"What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?"

[TruthIsAll]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/presidents/35_kennedy/psources/ps_nyliberal.html

Acceptance of the New York Liberal Party Nomination
September 14, 1960

What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?" If by "Liberal" they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of "Liberal." But if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."

But first, I would like to say what I understand the word "Liberal" to mean and explain in the process why I consider myself to be a "Liberal," and what it means in the presidential election of 1960.

In short, having set forth my view -- I hope for all time -- two nights ago in Houston, on the proper relationship between church and state, I want to take the opportunity to set forth my views on the proper relationship between the state and the citizen. This is my political credo:

I believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, in human liberty as the source of national action, in the human heart as the source of national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and our ideas. It is, I believe, the faith in our fellow citizens as individuals and as people that lies at the heart of the liberal faith. For liberalism is not so much a party creed or set of fixed platform promises as it is an attitude of mind and heart, a faith in man's ability through the experiences of his reason and judgment to increase for himself and his fellow men the amount of justice and freedom and brotherhood which all human life deserves.

more......

[Lefty48197]

1. To the right wingers, "liberal" means anyone who

doesn't march lock-step with their agenda. They want to make people associate ALL Democrats with the few far left groups.

[pippin]

2. the fat heads don't know

what the worde means because they're too underinformed and unread. They just mouth Rush et al because they think it's a dirty word and use it as a generalized invective for any one who doesn't agree with them.

[leftyandproud]

3. I have actually asked right wingers this..

and they mean it in terms of economic issues...in terms of SPENDING...We are supposedly LIBERAL with tax money..free spenders...giving it away...give away "their" money to people who didn't earn it. They want someone who will be "conservative" with their money..."conserve" the cash washington has and give it back in tax cuts, rather than liberally doling it out. Of course, the GOP is the ultimate liberal party these days...spending billions we don't have and racking up record debt...but they somehow ignore this..

[maggrwaggr]

4. well, go to this site and you'll see how Gingrich made it a bad word

go here, see the list of buzzwords that Gingrich and his cronies made into "bad" words as opposed to "good" words, and "liberal" is on the list of bad words.

It's really interesting.

http://www.littlepiggy.net/advertising/newt.php

[SoCalDem]

5. It's "code-speak" for immoral

"Liberal" is the new "communist".. :(..

As much as I feel they need labeling, I do not like the term "neo-con".. It does not ring a bell with the masses..
Liberal does, and when it has the intonation of a slur, there can be no mistaking the intent..

I would prefer labeling republicans as "regressive republicans" or reactionary or even victorian..

After Nixon went down in flames, the base of the republican party set about undermining and demonizing the democrats and they never stop..

[Pinko Commie]

8. But I do like "con"...

Like calling them "cons", since most of them do belong in prison.

Or like talking about the "con economic policy".

[Hippo_Tron]

6. Communist...

Is the word they are looking for without being too harsh. If they'd actually stop and look at what Bill Clinton did during his presidency they'd find the the democrats are quite far from communists.

[TruthIsAll]

7. Positive Kick. Liberals are Back! And we're gonna kick their ass! n/t

.

[kodi]

9. you left out the most important part.

"Our responsibility is not discharged by announcement of virtuous ends. Our responsibility is to achieve these objectives with social invention, with political skill, and executive vigor."

in other words: "talk's cheap."

[TruthIsAll]

10. Keep on kicking...

JFK was a liberal...Bush is a criminal!
Say it LOUD!
JFK was a liberal...Bush is a criminal!
Say it LOUD!
JFK was a liberal...Bush is a criminal!
Say it LOUD!
JFK was a liberal...Bush is a criminal!
Say it LOUD!

[tinanator]

11. thats easy

they mean "nigger".
what do our centrist compatriots mean is a more interesting question.