Which of the following dictionary descriptions most accurately describes the ideology of the current administration?
Socialism: System of social organization in which private property and the distribution of income are subject to social control; also, the political movements aimed at putting that system into practice.
Liberalism: A philosophy committed to the ideal of limited government, liberty of individuals including freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and free markets.
Ironically, the philosophy of most conservatives I know, including myself, seems to closely align these days with the original liberal philosophy. If that's true and liberal and conservative ideologies are farther apart then ever, one must ask what then is the true ideology of modern-day liberals, and more importantly why?
Gary Larson, Mesa
LinMesa posted at 2:47 pm on Thu, Jul 7, 2011.
I didn't know I was a liberal until I read this---and agreed with it.
http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=about_us.issues_faq
RationalHuman posted at 3:13 pm on Thu, Jul 7, 2011.
That's quite the website, LinMesa!
It's a shame that the authors don't know their Bible very well - they keep claiming the Bible god is pro-life and pro-family.
I have a KJV right here - the verses that are ANTI-life and ANTI-family would fill several pages.
Typical Christians...pick which verses work for you, and ignore the rest.
Rich posted at 3:44 pm on Thu, Jul 7, 2011.
Actually both Liberal and Conservative have close to no real meaning at all, they are simply labels used to gather votes from people who don't examine what they are voting for. The people who use them are generally trying to make their lives easier at everyone else's expense, there is no real philosophy behind either except for that desire and a willingness to tell any lie that furthers that goal. About the only common factor is that both want your freedom and your money, and don't really care much which abstract principles they quote to get them.
Accuracy posted at 4:37 pm on Thu, Jul 7, 2011.
What is liberal philosophy? Ask card-carrying “Liberal” Democrat ‘ernie13X’ who has posted some views before.
About twice as many Americans consider themselves Conservative than those who say they are Liberal. More Americans believe Democrats are 'Too Liberal' and Liberals are for multiculturalism, self-esteem, liberal education. While, Conservative education is into structure, discipline, respect and academics.
In the book, “Secular Sabotage: How Liberals Are Destroying Religion and Culture in America” by William Donohue, he accuses Liberals on the left of being against America's cultural and religious traditions. Liberals are systematically tearing down the traditional values and institutions that have been a part of the American fabric since its founding.
onerebel posted at 8:50 pm on Thu, Jul 7, 2011.
The point of the writer is many individuals that claim they are Liberals are really Socialist hiding behind the Liberal label. If they came right out and admitted they were Socialist they would be ran out of town and they know it. It's time we as Americans wake up and understand that the Socialist in disguise are making an end run for control of our country!
Rich posted at 10:44 pm on Thu, Jul 7, 2011.
Good one Accuracy, all those deeply academic conservatives know John Quincy Adams is a 'founding father' and John Wayne Gacy is someone we should all admire and strive to live like.
LinMesa posted at 10:51 pm on Thu, Jul 7, 2011.
"I have a KJV right here - the verses that are ANTI-life and ANTI-family would fill several pages."
RationalHuman, could you please give me some of those verses so I can look them up? Thanks.
Cerulean posted at 9:46 am on Fri, Jul 8, 2011.
Gary, you are far too selective picking your definitions, misleading your readers and, therefore, making your question worthless.
Gary are you talking about National Socialism, Utopian Socialism, market socialism, Christian Socialism, what? Same with Liberalism, is it classical or modern? Actually I know which definitions you chose and that is why your question is worthless.
You say “Ironically, the philosophy of most conservatives I know, including myself, seems to closely align these days with the original liberal philosophy.”
This is why you are a Neo-Con and not a true conservative.
RationalHuman posted at 10:07 am on Fri, Jul 8, 2011.
Sure Lin - but be warned, many of them contain horrific actions sanctioned by the Bible god, including the rape and murder of children, beating of slaves, and torture of pregnant women resulting in miscarriage.
Here's a starter list for you:
Exodus 7:17-22
Exodus 22:24
Leviticus 21:20-21
Num.15:32-36
Numbers 31:17-18
Deuteronomy 21:15
Deuteronomy 32:41-42
Joshua 7:25
1 Kings 21:21
2 Kings 8:12
Isaiah 64:6
Jeremiah 12:12
Jeremiah 24:10
Jeremiah 48:10
Psalms 68:23
Psalms 69:23
Lamentations 1:17
Ezekiel 39:18
Nehemiah 13:25
Nahum 3:6
Mark 7:10
Luke 12:51
Luke 19:27
John 15:6
Sorry it's such a short list - there are many, many, many more verses just as evil and horrific. I will start on compiling a complete list if you'd like.
