What do YOU think a liberal is?

[SwedishMeatball]

Nice job of showing an extremist mindset at it's finest.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I wish I could properly cite the original source of this, but I think it speaks volumes and sums up the debate in this thread pefectly....

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JOE REPUBLICAN
Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. With his first swallow of coffee, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe to take because some stupid commie liberal fought to insure their safety and that they work as advertised. All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance - now Joe gets it too.

He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry. In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents because some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.

Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some environmentalist wacko liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air. He walks to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his workday. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some lazy liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some stupid liberal didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It's noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FDIC because some godless liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression. Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.

Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards. He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until some big-government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

He is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that the beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.

Joe agrees: "We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our
lives! After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."

I can hear the screams already. But I wonder if any of the conservatives who read this and flinch will be able to show a similar list about "Sally the Democrat."

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I can hear the screams already. But I wonder if any of the conservatives who read this and flinch will be able to show a similar list about "Sally the Democrat."

What's a word that implies being pious, without any religious overtones?? Because that's how that entire post strikes me. Everything good we have ever achieved is owed to a liberal. Alrighty then. Our government is a success more because we have both groups than not. Examples could be shown how if conservatives hadn't balanced out some of the above, they could have easily moved too far in the extreme. If it makes someone feel better though to think they have all the answers, then just keep patting each other on the back and feeling sorry for the rest of us ignorant fools who have yet to see the light.

 

[dejr_8]

Liberals have a mommy mentality and want to use the government to solve all of the world’s problems. {come here and mommy will kiss your boo-boo}

Conservatives have a daddy mentality and want people to take personal responsibility for their actions. {suck it up kid and be tough}

 

[dcentity2000]

Deserves a repost for great justice.

Rich::

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Have I mentioned that I think stereotypes suck?? I think people are way more complex for such simple labels. Don't have a conversation or two with me, much less just look at me, and try to determine who you think I am in a nutshell.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I think the converse to MuggMann's story is the one that appears here now and again about the Little Red Hen-nobody helps her, but everyone wants the fruits of her labor.

 

[salmoneous]

The short answer for me is that someone from the liberal perspective believes that the government is the best solution to all of society's problems.

I'm a solid liberal. Known tons of liberals my whole life. I've never met one who felt this way. Where did you get this idea?

 

[dcentity2000]

I'm a solid liberal. Known tons of liberals my whole life. I've never met one who felt this way. Where did you get this idea?

I think there's a certain amount of confusion between liberalism and socialism.

The extreme of conservatism is fascism, the extreme of liberalism is anarchy and the extreme of socialism is communism.



Rich::

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I'm a solid liberal. Known tons of liberals my whole life. I've never met one who felt this way. Where did you get this idea?

Not to speak for Fitswimmer, but perhaps replace "solution" with "implementation".

 

[salmoneous]

To me when I hear "liberal" what it means is any sex is good (sex w/o love or commitment), welfare help w/o end, rehabilitation for all is possible and only more money is needed to turn anyone around, and no war is ever warranted..

I'm starting to believe that some of you have never met a liberal, or at least never listened to what they actually believe.

 

[salmoneous]

Not to speak for Fitswimmer, but perhaps replace "solution" with "implementation".

And you would still get to a statement that no liberal I've ever met believes. Have you ever met somebody who said the government is the best implementation for all society's problems?

 

[TDC Nala]

Good grief they're not the lowest form of life on earth. Okay, some of them are. And some conservatives are.

I'm probably pretty liberal about some things but not about others. I'm not altruistic enough to be a true liberal. And I work for the government so I know it sure isn't the answer to everything. In fact, it's not the answer to much.

Probably I am closer to libertarian. Leave me the heck alone and let me decide for myself and spend my own money.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

And you would still get to a statement that no liberal I've ever met believes. Have you ever met somebody who said the government is the best implementation for all society's problems?

Yes.

 

[salmoneous]

Here's a government program that spends $50 million a year telling people to not have sex. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-10-30-abstinence-message_x.htm

Find me a liberal who thinks this is a good idea. Liberals and conservative both think that some things are the business of the government and that other things aren't. They just disagree about which is which.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I'm a solid liberal. Known tons of liberals my whole life. I've never met one who felt this way. Where did you get this idea?

From the NY Times (which I read every day) and my liberal friends, who believe that government control of education, health care, and more programs for the poor will improve our lives. It doesn't matter that these programs are rife with fraud, waste and abuse and are only marginally effective -keep throwing MORE money at them and they'll get better. Any discussion of tying funding to results is loudly decried. You should hear my teacher friends about No Child Left Behind or any other attempt at measurement! It doesn't matter either that the welfare programs we have do a better job of keeping people stuck than helping them improve their lives. Keep throwing more money at them, don't change a thing.

The funniest thing is that even as these same folks are decrying the failures of government, they're calling for it to have more influence. If the government is screwing everything up so badly, why keep giving it more to do?

 

[disney4us2002]

I'm starting to believe that some of you have never met a liberal, or at least never listened to what they actually believe.

Since you quoted me, I'll answer. I am a social worker for the state. I am the only registered Republican in my office of 37 other social workers. I hear what they say every single day of the week. Our governor in November changed from Rep. to Dem. and not one of the afore-mentioned coworkers knew much about the Dem. before they voted for him. Every one that shared their opinion said it was about a message to GWB. Ehrlich was doing a good job at turning this state around financially. He had a pretty high approval rating before the election and even, to my surprise, got the endorsement of the Washington Post.

I know liberals.

 

[jodifla]

Liberals are progressives. They want to keep moving the country and its people forward.

Conservatives think about only two things in general: How to legislate people to follow their brand of religion, and how not to contribute money in taxes so it doesn't go to those darn immigrants, blacks, gays, women libbers, welfare cheats, illigitmate children, and old people who are ruining the whole country.

 

[jodifla]

Perfect post, Mugg Man. Unfortunately, conservatives can't appreciate it. They're sure they'd rather have cash in their pockets than clean water to drink and pure air to breathe.

 

[TDC Nala]

Liberals are progressives. They want to keep moving the country and its people forward.

Conservatives think about only two things in general: How to legislate people to follow their brand of religion, and how not to contribute money in taxes so it doesn't go to those darn immigrants, blacks, gays, women libbers, welfare cheats, illigitmate children, and old people who are ruining the whole country.

This is a bit of a simplistic view.