You're a Liberal If....

[Clyde]

We see the "liberal" term bandied about and thrown around on here quite often.

 

What is the working BGP definition of a liberal?

 

Where does a liberal stand on:

 

Abortion

Taxes

Defense

Welfare

Healthcare

Guns

 

 

??

[mcpapa]

This liberal's quick and dirty answers to the above (all merit additional discussion but it's just about dinner time):

 

 

Pro-choice.

 

Trickle-down doesn't work. "A rising tide floats all boats" usually isn't true if you don't even own a dinghy.

 

Nothing wrong with a stout defense system, but "anti-war" is my be-all, end-all issue above all others.

 

Individual or corporate? In all seriousness, the welfare system has its place but even I'm not naive enough to think that there isn't abuse and that generational welfare isn't a problem.

 

I'm not happy with all of "Obamacare" but something had to be done to get millions more covered and to at least attempt to check rising healthcare costs.

 

Pro 2nd Amendment with background checks. I still don't see the necessity for some of the high-powered weaponry/high-capacity magazines that many are advocating; but this issue is nowhere near a deal-breaker to me.

 

 

Time to eat!!

[PurplePride92]

I am pro-choice.

 

Taxes-you have to pay them so whatever.....

 

Defense-I want the best defense possible.

 

Welfare-the socialist in me wants to help the less fortunate with as much minimal abuse to the system as possible.

 

Healthcare-save everybody

 

Guns-what mcpapa said

[Clyde]

Remember, I'm not asking what YOU are on these issues. I'm asking what "a liberal" would say to those topics. My goal is to get a picture of what BGPers (which are predominantly right to far right) use as a definition.

[Blue Magic]

Here is my understanding of what a liberal might say about these issues in a few words...correct me if I'm wrong:

 

Abortion - "DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO"

Taxes - "WE GOTTA HAVE EM"

Defense - "I HATE THE MILITARY"

Welfare - "HELP EVERYONE. WE LOVE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS"

Healthcare - "LOVE HEALTHCARE REFORM AS WELL"

Guns - "THEY'RE TOO DANGEROUS"

[All Tell]

Abortion:-It's your body who cares if you're killing a baby.

Taxes:-The rich need to pay more so we can get more people off of income tax rolls and more on social programs so they will become totally dependent on government.

Defense:-If we weren't so powerful everyone would love us.

Welfare:-see taxes

Healthcare:-No one should have to pay for anything. Who cares if health care providers can make a living. As long as the attorneys are there to win outrageous awards for us.

Guns:-Since guns are used in many crimes if we restrict guns more the criminal will stop using them.

 

This post originally had a tongue-in-cheek disclaimer at the beginning but as I typed I realized that this is my honest perception of what most liberals believe.

[Jumper_Dad]

:popcorn:

[Jumper_Dad]

[jolmstead]

This is actually a very confusing topic! The last GOP administration did the following :

 

1) Foreign Interventionism in Iraq,

2) Expanded Federal Government by creating HSA and TSA,

3) Initiated federal intervention in local education matters (Leave No Child Behind),

4) Proposed Illegal Alien Amnesty,

5) Lowered taxes DURING war time,

6) Showed a lot of support for Gay Marriage, despite having had a lot of support from cultural conservatives to get elected.

 

Abortion - "Unacceptable under all circumstances except rape and harm to mother."

Taxes - "Need to be fairer. Would feel better about it if Govt was more fiscally responsible."

Defense - "Defend OUR country and OUR borders. American tax payers should not be paying for the defense of Europe, Korea etc"

Welfare - "Needs to be finite and lead to self reliant employment"

Healthcare - "I' m a lib on this one. Capitalism and health care don't mix. Profit motive should not determine care plans. Individuals need to be more responsible and accountable for personal choice decisions (alcohol, drugs even diet)"

Guns - "I'm not going to theater with out one!"

[sportsfan41]

 

Glad I read the thread before posting.

[Flotsam]

WHAT A LIBERAL THINKS:

 

Abortion -A woman's right to choose. Get the old guys in Congress out of a woman's decision making process. The less control government has over what is going on inside of a woman, the better. Science does not seem to be a strong point for the conservatives. (Evolution, climate change)

 

Taxes - Rich people should stop complaining about having to pay a few dollars more per year to sustain a country that has afforded them the support needed to be rich.

 

Defense -get out of Afghanistan now. Stop meddling in every skirmish that breaks out anywhere on the globe. We can't afford an empire. Shouldn't want one anyway.

 

Welfare - In this great land of plenty, throw a few crumbs to the less fortunate.

 

Healthcare - In this great land of plenty, throw a few crumbs to the less fortunate.

 

Guns - You want a gun for personal protection or to hunt (even thought you arn't in a militia) fine. That does not mean you can have unregistered assault rifles or armor piercing bullets. There have to be some limits.

[marvel]

Abortion: Women should have the right over their own body. The 'thing' inside has no rights as it is not a human - it is not a life. The woman is not carrying another individual.

 

Taxes: Everybody should pay their fair share. It is justified to tax productivity. We need taxation to ensure that everyone is treated equal.

 

Defense: Liberals are inconsistent. During the Bush years they were against it. Under Obama, we hear much less anti-war rhetoric. They traditionally advocate less defense spending.

 

Welfare: The government can provide the most adequate, best designed process of ensuring equality. Government can decide where to allocate resources and money for the sake of all.

 

Healthcare: Healthcare is a right. The people are entitled to healthcare services and the services that Doctors and Pharmacies provide, which the government should take part in.

 

Guns: Guns are borderline barbaric. There is no need for people to have more than a handgun or the occasional shotgun. Automatic weapons have no place in the hands of an ordinary citizen. Extensive background checks are helpful to ensure that guns do not land in the hands of criminal.

 

 

What are your thoughts of a liberal, Clyde? I know you don't like to be labeled under a liberal, but is there any policy in the liberal philosophy that you wholeheartedly disagree with?

Edited August 26, 2012 by marvel
Added a question.

[Know It All]

Life: Only respects the right of women to choose. Ignores the natural rights of babies to live.

 

Taxes: Doesn't believe an individual deserves all of the "fruits of their labor." We're a collective society, people should be forced by threats to ensure the standard of living set by government.

 

National Security: Attacks interventionism and military expansion under the Republican label. Recently excused these actions under the term "Crimes against humanity."

 

Civil liberties: Affirmative action. Judges individuals solely on race, subsequently reinforces the fundamentals of racism. Equality trumphs freedom.

 

Social welfare: Disguises a standard of living as a necessity for survival. Drills this idea with repetitive rhetoric, "Taking care of the poor."

 

Corporate welfare: Against the malevolent rich, wants the wealthy to pay their "fair share." Continues to accept the same donations from the same big banks as the Republicans.

 

Healthcare: It's a "right." Individuals should be mandated to purchase healthcare, even though most individuals made the conscious decision to risk paying market prices in the event of illness. Wants an equal, one tier healthcare system for all.

 

Guns: Automatic firearms should be banned. Handguns should be heavily regulated. All guns should be registered with the state. Blame the freedom to own guns, not the criminal who commits the crime.

[Clyde]

 

While there "may" have been times where I "possibly" have stirred said pot I'm not sure how this one could be considered.

 

Simple question. If we're going to have labels it's good to know the general definition.

[Michael Corleone]

For the record the last GOP president was far from conservative on several issues