What is your definition of a Liberal and how did it come about?
915299
Liberal is the abolition of  regulation so that a person could do what he wants.
156556
You're not a Liberalist, if you know nothing about it.\n\nAnyway, I will try to simplify. Liberalism is the believe that the individual should be free of society and government restriction as long as he  (in the earlier liberalism was based on free men; women, children and slaves weren't included) respect and stop at the others' freedom. Liberty is postive freedom. Liberalism is in favour of individualism. Usually Liberalism is seen to include capitalism.\n\nHope that will help.
411992
political viewpoints tend to get divided. i am an economic liberal which comes awfully close to communism because i believe in sharing the wealth and helping out your neighbor. However i am a moral conservative because i am against things like gay rights, immigration, and lots of other political questions that fall on the moral side.
793342
Liberal, in a sense means free, therefore; liberals are those in government who believe more in states rights and less in a  central government. The lines today are skewed and there is no longer an extreme difference between a liberal and a republican. There are liberal republicans and conservative republicans, and just as well there are liberal democrats and conservative democrats. The difference you should be looking for is between liberals and conservatives not liberals and republicans. Some may argue though, and those who argue are truly conservative republicans. In essence the conservative issues are pro life as opposed to pro choice, centralized government as opposed to states rights, opposition to gay marriage and basically any view to an issue that adheres to the way things have been done in the past, or in other words, views that are opposed to change. Lliberal views are just the opposite, those that welcome change and leave more choice in the direction of the country to the people.
1007442
Don't be sad. It makes me laugh when people throw the word "liberal" around like it's an insult. "You...you...LIBERAL, you." Not quite on par with calling someone a m*therf*cker, is it?
840936
Seems to me you have the definition of liberal confused with pro-activists persons. Pro-activism does not necessarily mean liberal. If that were true, anti-abortionists and anti-gun control protesters would be considered liberal.\n\nI consider myself a FAR LEFT liberal because I am a constitutionalists. It is that simple.\n\nIf you go by the constitution, you would be pro-gay marriage, pro-choice, pro-gun, pro-free speech, pro-flag burning, anti-prayer in public schools, etc... all of which have been settled in the courts based on the constitution.\n\nAlways gets me when rightwingers say us liberals hate America when they are the ones that don't love the civil liberties within the constitution.
911821
I love the FACT that genuine liberals (not to be confused with "Democrats") are peace and dignity oriented and do not approve of violence and do not approve of preparations for violence.  \n\nBy my definition, only about fifteen percent of Americans are genuinely liberal: opposing all forms of punitive and oppressive legislation; opposing the death penalty and supporting strong gun control laws. Only about 15 percent. We all tend to appreciate similars over dissimilars, and I am no exception: I love them most!!
1032320
I started off voting Republican (Reagan in '84), switched to Democrat ('88-'96), voted Green (Nader in 2000) and voted for a Democrat (not Kerry) in 2004. I lean, surprisingly, to the right. I've always considered myself a liberal until I learned what "classic conservativism" is. I am more conservative than a lot of self-proclaimed conservatives. I believe in small government and reduced debt (thus the Clinton votes in '92 and '96) less government restrictions (Nader 2000), and a strong military (thus my vote against Kerry and Bush in '04), all "classic conservative" traits.\n\nThe terms liberal and conservative have little meaning anymore. True liberalism would be socialism or communism,and these parties are not as active in the US as they are in Europe.
