Something interesting caught my eye....

WannaWitness · #1 7th February 2009, 11:01 AM

Looking up something in the dictionary, I stumbled across the intriguing term "limousine liberal", which is supposed to refers to one who loves to help underprivileged people and doesn't really understand their lives.

Has anybody else heard of this term? What do you think of it?

Just thought it would be interesting to hear what others have to say about it.

Nadiine · #2 8th February 2009, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by WannaWitness

Looking up something in the dictionary, I stumbled across the intriguing term "limousine liberal", which is supposed to refers to one who loves to help underprivileged people and doesn't really understand their lives.

Has anybody else heard of this term? What do you think of it?

Just thought it would be interesting to hear what others have to say about it.

I've never heard of that term before either.

I don't care who it is who wants to help the poor - I think it's great.
Even if the motive is wrong, people are still being helped.
I'm positive that if I was in dire need of $$ or food or shelter or
clothing, I wouldn't care what motive somebody had in helping me.

I don't think the term is "bad" . . if they give, that's great,, they don't
have to be spokespeople for anything & know the in's & out's of
something to care for the poor & needy.

Albion · #3 8th February 2009, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by WannaWitness

Looking up something in the dictionary, I stumbled across the intriguing term "limousine liberal", which is supposed to refers to one who loves to help underprivileged people and doesn't really understand their lives.

Has anybody else heard of this term? What do you think of it?

Just thought it would be interesting to hear what others have to say about it.

Yes, it's a well-known term. But unless one is really into politics it may be unfamiliar.

A limousine liberal, also called a country club liberal, is not just one who doesn't understand the poor. It refers to those liberals--or to liberals in general as a characterization of political liberalism--who advocate one thing for the average person but do something else themselves, generally because they can afford to. That's where the rich-poor reference enters in.

For example, they say they want the public schools to be improved, desegregated, etc. and teach whatever they think should be pushed (sex ed, evolution, etc.). They oppose vouchers for your kids to afford a different school, but do their own children attend public schools? Not on your life!

Jesse Jackson's kids didn't. Limousine liberals send theirs to private academies that are free from the problems that the average family complains about with public education.

They are for rezoning in your neighborhood since commercialism is progress, but they live in the exclusive suburbs where there is no possibility of that. You are told that we need to drive a subcompact or hybrid, but they drive Hummers and Jags to their meetings where they crusade for increased gasoline economy.

Al Gore and John Edwards want everything done to reduce wasting the environment's resources, but they both live in mansions that have 15 times the square footage (which must be heated and cooled) than the average person's home.

Limousine liberals are all for PETA and vegetarianism and cloth coats, but there is no place where you'll find more fur coats than at a Democratic Party convention.

You get the idea. They are quick to tell everyone else what they have to do, so long as it doesn't apply to the limousine liberal personally.

Secundulus · #4 8th February 2009, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Albion

You get the idea. They are quick to tell everyone else what they have to do, so long as it doesn't apply to the limousine liberal personally.

Kind of sounds like the secular version of a Pharisee.

Nadiine · #5 8th February 2009, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Albion

Yes, it's a well-known term. But unless one is really into politics it may be unfamiliar.

A limousine liberal, also called a country club liberal, is not just one who doesn't understand the poor. It refers to those liberals--or to liberals in general as a characterization of political liberalism--who advocate one thing for the average person but do something else themselves, generally because they can afford to. That's where the rich-poor reference enters in.

For example, they say they want the public schools to be improved, desegregated, etc. and teach whatever they think should be pushed (sex ed, evolution, etc.). They oppose vouchers for your kids to afford a different school, but do their own children attend public schools? Not on your life!

Jesse Jackson's kids didn't. Limousine liberals send theirs to private academies that are free from the problems that the average family complains about with public education.

They are for rezoning in your neighborhood since commercialism is progress, but they live in the exclusive suburbs where there is no possibility of that. You are told that we need to drive a subcompact or hybrid, but they drive Hummers and Jags to their meetings where they crusade for increased gasoline economy.

Al Gore and John Edwards want everything done to reduce wasting the environment's resources, but they both live in mansions that have 15 times the square footage (which must be heated and cooled) than the average person's home.

Limousine liberals are all for PETA and vegetarianism and cloth coats, but there is no place where you'll find more fur coats than at a Democratic Party convention.

You get the idea. They are quick to tell everyone else what they have to do, so long as it doesn't apply to the limousine liberal personally.

OHHHHHHHHHHH - now that puts an entire different light on my
understanding of the term..

if that's what's entailed with it, then I am against it becuz they're
the ones voting the harm in by promoting people who push the
nasty policies that keep these people in their misery.
so....
if this is true, then I'd have to say I do find offense to it.

Nadiine · #6 8th February 2009, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Secundulus

Kind of sounds like the secular version of a Pharisee.

it sure does

Tu Es Petrus · #7 8th February 2009, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by WannaWitness

Looking up something in the dictionary, I stumbled across the intriguing term "limousine liberal", which is supposed to refers to one who loves to help underprivileged people and doesn't really understand their lives.

Has anybody else heard of this term? What do you think of it?

Just thought it would be interesting to hear what others have to say about it.

Yep. Liberals are some of the richest politicians, like Kennedy.

Then there's the limousine environmentalist, like AlGore, who says there's too much polution as he zips around in his private jets.

ladyt28 · #8 9th February 2009, 01:15 AM

what kind of dictionary are you using?

LivingWordUnity · #9 9th February 2009, 03:51 AM

Originally Posted by WannaWitness

Looking up something in the dictionary, I stumbled across the intriguing term "limousine liberal", which is supposed to refers to one who loves to help underprivileged people and doesn't really understand their lives.

Has anybody else heard of this term? What do you think of it?

Just thought it would be interesting to hear what others have to say about it.

Someone I used to work with once tried to compare Oprah with Mother Teresa. I told him that the biggest difference is in whose name they do what they do in. Oprah takes all the credit for everything she does, she does everything in her own name. But Mother Teresa gives all the credit to Jesus.

Also, Mother Teresa would go and personally pick up dying people off the streets and minister to people who have leprosy and every other kind of disease, societies "untouchables". I've never heard of Oprah doing this. It's easy for a rich person to throw a bit of money at a cause and show up for the grand opening to take credit for it while still remaining filthy rich living on the other side of the world in a mansion or penthouse.
.

WannaWitness · #10 9th February 2009, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by ladyt28

what kind of dictionary are you using?

It's called "Webster's American Family Dictionary". I just ran across the term and found it intriguing (its alliteration was a bit catchy). I'm not one who understands politics very much (except for maybe very basic), and figured that there were some here that might be able to, well, "satisfy my curiosity".

I truly hope this thread doesn't offend anyone.