2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumHillary: Don't call me a "Liberal"
https://www.youtube.com/v/g1_gR278FCg&start=53&autoplay=1Chris Matthews: You became a real liberal.
Hillary Clinton: (pause) I like to say "progressive." (smiles)
Matthews: Well, that's the new word ... Well, why do people change the word if they like the word? What was wrong with liberal?
Clinton: Nothing is wrong with it. You know--
Matthews: "Progressive" covers such a broader front. It goes all the way over to Democratic socialism all the way over to moderate, I mean, progressive...
Clinton: No, it doesn't go as far as socialism. I'm sorry, it does not cover that.
Matthews: For you it doesn't.
Clinton: No.
http://info.msnbc.com/_news/2016/03/15/35266445-
merrily
(45,251 posts)Why on earth would I?
BTW, Al From wrote in his book that he got tired of the DLC, which Bill and Hillary helped found, being called the conservative DLC. So, he deliberately named the Progressive Policy Institute "Progressive," figuring no one would labeling it the conservative Progressive Policy Institute. IOW, he deliberately misused "progressive" so it no longer had meaning.
The lesson we can all learn from From and the rest of the DLC types: labeling yourself or your institution "progressive" does mean you are progressive, nor does it make you progressive. All it means is that you misused the word, and probably intentionally and for a self serving reason.
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)kristopher
(29,798 posts)Kip Humphrey
(4,753 posts)a republicon trick that we all loathe. Now, a Republicrat trick as well.
Autumn
(45,071 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)To, like, you know, get it in gear?
Autumn
(45,071 posts)Cause dog knows nothing else will do it.
merrily
(45,251 posts)Followed immediately by a peck on the check, LOL. I don't even know how to be scary.
Autumn
(45,071 posts)cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
Jackie Wilson Said
(4,176 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)Downwinder
(12,869 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)libtodeath
(2,888 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)I'm a proud Democratic, like dishonest, unethical conflict of interest Matthews knows perfectly well Bernie is.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)And it's become less of a dirty word these days
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)merrily
(45,251 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,704 posts)I use to call myself a social pragmatist, which meant that I tolerated behavior from others as long as they didn't interfere with the public safety, welfare and health. Then Hillary started calling herself a pragmatist and I was in search of another term.
Then I began to identify myself as a Liberal, until neo-Liberals began to use the term. Here, it was easier. I just make sure people know them for the neo-liberals they are. Which as far as I am concerned, is not a Liberal at all.
And now, she claims to be a progressive which, as Matthews points out, is a broader term. What does Hillary do? She tries to triangulate the definition so she can have her cake and eat it too.
I'm just saying, it would make it easier for us if she just embraces her neo-liberalist identity instead of trying to move the Webster goal posts.
And, what is a neo-liberal? A Democrat who doesn't believe in regulation of the financial markets and sides with neo-cons seamlessly; Or, one who uses Liberal lingo AND deregulation to accomplish what Republicans can't do by force.
hedda_foil
(16,373 posts)Bjornsdotter
(6,123 posts)....because she isn't.
qdouble
(891 posts)She prefers to be called a progressive instead of a liberal because of the negative connotations behind the word liberal. Trying to twist that to mean something other than what she obviously means is completely disingenuous.
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)Or would you not have even started a thread on the subject?
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)connotations of the word liberal?
Armstead
(47,803 posts)Go Vols
(5,902 posts)-none
(1,884 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)"Liberal."
Armstead
(47,803 posts)yeah "progressive" on a few social issues that don't threaten corporate power....and as long as they are poll tested.
Otherwise, they might as well be Republicans.
John Poet
(2,510 posts)vi5
(13,305 posts)We have eyes and ears, so why would we?
hedda_foil
(16,373 posts)The DLC and PPI took the sullied idea of liberalism and reinvented the term progressive to replace it in common usage. As they have used it, progressive = centrist = corporatist, but with lip service paid to key left leaning identity groups to occasionally give lip service to their causes ... like choice, gay rights, equal opportunity, social security, etc. That's why we've felt that they only support social issues while letting this country rot from within with our failing antique infrastructure and low income economy.
Of course, we actual liberals in the economic as well as social sense, weren't ever supposed to notice that the Democratic party's power players never meant liberal as we have understood it. At best (for them) by changing the vocabulary, they would make it almost impossible for most of us to adequately express a coherent organizing principle, much less to actually remake society along the principles of fairness and justice. At the same time, the cherished meaning of "liberal" could continue on its path to degradation and extermination... just like its evil twin, the dreaded socialism.
It worked for going on 3 decades, and hasn't yet been defeated.
I have always referred to myself as a Liberal D.The current Progressive D Prez claims he would be to the Right of Raygun if it were the '80s.
Anything to the Right of Raygun is nothing that interests me.
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)You sure about that?
(Nixon more liberal than him *on some issues*).
Go Vols
(5,902 posts)Obama said he would be a moderate Republican if this were the '80s.
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,704 posts)hedda_foil
(16,373 posts)Nedsdag
(2,437 posts)Is this woman tone deaf or what?
Response to TheDormouse (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
EndElectoral
(4,213 posts)closeupready
(29,503 posts)as much importance as anyone should be attaching to her empty words here.
She is not a liberal, no matter what she says or you say, or anyone says. She never will be: there's no money in it, and liberals don't get to boss others around.
PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)to my rich donors. Proles are too poor to matter."
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Hekate
(90,674 posts)I was at DU when "progressive" came into use as a substitute. I was here. I watched it happen.
So sue me, and sue Hillary too.
ibegurpard
(16,685 posts)Because you're not. You're a neo-conservative.
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)in a very different way.
berniepdx420
(1,784 posts)She is no Progressive..never has been.. She's a Goldwater girl at heart...
TheDormouse
(1,168 posts)berniepdx420
(1,784 posts)again.. can you imagine
oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)She is a right-leaning centrist.