after some deep thought, I realized that I am a liberal....sort of

[jpwhite]

I have only been on this board for a week but I realized that one of the major reasons I don't like to call myself a liberal is because I grew up in the 1980's and Reagan did a great job of making the word "liberal" a dirty word. I think the dems have allowed the GOP to define the words that we use when we talk about politics.

In reality I am liberal on way more issues than I am conservative. The only thing that I could say that is conservative is that I don't want to make pot legal and I want parental consent on abortions. I am like Bill Clinton on abortion - safe, legal, and rare.

I like the term "progressive" a lot better. To me it defines who I am in that I am willing to try new things if what we are doing is not working. I like to think of myself as a visionary. One question that I ask myself a lot is "How can we make this better?" I am the type of person who wants to make a difference in the world. That's what a progressive is to me.

I think the main thing we need to do during 2007 is to go out there and define what a liberal and what a progressive is, and define it in our terms. We should show America that we can lead, and that we can help make America better by raising the minimum wage, repealing the tax cuts for the top 1 percent of Americans, revamping the prescription drug plan so that medicare can negotiate prices, and fighting for the needs of middle class people all over america by making it tougher for companies to outsource jobs overseas. These are the issues that we need to get to work on.

James
[e-mail]

[rockymountaindem]

1. Welcome to DU!

Please forgive us if we get worked up over issues like the ones you mentioned, though. In such a large community, you're bound to find a few people who will get really worked up over whatever issue you're dealing with. Please don't let that scare you away, because it can seem harsh to a newcomer. If you stay long enough, though, you'll learn to deal with it. I have.

[jimshoes]

2. Welcome jpwhite

Have you ever tried pot? And why do you not think it should be legal. How do you feel about alcohol? I'm not trying to be confrontational, just curious. Thanks

[Union Thug]

8. I'm curious too. As a long time pot advocate, I'm always curious

to know what motivates people to oppose legalization or at least decriminalization.

[jpwhite]

13. never tried pot

I have never tried pot, and I've been told that one joint has the same amount of cancer causing agents that over 300 cigarettes does. I am not 100% sure if this is true or not, but I don't want to take the task. I drink occasionally, but when my wife and I go out I usually drink dr. pepper and she drinks. That way I can drive home.

I really need to look more into this issue. I have gotten more liberal the older I get.


James
[e-mail]

[jimshoes]

17. Thanks for your answer jpwhite

I am not going to try and change your mind about your beliefs, although I'm not so sure about the 1 joint = 300 cigarettes thing but a bit of googling would certainly turn up a plethora of articles if one was so inclined. Anyway, welcome again and I hope you enjoy this place as much as I do.

[DURHAM D]

3. We do need to own liberal again. To me it simply means

advancing democracy.

Serve the interests of all. Embrace other's interests, not just your own.

[Warpy]

4. Most conservatives turn out to be liberals

when they're questioned on an issue by issue basis. You've got a lot of company out there, people who bought the bullshit on AM radio and joined the conservative club because them libruls was eeevul.

I think you're wrong on a couple of issues and will probably hand you your head in the future when I know you better.

Until then, congratulations on waking up. I hope it's contagious.

[Buzz Clik]

15. Voted for Reagan. Once. Haven't looked back.

I'm fiscally conservative, but a screaming liberal on nearly all social issues.

[nsanders]

5. I know what you mean

Hey James, I know what you mean. I went to high school/college in the 80's. Tough. I am also pretty liberal on plenty of issues. So many people cannot be defined by party boundaries. It is unfortunate sometimes, that we must be labeled.

Check out www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/07/b131981.html for something on the word 'Liberal'.

[Nite Owl]

6. Welcome to DU!

Yes, Reagan did a job on the word liberal but in reality the word conservative is the one any sane person would want to avoid. What did conservatives ever do for Americans? They fought civil right, fought Social Security, have been against univeral healthcare, don't win wars and they don't (the favorite meme) balance budgets. Reagan didn't 'win' the Cold War either, don't be fooled. The Soviet Union fell from within, it was corrupt, they went bankrupt. Our outspending them may have hastened it but the dems were in Congress then too. The conservatives have used the Treasury as a national credit card, they are not 'fiscally conservative'. The so called social issues are something that they made issues. Gays not marrying does nothing to put food on the table. Women don't use abortion as birth control, they just don't trust women to make a crucial decision for themselves, no one is pro abortion it's just how they frame it.