967243
Being a liberal is being a constitutionalists. Being a conservativist is more difficult to define precisely due to the different categories of conservatism.  There is the so-called compassionate conservative, the fiscally conservative and lastly there is the socially conservative.\n\nIn an attempt to answer your question, I will elaborate on my personal liberal reasons for leaning far left.\n\nI believe in freedom of speech, separation of church and state, a person's right to bear arms, in the Bill of Rights making all ppl equal and believe that minorities should not be discriminated against, etc... I believe in the constitution and fully support this great nation's Supreme Court's interpretation of it. \n\nI do NOT believe in majority rule or changing the constitution just because the majority says so. \n\nI believe this country CORE value is the right of the ONE!\n\nIn more detail, here is why I am a 'liberal' and a democrat:\n\n- I believe in war as a last resort or unless we or an ally have been attacked. IEs, Gulf War and Pearl Harbor\n- I believe in UN support and if the UN is corrupt, instead of bailing on them, fix it.\n- I believe we have a duty to pay our elderly social security because they paid those funds when they were working. That is like robbing them if we do not pay it back.\n- I do not believe trickle down economics of Reagan, Bush Sr, and Bush Jr works. It never works. I believe in Clinton's economic system that is commonly referred to as Pay-As-You-Go... I believe in fiscal responsibility to not burden our children with our large debts.\n- I believe in FDR's New Deal that the republican party has been trying to destroy piece by piece.\n- I believe our social programs that keep families from living under bridges prevent us from becoming a 3rd world country.\n- I believe in welfare but I also believe in Clinton's welfare reform where it is limited to 2 to 3 years in a lifetime. This prevents ppl from living on it their entire life; thereby, prevents welfare abuse.\n- I believe in universal healthcare because a healthy nation is a powerful nation and also the pharmcy/insurance companies are corrupt.\n- I believe in government regulation of monopolies such as power/energy, cable and telephone companies. Everytime the government deregulates these industries, they promise the price will go down but it never does... it always increases thereby increases the cost of living.\n- I do not believe in making laws that violate constiutional rights... such as the Patriot Act or even seatbelt laws.\n- I do not believe in making new laws everytime a problem arises; but rather, to fix the problem.\n- I believe in gay marriage because gay ppl pay taxes too and heteorsexual couples should not be given special rights by the states just because they are straight. Otherwise take away those special rights and don't allow the state to recognize anyone's marriage.\n- I believe in a woman's right to choose because just as the Supreme Court has ruled, a woman has a constitutional right to privacy over what happens to her body.\n- I believe in the right to own a gun because it is a constitutional right.\n- I believe in the constitution 110% and the liberties it allows each citizen.\n- I am anti-illegal immigration because simply, they break the law by entering illegally therefore are criminals.\n- I believe in complete separation of church and state per the constitution and as interpreted by Thomas Jefferson who stated, "thus building a wall of separation between Church and State"\n- I believe in SMALL GOVERNMENT in terms of big brother staying the hell out of my business. I've never participated in a census and refuse to. I am a LIBERAL and believe government has NO RIGHT to stick its nose in my business.
1170788
Saying "convservatives" or "liberals" are uneducated is a gross generalisation. It always means that the person saying it has encountered a head strong idiot with particular views that oppose theirs. \n\nThat said, most self proclaimed "conservatives" or "liberals" are idiots. Nothing wrong with having views on an issue, but ask yourself how you came to have those views. \n\nAs Chris Rock once said: "Any person who declares a stance on an issue before examining the issue itself is an idiot."
