Guy: Sorry, I heard the words "my boyfriend" and--
