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The ACLU has no other agenda than to use due process to protect citizens from unconstitutional behavior, without asking for any public funds to do so. I find it really hard to take seriously anyone who thinks that is outside the scope of acceptable American ambition.
The ACLU has no other agenda than to use due process to protect citizens from unconstitutional behavior, without asking for any public funds to do so. I find it really hard to take seriously anyone who thinks that is outside the scope of acceptable American ambition.
I feel the same way and I do support the ACLU, but when they defend and support NAMBLA, that's a little too far for me, personally. I'm all for gay rights, and I've been an athiest for as long as I can remember so I'm all for equality. I'm just saying as a comparison, the ACLU is far left, whereas fundie religions are far right.
Abortion/contraception- believe in the liberty to control your body, your reproductive system and your future. Liberals tend to be pro choice and prefer letting the woman decide what she will do if she gets pregnant whether that be parenting, adoption or abortion. Death penalty- Liberals are most often opposed to the death penalty, there are some who believe it should only be used in certain circumstances. Affirmative Action-believe in affirmative action and the fair oppurtunities for those in society who are discriminated against. Education- believe in a proper education where someone has the freedom to learn in order to build a better future. Environment- fair use of natural resources for all citizens, without the unreasonable use for private companies, liberals believe in protecting the natural environment. Gun control-believe in someone's right to own their own gun for protection, sporting activities and citizen militia. Although, citizens should not be allowed to have the more technological weapons. The government should restrict the selling of such kinds of weapons. Health-freedom to overcome physical limitations. Regulations-freedom to live and work in an environment that will help someone in their pursuit of happiness. Sexuality-Liberals are pro gay marriage or at least in favor of gay civil unions. They believe in the freedom to share mutual intimate relations with someone of your choice regardless of gender. Substance Abuse- Pro the legalization of drugs. Someone should have the freedom to put in their body whatever they want to. Unless the substance use endangers someone else unwillingly, then the person who is being affected should be protected without denying the rights of the individual. In the case of tobacco for instance, smokers didn't have to stop smoking but they had to start smoking in designated areas. Taxation-believe in reasonable taxation. Those who benefit more from the government should pay more in taxes-the weathy have to pay more than the poor. Women's/minority Rights-believe in freedom to be judged and valued based on talent of work rather than physical characteristics.
Last edited by agnostic soldier; 10-23-2008 at 06:02 PM..
Abortion/contraception- believe in the liberty to control your body, your reproductive system and your future. Liberals tend to be pro choice and prefer letting the woman decide what she will do if she gets pregnant whether that be parenting, adoption or abortion. Death penalty- Liberals are most often opposed to the death penalty, there are some who believe it should only be used in certain circumstances. Affirmative Action-believe in affirmative action and the fair oppurtunities for those in society who are discriminated against. Education- believe in a proper education where someone has the freedom to learn in order to build a better future. Environment- fair use of natural resources for all citizens, without the unreasonable use for private companies, liberals believe in protecting the natural environment. Gun control-believe in someone's right to own their own gun for protection, sporting activities and citizen militia. Although, citizens should not be allowed to have the more technological weapons. The government should restrict the selling of such kinds of weapons. Health-freedom to overcome physical limitations. Regulations-freedom to live and work in an environment that will help someone in their pursuit of happiness. Sexuality-Liberals are pro gay marriage or at least in favor of gay civil unions. They believe in the freedom to share mutual intimate relations with someone of your choice regardless of gender. Substance Abuse- Pro the legalization of drugs. Someone should have the freedom to put in their body whatever they want to. Unless the substance use endangers someone else unwillingly, then the person who is being affected should be protected without denying the rights of the individual. In the case of tobacco for instance, smokers didn't have to stop smoking but they had to start smoking in designated areas. Taxation-believe in reasonable taxation. Those who benefit more from the government should pay more in taxes-the weathy have to pay more than the poor. Women's/minority Rights-believe in freedom to be judged and valued based on talent of work rather than physical characteristics.
at least we know republicans of the civil rights era were liberal before they turned conservative, a few others were something republicans practiced
In order to answer your question without going over a thousand words I won't go into specifics but the origins of liberal thought were found in the writings of Locke, Hume, Smith, and Voltaire.