1026341
Log on to http://politicalcompass.jpagel.net/\n\nLiberal has many definitions, just ask Merriam-Webster. But the answer you are looking for is "left-winger" or "socialist".\n\nOn the economic scale, liberals prefer government authority to intervene and engineer the economy, to take private property through taxation and the rights of the individual through regulation, in order to create a more "fair" society. This means if I own a business, and you own nothing, you are somehow entitled to the money I earn.\n\nOn the social scale, liberals prefer less government authority, in other words, they wish to legalize all behavior which is considered to be immoral and is currently illegal. (such as the use of hard drugs, all forms of gambling, all forms of sexual perversion). On the one hand, they like government intervention when it suits thier pocketbook, but they dislike it when the government restricts thier addictive behaviors.\n\nThese definitions may seem to have a conservative bias to them. However, we are only speaking in generalities. There are "liberal" groups which I support, such as People for the ethical treatment of animals (PETA), and non-biased environmentalist groups. I also do not support government regulation of our freedom of speech.\n\nSome would consider the so-called right to be liberal, because conservatives are in favor of the free market, or laizee-faire (sp?) capitalism. They support the right to own private property and engage in private business. Privacy is a very liberal concept, whereas statism (public regulation) is a very communist (authoritarian) concept.\n\nAnd while most conservatives frown on many different kinds of immoral behavior, we all support the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair and speedy trial, the right to an attorney, the right to appeal, the right to a jury of your peers, and all other constitutional rights, which makes us the most progressive people on the planet, unless you consider child pornography or drug abuse "progress" or "enlightened".\n\nThat might help you understand the difference between left-wing authoritarianism and liberalism, as well as the difference between the so-called left and the so-called right.\n\nLiberals, before you attack me, go to the link provided above, and fill out the simple questionaire. On the political spectrum, I am an absolute centrist, not left-winger or a right-winger, nor am I an authoritarian nor a libertarian. Therefore I am neither extremist nor biased.\n\nThere is no such thing as a simple dichotomy between liberals and conservatives. The fact is, the definitions overlap all too frequently to declare one to be completely opposed to the other.\nThere is more to politics than "Democrat good, Republican bad".\n\nIf you are a moderate you support neither extreme liberalism nor extreme communism (they are directly opposed, one supports total freedom, the other total government), which would make you a conservative, which definiton means "moderate" or "rational". I would define conservatism as centrism and objectivism (look it up).\n\nThis does not mean all people who are labeled "conservative" are moderate or rational. There are plenty of theocrats out there who believe that thier view of God and only thier view should be law. There are plenty of "conservatives" who are actually libertarians who want to legalize and deregulate everything, which would be both a disaster for the environment, and for our moral standards.\n\nFootnote:\nIf all you can do is attack me for my opinion, then you are not a liberal, because liberals are supposed to be open-minded and tolerant people. Why so much hatred, then? I don't hate liberals. I just disagree with political extremism on the left and the right.
1037465
Since you asked...my definition of "liberal" is one who believes in government sponsored programs designed to provide benefits such as healthcare, financial aid, and education to individuals in low income brackets.  This is accomplished by high tax rates on the upper level income earners.  They profess a belief in a strong middle class, have an aversion to corporations and "big business" and feel that privacy is the most important thing, other than helping the poor.\n\nConservatives are people who believe in business, big and small and feel that the money they earn should be retained by them, not spent on others.  They believe that since the highest income earners are also usually the ones who employ the middle and lower class, they should get a break because without them, there wouldn't be jobs.  Pro-gun, pro-military, agressive foreign policy (shoot first ask questions later).  They also believe in personal liberty, but often see compromises with that liberty as okay when it's for the good of the country.\n\nMe, I'm a Libertarian.  I am definitely more right than left, but I see that conservatives and liberals both have screwed up the government.  Neither one is in touch with anything except their bank accounts and hate.  I think I can stomach the right more because the views are a little more in line with mine and democrats (I'm gonna say it)...are hypocrites.
927159
The way you have defined it, I don't think there are any "hardcore leftist- Liberals" anymore.\n\nIt sounds more like what you're trying to do is to strawman anyone who is not like you into supporting all those bizarre positions.
706440
intillectual liberals? isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?
57518
Conservatives are Liberals who have been mugged;\nModerates are what Liberals claim they are;\nLibertarians are against any governmental restrictions;\n\nApathetic is just a state of mind -- they don't care
477822
1. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. \nFavoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. \nOf, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism. \nLiberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. \n\nTending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor. \nGenerous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes. \nNot strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation. \nOf, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education.
1110600
Though I am not a liberal, I have found that wacko conservatives are more stubborn know it alls than are liberals. Personally, I think both are retarded, but that's just the opinion of a hard line moderate.