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What is a liberal?
By Mike in Politcs Plus
November 5, 2007

I bet several social conservatives are jumping up and down

saying “they are  pinko commie, Peta,ACLU,anti-American

Hollywood, Godless wimpy lefties”. Basically they are saying

they are everything I am not.

 

In politics I really don’t know the definition of a progressive or

liberal. Certainly can’t accept the conservative’s answer.

 

By definition Liberalism is “A political theory founded on the natural goodness of humans and the autonomy of the individual and favoring civil and political liberties, government by law with the consent of the governed, and protection from arbitrary authority”.

Like the definition of conservative these ideals are great, but how do we govern

by these ideals.

 

IMO, liberals are more open to reform and new ideas for progress (going green)

I think they are more broad-minded and more tolerant of the ideas and behavior

of others. A good example of that, is being for Roe V Wade, embryonic stem

cell research, CHIP expansion, and accepting the harm of global warming. They vary

on gay-marriage but are for civil unions and are against a constitutional ban

on gay marriage.

 

This is not saying being resolute is a bad thing, nor is the act of fighting for the

rights of the unborn. Wanting to maintain the lifestyle of the 1950’s can be problematic.

While it was a simpler time, it also was exclusive.

 

I can remember when it was the conservatives that wanted civil liberties, detested

circumventing the constitution and were appalled when someone lied under oath.

I remember they were know for having a tight grip on the purse strings and borrowing

to sustain a war was out of the question.

 

I don’t recall a liberal calling for rule of law or paying more attention to the

constitution than their counterparts. Things have changed.

 

 

Comments


  • Mike Mike Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Hello sanwichh

    Must be my reading comprehension but I don’t know
    If you are talking about liberalism or the Democratic party.
    But I won’t let that stop me….lol

    Other than Alan Colmes I have never heard the party say Jesus
    was a liberal. To associate Jesus to an ideology would be wrong.
    I have said both ideologies have a great platform but how do
    govern with those principals. I mentioned compromise without
    giving up principal.

    Want to know why the Democratic Party changed? Why southern
    Dem’s turned into Republicans? It started in the 1960’s right after
    The Civil Rights Bill, look up the “southern strategy”.

    We have a progressive tax system that is based on tax brackets.

    Who are the people going to trust in New Orleans someone who brings
    where plight in national debates or those that simply ignores them.

    IMO the GOP is currently made of two groups.
    1) Theocrats: This small group wants to take their faith and impose it
    And impose it on government. (Terry Schiavo)
    2)Ecomic royalist: These are the wealthy CEOs that do not to be told
    what to do by government. They despise the IRS.EPA,OSHA and the Federal
    Labor Board.

    I wish the Dem’s wound adopt Carville’s old slogan and modify it to say
    “It’s the middle class stupid”.

    November 6, 2007 at 9:59 a.m.