OK...let's hear it. What are the defining characteristics of a liberal?

 

Be prepared for rebuttal.

 

Make sure there are NO personal attacks in this thread.

 

Begin....

How in the world can you define a liberal without attaching a personal attack to it? They go together like Michael Moore and insane asylums.

A liberal is a person who asks a bunch of conservatives to define liberals without hurting anyone's feelings.

A liberal is a person who asks a bunch of conservatives to define liberals without hurting anyone's feelings.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Technically, it is a person who enjoys liberty and the protection of it from government or any other authority.

 

But for whatever reason, in America, it is a rhetorical term used as a synonym for a Democrat.

 

So I guess to answer rockmom's question: American Liberal

Anybody that does not follow authority blindly, that is not afraid to ask questions, that worries more about the lives of their people, than making sure they kill the other people

Anybody that does not follow authority blindly, that is not afraid to ask questions, that worries more about the lives of their people, than making sure they kill the other people

There has to be more to it than this or I'm the biggest Lib on BGP... :eek: :eek: :eek:

There are many traits which can be found in most liberals. A few of them are:

 

1. One wanting to help the poor by using someone else's money rather than his/her own.

 

2. One wanting to provide low income housing for the needy so long as the housing is not located in their neighborhood.

 

3. One who supports freedom of speech so long as it is in agreement with his/her own beliefs.

 

4. One who wants higher taxes on groups other than himself/herself.

 

There are, of course, many more that could be listed but this is a start.

Liberals:

 

Look to the government to solve most problems.

 

If given the choice between defense spending and social spending chooses social spending.

 

Is suspicious and often critical of the military but tend to trust and defend government social institutions.

 

See business as exploitive and not to be trusted.

 

Strongly favor the redistribution of wealth through taxes. See income disparities as a problem that needs to be corrected..

 

Believe raising taxes increases government income and lowering taxes reduces government income.

 

When environmental and economic issues conflict, favor protecting the environment even if it has an adverse impact to business and the economy (i.e people in general).

 

Is pro-choice.

 

Believe that minorities have obstacles that can not be overcome without affirmative action.

 

Believe government-run healthcase is a good idea.

 

View themselves as being open-minded but tend to assume evangelical Christians are closed-minded.

I think "liberal" is a misnomer. While liberals do advocate personal freedom, they also advocate big government and lack of personal accountability and responsibility. I don't see how we can have it both ways.

Liberals:

 

Look to the government to solve most problems.

 

If given the choice between defense spending and social spending chooses social spending.

 

Is suspicious and often critical of the military but tend to trust and defend government social institutions.

 

See business as exploitive and not to be trusted.

 

Strongly favor the redistribution of wealth through taxes. See income disparities as a problem that needs to be corrected..

 

Believe raising taxes increases government income and lowering taxes reduces government income.

 

When environmental and economic issues conflict, favor protecting the environment even if it has an adverse impact to business and the economy (i.e people in general).

 

Is pro-choice.

 

Believe that minorities have obstacles that can not be overcome without affirmative action.

 

Believe government-run healthcase is a good idea.

 

View themselves as being open-minded but tend to assume evangelical Christians are closed-minded.

 

This is a very large list of generalizations you have here... But what do you think it means to be liberal?

A liberal is someone who is liberal with my money and conservative with their own.

Liberals:

 

Look to the government to solve most problems.

 

If given the choice between defense spending and social spending chooses social spending.

 

Is suspicious and often critical of the military but tend to trust and defend government social institutions.

 

See business as exploitive and not to be trusted.

 

Strongly favor the redistribution of wealth through taxes. See income disparities as a problem that needs to be corrected..

 

Believe raising taxes increases government income and lowering taxes reduces government income.

 

When environmental and economic issues conflict, favor protecting the environment even if it has an adverse impact to business and the economy (i.e people in general).

 

Is pro-choice.

 

Believe that minorities have obstacles that can not be overcome without affirmative action.

 

Believe government-run healthcase is a good idea.

 

View themselves as being open-minded but tend to assume evangelical Christians are closed-minded.

:thumb: I think that is a pretty good answer...

A liberal is a person who thinks that change must always be happening.

 

While I am not liberal, I believe that they are necessary to maintain a country, because even though change isn't always necessary, the CALL for change must always be present to prevent stagnancy. It is the constant struggle between the two sides that allows this country to fall onto the beneficial compromises that keep it running.

There are many traits which can be found in most liberals. A few of them are:

 

1. One wanting to help the poor by using someone else's money rather than his/her own.

 

2. One wanting to provide low income housing for the needy so long as the housing is not located in their neighborhood.

 

3. One who supports freedom of speech so long as it is in agreement with his/her own beliefs.

 

4. One who wants higher taxes on groups other than himself/herself.

 

There are, of course, many more that could be listed but this is a start.

 

That sounds more like a HOLLYWOOD liberal.