New Rule: the Liberal/Conservative dichotomy is dead . . .

this was a false dichotomy created by the right and nurtured over three decades to equate "liberal" with "permissive" . . . and they succeeded . . . now it's our turn . . .

from this day forward -- at least for me -- the new paradigm is Progressive/Regressive . . . we being the progressive, forward-looking ones who are based in the reality of an every-changing world . . . they being the regressive, ass-backward looking ones trying to return to an idealized vision of the world that never existed . . . and never will . . .

I am a Progressive, and I'm proud of it . . . Liberal? . . . don't know what you're talking about, dude . . .

They've hijacked all the great things about America for their own political gain! Patriotism, Honor, Freedom...all these words have been hijacked by the right-wing and it's time we, as PROGRESSIVES (not liberals, that means nothing anymore), start fighting back with our OWN values, our OWN ideas, and our OWN words.

Sean Hannity wrote something about this: http://www.hannity.com/story.php?content=/red_states

We need to respond with something like this:

We are Americans.

We are teachers, lawyers, bankers, and doctors.
We work in factories, warehouses, farmhouses and office buildings.
We attend sporting events, company picnics, church functions, and reunions.
...and we believe we are a united country.

We stand up and sing along when we hear the National Anthem and speak loudly when we recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
We know love and life-long commitment are the foundations of a family.
We honor those who dedicate their lives to serving and protecting our children, our families, and our freedom.
We honor those who gave their lives for freedom by respecting the freedom of our neighbors to live the lives they lead.
We know that God gives us the strength to succeed and the wisdom to know the difference between right and wrong.
We ask our teachers and parents to work together in order to help our children succeed.
We demand a maximum return for our tax investments and believe they should be used for the greater good.

We believe in the American birth-right of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
We believe in empowering and giving voices to all Americans.
We believe in is both a right and responsibility to speak out where we feel there is injustice.
We believe in the sanctity of nature and that the beauty of America must be preserved.
We believe in cultivating a culture of service where we develop stronger communities built on empathy.
We believe in working hard and embracing progress in order to ensure better opportunities for our children.
We believe in our cultural inheritance set forth by our founding fathers to never be satisfied with the status quo.
We believe in being a beacon of hope and integrity for the rest of the world.

We are hard-workers, free-thinkers and freedom-lovers.
We are Americans.

Take it, modify it, make it better but most of all BELIEVE IT and PASS IT AROUND because THIS IS WHAT WE STAND FOR!

Thanks so much!

Did you write it?

But feel free to pass it around and modify it, make it better - just start passing the word around that this is what we stand for.

basically, I just tried to capture the idea in a concise way that's easily understandable to everyone . . .

on edit: sorry, c-macdonald . . . but I don't recall seeing your post on this . . . glad you're on board with the idea, though . . .

I use the two terms interchangeably--but you make a good point. Anything that short-circuits the RW thinking in terms of dichotomies is a good thing. Thank you for the insight.

I have been referring to myself as democrat and/or progressive lately. The thing that gets me the most is that our party IE mindset are definitely the most conservative, fiscally as well as federally.
Kick.

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more?

You have rephrased. Now go attack.

From one Progressive to another.

NGU.

You can say "I'm progressive" all you want. Republicans will simply counter with "you're liberal." Then it will not only look like you're a liberal, but that you agree with them that "liberal" is something to be ashamed about, and that you're trying to deceive everyone by avoiding the title.

I agree with Chris Bowers over at MyDD. The only way we're going to regain our position in American politics is to "grow liberalism and shrink conservatism." And the only way we're going to do that is by a full-fledged attack upon conservatism and a full-spirited defense of liberalism -- in other words, by being proud to be liberals, not by trying to hide behind an alternative name which fools no one but yourself.

:grr:

with "permissive" in such an ingrained way that it will be impossible to change . . . I like the forward-looking implications of "progressive," as well as the contrast to the regressiveness of the right . . . and I'm sick of us allowing the Republicans to define us rather than us defining ourselves . . . Liberal/Conservative was their creation for their own purposes, and they've ridden it for over a quarter century . . . it's about time we defined ourselves, and on our own terms . . .

I prefer to just call myself a Democrat.

.

Progressive vs Regressive

Pro-choice vs Pro-birth (The Pro-birth factions see women as sub-human chattel and incubators)

NOT conservatives, but rather Regressive Theocons/Neocons (Theocon/Neocons being war-mongering, murderous religious zealots, rather like alQueda and binLaden. They're part of the PROBLEM, rather than part of the solution, which leads us back to the definition of Progressive vs Regressive)

(edited for punctuation)

What do you call those Americans who don't fit neatly in the Progressive/Regressive dichotomy?

Danger here: we could be falling into a Repuke false dichotomy trap.