[Debs]

18. When talking about the Cold War

Lets not forget the contribution of the brave people of Poland and Checkoslovakia who stood up to the Soviets and exposed the inner contradictions.

[bluerum]

7. Liberals have a proud and distinguished history.

Congratulations on coming out of the closet and welcome to DU.

Liberals know they can lead. The issues that you mention are good ones.

The problem (as I see it) is that many people are willing to swallow hook line and sinker, the hate filled crap spewed by the neo-cons. How do you help people to understand that they have been deceived and lied to and get them to think for themselves? Answer is you can't - but you do what you can to show them a way forward. You can lead an elephant to water, but you can't make it drink.

[pacalo]

9. Welcome to DU, jp!

Maybe it's the maternal instinct in me, but I never let labels bother me. When I hear name calling (imagine the word lib-er-al being sarcastically uttered), I tend to look closer at the one being called names & end up liking the person(s) more. Name calling usually stems from fear of one's own self.

Speaking of Reagan, he was the first president whose policies directly affected my life in a negative way. He favored corporations like this administration does. It was the first time widespread layoffs were introduced to my industry-rich area. These companies were making money hand over fist, but decided to keep more money by laying off employees, doubling & tripling the work of those who stayed.

The companies have since thought of additional ways to pocket more money for themselves: outsourcing, 4-day work weeks, less benefits, less holiday pay, reduced cost-of-living raises (if any at all), etc.

I've always liked the Democratic party better because they look out for the little guys -- the middle class & the poor. They embody everything that our forefathers envisioned for this country.

Glad to have you with us. :hi:

[4morewars]

10. if that is what they mean by a “Liberal,” then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.”

From a speech by John F. Kennedy accepting the New York Liberal Party Nomination on September 14, 1960:

"What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label “Liberal?” If by “Liberal” they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer’s dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of “Liberal.” But if by a “Liberal” they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a “Liberal,” then I’m proud to say I’m a “Liberal.”"

Edited to add: I hope this helps you.

[twilight_sailing]

11. Yo James!

Welcome.

Please don't worry about our differences. Shoot, I doubt there is a person in the world who agrees with me about every single issue. Who cares? The thing the liberal/progressive movement has going for it is that it represents hope for the future. We can live and grow and change and make this world a better place.

It takes a certain optimism to be a liberal. And that is a better way to live.

[crim son]

12. Well, I agree with you on the pot issue, and disagree on the

abortion issue, and I'm as liberal as they come. Welcome to DU :hi:

[jpwhite]

14. thank you for the kind words

Thank you to everyone for the kind words. It's hard to change, but I think my main focus is to make sure that what happened to my parents does not happen again. I want to make sure that social security is safe for my parents (raise the FICA limit), and that my kids can get a decent education. These are things that motivate me to act. I hope that we can do the things that were talked about by Nancy Pelosi and show the country that we as liberals and progressives do have the best interest of this country at heart.

James
[e-mail]

[Buzz Clik]

16. Defining "liberal" on our terms? Try getting a consensus definition from this herd of cats!

One of the pundits during the election spoke of the difference between Republicans and Democrats: Republicans are disciplined and are loyal to the party. Democrats thrive on chaos.

How true, how true. Democrats that don't like chaos and conflict become Greens or drop out of politics entirely.

[seabeyond]

19. i am not liberal, but i adopted the word along with feminist because

of how others that oppose the movement have defined it. i use liberal often to describe myself in this very red neck of the woods to get people used to hearing it again unapologitically. i tld my rw brother i was a liberal and he says to me,.... you said it not me. i laughed. i said it isnt a cuss word. liberal/conservative... he says he sees it more like the kkk. i told him he was wrong. not long after that i talked to my dad and he said about a woman, she used to be a hard feminist but not so much. i told him i am a feminist.... nothing wrong with that, just asking for equality. he had a tough time with that too

so.... start using the word if you like and you will find it comes off tongue more and more easily and will help others to hear the word, letting us take it back. look up the word liberal and conservative in the dictionary. liberal is defined better anyway