Reply #11: The problem is that the meanings differ according to who is making the distinction. [View All]

[porphyrian]

A big problem has been the pull to the right the entire country has experienced since reagan got elected. Conservative Democrats like to think of themselves as "moderate," although that is often an exaggeration as they might accept right wing policies, such as opposition to gay marriage. These people like to call any Democrats that disagree with them "liberals" or the "loony left," attempting to distance themselves from the Democratic base by pushing further to the right. The republicans have successfully manipulated the public perception of the word "liberal" to mean something negative, so when they use it, it is nearly profanity. There is also a distinction between "liberal" and "Liberal," as the latter refers to a specific group (that is clergy-related, I think).