Dale Whiting posted at 11:07 am on Fri, Jul 8, 2011.
Today we debate the meanings of and differences between liberalism and socialism. I may have opened this can of worms about 9 months ago when I discussed the conservative phylosophy of Russel Kirk, a contemporary of William Buckley in a column. Kirk tore into Neoconservatism, the phyloshophy I identify with contemporary conservatism.
If Pat Moynahan was a liberal with socialists objectives, I am no liberal or socialist. Pat saw the folly of his ways before he died as did his followers. The Democratic Party moved away from Moynahanism [Johnson's Great Society] but Republicans still use the same old "campaign pins" to descrive today's changed Democrats.
Perhaps because we have a two party system, Republicans felt it necessary to move forward with a more extreme outlook. Surely no one alive today would see either Dwight Eisenhower or Richard Nixon as being confortable as John Beyhnor/Mitch McConnell Republicans and certainly not Michele Bachmann Tea Partiers?
While Republicans fiddle over the budget allowing our economy to burn, we need to get a hold of ourselves. We need to have every segment of our society sacrifice, cutting defense [really offense - let's call a spade a spade - it's a War Department not a Defense Department], social spending on retirement, on healthcare, on everything except infrastructure, which has been neglected far to long already and we need to raise taxes on the lot of us, the most well to do paying the highest marginal rates.
Folks, it's fiddle and burn or sacrifice! To h e double tooth picks with the politicians. Vote'm all out of office.
VofReason posted at 1:35 pm on Fri, Jul 8, 2011.
Yup we need the good ol Obama administration and the democrates to save us. Just like they did with the stimulus. Oh, that's right. Didn't work out too well.
Rich posted at 3:17 pm on Fri, Jul 8, 2011.
Dale,
The last thing we need is sacrifice, except from the government. They need to relinquish control of our freedom and our money so we can handle the situation. They've proven they can't handle it. The bosses (our elected reps) are two IQ points above a ficus plant and the workers are a bunch of overpaid, under-qualified, spoiled brats, sucking up pension money they didn't earn and double dipping, all the while demonstrating on behalf of their corrupt union bosses. Give us control of our lives and our money again and we'll start with small businesses and build them into the corporations you sheeple seem so frightened of. Liberal, neoCon. CONserverative, and tea you up to get clobbered. Stop falling for it. The government micromanaged our lives into this hole, and they need to go so that we can climb out.
sockratties posted at 10:17 am on Sun, Jul 10, 2011.
It’s a shame we have to label everything, then be for or against it. Members of both parties vary across the political spectrum, some more conservative on spending or education while others are for more or less taxes or more or less military spending. After taking sides, everyone blames the other guy for all problems even though everyone has their hand out or in the other guy’s pocket.
The alleged “two party” system is really a one party system with politicians taking turns sitting at the table. Everyone who buys into the idealisms espoused by the waving banners and guttural euphemisms of the party credos deserves to be served up as the feast du-jour. People buy into political rhetoric the same way they buy into religious dogma; with blind faith and little demand for substance.
Cerulean posted at 11:09 am on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
I recently took a quiz presented by the Pew Research Center where I discovered that I am a Solid Liberal.
According to Pew, Liberals are pro-government, support regulation, and gov. assistance to the poor. We are generally secular and we support ethnic diversity. We are highly politically engaged, we are mostly female, we are the best educated of all the groups.
If you want to know where you stand on the political spectrum, the quiz is here:
http://people-press.org/typology/quiz/?src=typology-report
Cerulean posted at 11:11 am on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
When I say that Liberals are"mostly female" I mean, according to Pew, 57% of us are female.
Dale Whiting posted at 1:29 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Rich says
"Dale, The last thing we need is sacrifice, except from the government."
Rich, the piper must be paid. We waged war off the books. We stoled money from Social Security. The Piper must be paid.
Knowing what I knew back then about the Middle East, Iran, Iraq, etc. I opposed these wars from the get go. On 9/12 I was telling other and sending out e-mails trying to make others appreciate the senselessness of this idiotic war on terrorism. But I failed miserably. So I have to pay, too. And surely you have to pay, also.
onerebel posted at 8:18 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Cerulean, your definition according to Pew of a Liberal was right on, bigger Government, more liberty crushing regulations, lots of handouts ,and perhaps better educated just like our dear President. That's where we get the phrase " Educated Idiots" from!