Do you identify as a "liberal"? If so...

Could you respond to this thread with a short list of 5 principles that you hold as core to your value system?

Not necessarily the "top 5". I think it would be really interesting (for me) to try and get an idea of what underpins the views of the liberals on this board.

Thank you.

(The observant among you will notice that there is another thread with a similar title. Some of you liberal guys showed up with lists of liberal ideas on the "progressive" version of this thread. Sorry to make you do the work again, BUT, I like things in nicely separated lists ad I like threads to stay in topic!)

Gay rights (marriage, adopting children)

Pro choice

Equal pay for equal work

Pro environment

No black box voting

1.- Honor your father and mother

2.- Do not murder

3.- Do not commit adultery

4.- Do not steal

5.- Do not bear false witness against your neighbor

Equal rights

Equality of opportunity

A strong safety net

A foreign policy focused on peace

Wealthy have an obligation to give back to society.

Liberals: Believe in freedom

Progressives: Believe in "progress."

While they do often overlap, progressives tend to be less ideological and more practical in their approaches to society's ills. They also worship education and have a mild elitist bent.

It's only what one wishes to call oneself.

A right to:

* A job with a living wage
* Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies
* A home
* Medical care
* Education
* Recreation

FDR's Second Bill of Rights.

Plus all the stuff in the First Bill of Rights.

That's it.

on t'other thread.

Sheesh.

But I see libertarianism (except the extreme form of "fuck you, I got mine") and liberalism go very well together - people SHOULD be able to do what they want unless they aren't fucking over someone else to do it.

Want to own a gun? Fine, don't shoot people with it, and don't leave it out where others can grab it.

Want to drive fast? Too bad - it affects other people on the road and puts them in danger.

Want to marry someone of the same gender? Fine with me.

Want to commit adultery? If it's okay with your spouse and the person you're adulterating with, have at it.




Some people seem to have a difficult time with wanting to do what THEY want to do while at the same allowing that others might not be interested in it, or might wish to do something that THEY find repulsive.

It's a maturity/differentiation thing.

Not to mention that from my point of view, "moderate" also encompasses most of the territory occupied by both "liberal" and "progressive." However, that having been said, I'll give it a go:

Respect: for people, for the planet and its species, and cultures around the world
Economic equity: to the extent one's influence extends
Balance: between the public and private sectors as societal engines
Resistance: to cronyism, inequity, and corporate/governmental malfeasance
Security: from harm, whether from public or private sources, and intentional or inadvertent (this one's clearly aspirational)

But wasn't clear on one difference that's cropped up in this little experiment, some self-identified progressives have favoured incremental change over "radical" change, that seems key. I didn't know that this was part of progressivism as the term "progressive" doesn't really exist in my country.

I've interpreted it to mean "not married to traditional liberal issues, but more broadly interested in the advancement of the human condition" . . . or some such.

1- the environment
2-helping the poor (healthcare ,education,housing, etc.)
3- make love, not war :)
4- let people be who they want to be, love who they want to love, believe or not believe any given religion they want, and shut the hell up and leave them alone if what they are doing isn't harming you or anyone else (or the environment) !
5- love everyone! end racism, sexism, and all other bigotry and intolerance
extra credit- did I mention the environment????????

:D :grouphug:

I'll add an additional sixth one for you.

• Freedom to be sole master over one's own life/body which includes ingesting whatever intoxicants one desires, right for women to choose an abortion, equal marriage rights for all, etc.
  
  
• Freedom of expression without persecution by government.
  
  
• A progressive tax system where the wealthy, who benefit more from our public infrastructure and natural resources, pay a higher rate of taxes.
  
  
• Social services providing public utilities, public highways, public parks, public education (primary & secondary), public emergency services, public healthcare, public correctional services, welfare assistance and public transportation.
  
  
• Right to a job and a livable wage even if we have to design a government system to provide employment in all sectors of employment for those out of work in the private sector.
  
  
• No use of military forces without a congressional declaration of war after holding publicly aired debates with the only exception being to repel an attack on U.S. soil. In the later case a congressional declaration of war with publicly aired debates will be required in a timely manner after committing military forces to repel an attack.

own health care).

2. Strong social welfare system.

3. Pro-choice.

4. Strong public educational system

5. Strong public works system.

1. no legislation of personal consensual behavior which does not cause acute harm of self or others.
note the qualifiers: "consensual", implying a legal ability to give consent, "acute" means no folderol about how
pot makes you lethargic, gay sex gives you loose bowels, or porn makes you unproductive at work
2. social structure, business and government exist solely to serve the people's interest and are subordinate to it. SERVE.
3. behind it all, the code of human rights: living things are beholden to no one for justifying or getting approval for their
existence.

Note that this does not fit the old European definition of 'liberal'.

2. Workers' rights
3. Diplomacy before war
4. Environmental protection
5. Individual liberties

1. i am a peacenik
2. i am anti-racist
3. feminist
4. i believe in civil rights for everybody, and
5. i believe in love