what does liberal mean

[mama2one]

Liberal

“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.”
― John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage

 

[Richard T]

Sounds good but by today's standards, JFK would be conservative. Here is one site that agrees 21 Reasons JFK Was Actually A Conservative

Here is one quote of what he did with taxes. "In January 1963, Kennedy presented Congress with a tax proposal that would reduce the top marginal tax rate from 91 percent to 65 percent, and lower the corporate tax rate from 52 percent to 47 percent; in total, the cut was projected to decrease income taxes by about $10 billion and corporate taxes by about $3.5 . Kennedy also took a stand against communism and realized it was not in the best interests of the people (and still is not, though many contemporary democrats believe it will).

Here is Kennedy's speech about the Supreme Court's decision on prayer in schools. No contemporary liberal would have given such a speech.
President Kennedy (emphases added): “The Supreme Court has made its judgment, and a good many people obviously will disagree with it. Others will agree with it. But I think that it is important for us, if we are going to maintain our constitutional principle, that we support the Supreme Court decisions even when we may not agree with them.
“In addition, we have in this case a very easy remedy and that is to pray ourselves. And I would think that it would be a welcome reminder to every American family that we can pray a good deal more at home, we can attend our churches with a good deal more fidelity, and we can make the true meaning of prayer much more important in the lives of all of our children. That power is very much open to us. And I would hope that as a result of this derision that all American parents will intensify their efforts at home, and the rest of us will support the Constitution and the responsibility of the Supreme Court in interpreting it, which is theirs, and given to them by the Constitution.” Source

 

[Nithavela]

It is "the enemy", obviously. They must be owned.

 

[disciple Clint]

Liberal

“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.”
― John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage

We are no longer in the 60's, times change and so also have liberals.

 

[Albion]

As others were saying, JFK wasn't defining himself as a liberal so much as he was saying that "if" such and such is inherent in being a liberal, then he was one. But of course that was to pick out certain aspects of what is often claimed for liberalism and signing on to it and only it.

And to a certain extent, he was right. But only to the extent of the items he mentioned there; and today, the word connotes something that is not what liberalism meant in JFK's time and even less than whan what the word meant historically.

 

[Speedwell]

We are no longer in the 60's, times change and so also have liberals.

Right. Today it means an evil atheistic socialist who hates America and wants to destroy Judeo-Christian values. Alternatively, the term can be used to describe anyone who isn't a Trump-supporting right-wing Evangelical Christian.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I have found that most of those that I know who profess to be liberals are actually quite conservative.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

We are no longer in the 60's, times change and so also have liberals.

Lots of confusion in this regard. For example healthcare for all has replaced health for all. Very confusing. The new view is that the natural state is sickness, not health, and a such we need expensive medical care for everyone, so everyone has to ante-up to accommodate the new physical and political reality.

 

[Albion]

I have found that most of those that I know who profess to be liberals are actually quite conservative.

Or are they actually more like Libertarians?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Or are they actually more like Libertarians?

Not so much. They believe in the traditional conservative restraints.

 

[MIDutch]

I have found that most of those that I know who profess to be liberals are actually quite conservative.

Here in the United States, that is quite true.

Unfortunately, most United States Americans don't really know what the global political spectrum encompasses. Elsewhere around the world, US American Democrats in general are seen as center left at best.

 

[MIDutch]

Lots of confusion in this regard. For example healthcare for all has replaced health for all. Very confusing. The new view is that the natural state is sickness, not health, and a such we need expensive medical care for everyone, so everyone has to ante-up to accommodate the new physical and political reality.

Yeah, how horrible would that be:

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Liberal

“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.”
― John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage

Yes, It sounds right to me.

 

[Albion]

Not so much. They believe in the traditional conservative restraints.

"traditional conservative restraints??????"

 

[OldWiseGuy]

"traditional conservative restraints??????"

Otherwise known as propriety.

 

[Albion]

Otherwise known as propriety.

Those people you know are polite and have good manners?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Liberal

“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.”
― John F. Kennedy, Profiles in Courage

That's probably not what 'they' meant by 'a Liberal'.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Those people you know are polite and have good manners?

Propriety goes well beyond good manners.

 

[Albion]

So much so that they are virtually indistinguishable from conservatives. And unless the subject came up you'd never know they were liberals.

But is one's demeanor what these terms (conservative, liberal, centrist, progressive, etc.) refer to?

I'd say "no." Those are terms that describe political ideologies or sets of socio-political values.

It may be true that certain personality types are more often identified with one such political profile than with another, but don't you think that's really not what this discussion was about?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

But is one's demeanor what these terms (conservative, liberal, centrist, progressive, etc.) refer to?

I'd say "no." Those are terms that describe political ideologies or sets of socio-political values.

It may be true that certain personality types are more often identified with one such political profile than with another, but don't you think that's really not what this discussion was about?

Political and ideological differences often aren't apparent until the topics come up. People's general demeanor often belies their radical differences. If I were to put a 'face' on liberalism it would look starkly different than a conservative face.