The term liberal is found in its Latin root 'Libre' which means 'free,not slaves'.
During the age of enlightenment liberalism rejected the divine right of kings, hereditary status, and established religion.
Classic liberal supporters believed in individual liberty and human rationality should be the purpose of government.
At the core of government should freedom of thought and speech, limitations on government, free markets, private property, and rule of law.
The American constitution was based on these aforementioned principles and that government rules by consent of the governed.
Fast forward 200 years and what we have is a schism, between classic liberals and social liberals. Whereas classic liberals such as Ludwig von mises and Ron Paul support minimist and libertarian concepts such as spontaneous order, free trade, freedom from coersion; social liberals believe that the government need to play a more hands on role to promote the freedom of citizens through programs such as welfare, health care, minimum wage, and housing for the homeless.
Social liberals look at these programs as infrastructure for improving commerce.
Liberalism must also be dissected into two catagories political and cultural.
Political liberalism is the belief that individuals are the basis of law and society, and that society and its institutions exist to improve the individual.
Cultural liberalism focuses on the rights of individuals pertaining to conscience and lifestyle. The classic liberal believes the government has no intrusive role in sexual freedom, cognitive freedom, religious freedom. The social liberal believes the government plays an interactive role in supporting these freedoms.
Cultural liberalism opposes government regulation of literature, art, academics, gambling, sex, prostitution, abortion, birth control, guns, terminal illness, alcohol, drugs and other controlled activities.
This is good, but rather esoteric. I wanted more of a list of specific issues, so that some who walk around denouncing 'Liberals' might see themselves in some.
Liberal is synonymous with communist or socialist because they hijacked the term.
Just as we see liberals changing their name every now and again-- liberal, socialist, progressive, etc.-- they also depend on a manipulation of the term. What was once meant to mean free, was distilled into "liberty" and "positive liberty".
Positive liberty is a communist concept. It claims that a person can be more free when the resources of another are given to him/her. That's socialistic... which is communistic.
Specific issue? Check Citizens Against Government Waste: Homepage (http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer - broken link) Look up your favorite liberal and you'll find a list of what makes a lib a socialist.
Specific issue? Like the communists, the liberals are hand-in-hand with the labor unions.
So you are calling people in the labor unions Liberals and Communists. Really high thought from you.
Abortion/contraception- believe in the liberty to control your body, your reproductive system and your future. Liberals tend to be pro choice and prefer letting the woman decide what she will do if she gets pregnant whether that be parenting, adoption or abortion. Death penalty- Liberals are most often opposed to the death penalty, there are some who believe it should only be used in certain circumstances. Affirmative Action-believe in affirmative action and the fair oppurtunities for those in society who are discriminated against. Education- believe in a proper education where someone has the freedom to learn in order to build a better future. Environment- fair use of natural resources for all citizens, without the unreasonable use for private companies, liberals believe in protecting the natural environment. Gun control-believe in someone's right to own their own gun for protection, sporting activities and citizen militia. Although, citizens should not be allowed to have the more technological weapons. The government should restrict the selling of such kinds of weapons. Health-freedom to overcome physical limitations. Regulations-freedom to live and work in an environment that will help someone in their pursuit of happiness. Sexuality-Liberals are pro gay marriage or at least in favor of gay civil unions. They believe in the freedom to share mutual intimate relations with someone of your choice regardless of gender. Substance Abuse- Pro the legalization of drugs. Someone should have the freedom to put in their body whatever they want to. Unless the substance use endangers someone else unwillingly, then the person who is being affected should be protected without denying the rights of the individual. In the case of tobacco for instance, smokers didn't have to stop smoking but they had to start smoking in designated areas. Taxation-believe in reasonable taxation. Those who benefit more from the government should pay more in taxes-the weathy have to pay more than the poor. Women's/minority Rights-believe in freedom to be judged and valued based on talent of work rather than physical characteristics.
This is good, and what I was looking for. I hope that everyone takes the time to judge for themselves whether the are 'Liberal' and just didn't know it. I will see where I rate on this and maybe add a few other items.
So you are calling people in the labor unions Liberals and Communists. Really high thought from you.
That's been my experience growing up in UAW dense Detroit, MI and being a member of the Steelworkers for a few years.
The unions do resort to coercion to control companies... sounds communistic to me...
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