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| Source:Genetic Identity- Sounds like the liberal defense of property rights. Which is what all actual Liberals believe in. Unlike Socialists, who get called Liberals. |
If you watch this video, it should give you a pretty good idea of what liberalism is. And the point that it makes that most people have liberal leanings, at least up to a certain point including Conservatives.
If you believe in individual liberty of any kind, you have at least one liberal view. And then it's a question of how liberal you are.
Take, me I'm very liberal I'm pretty far to the left, (in the classical sense) because I believe in a lot of individual liberty. That innocent people (free adults that is) have the right to live their own lives as they see fit. As long as they are not hurting anyone else with their freedom and they can pay for their own actions. And then be held accountable for their actions. I'm definitely a Liberal not a Centrist. I'm basically one step away from being a libertarian, you could even call me a Liberal Libertarian and be accurate. And I'm miles away from being a Socialist. Actually, at least one plane fight way from socialist, whether it's a Marxist or a Democratic Socialist.
One thing thats wrong in this video is when they talk about the difference that Liberals and Conservatives have when it comes to so-called free markets.
This video suggested that Liberals and Conservatives both believe in free markets. That part is true.
And it suggested that Conservatives believe that people should be allowed to be rewarded for the good decisions that it makes in the market. Thats true.
As well and also suffer the consequences of their bad decisions in the market as well. Thats also true.
Thats called accountability something I mentioned earlier.
This video also mentioned that Liberals believe that people should be rewarded for their correct decisions in the market as well. Which is also true, but then suggested that government meaning taxpayers should bail people out when they make bad decisions. And I'm thinking of TARP of course of 2008, thats flat false! Liberals believe in accountability as I just mentioned.
Liberal and libertarian both come from the word liberty. And when you're talking in a political sense that means individual liberty.
Liberal does not mean collectivism or rob the rich to pay for the poor. Or democratic socialism having a large welfare state to take care of people. These are all Democratic Socialists beliefs that we are only as strong as our weakest link and that we should meaning government through tax revenue. Take care of the weak, etc.
Liberals however believe that free people in a free society like America, should have the freedom to take care of themselves. And make these decisions for themselves on their own as long as they are not hurting anyone else with their freedom. And then government should come in like take the market to use as an example, to punish people who abuse innocent people. As well as empower people who fall through cracks and can't take care of themselves. Thats what separates Liberals such as myself from Libertarians.
I've lost count of how many times I've been called a libertarian. (Not that math was ever my best subject) I'm not, I'm a Liberal and they are different. Liberalism/liberal democracy is a beautiful philosophy because it puts the power in the hands of the people,e not the special few or government. And then we lend some of this power through the U.S. Constitution to do the things that government can do better than free people on their own. And thats why I'm a Liberal.
The only thing I'm interested in politically when it comes down to a liberal amount of (fill in the blank) is a liberal amount of freedom and responsibility. Part of freedom is security in the sense that we don't have to worry about being physically, or financially hurt on a regular basis. And that is a an important role of government to protect the innocent from predators.
But where government can hurt people's freedom is to try to do for people what they can do for themselves. Like trying to make their health care, or other financial decisions for them. Or personal decisions in how we live our own personal lives like how we communicate with people. That is where Liberals tend to separate from Socialists and Communists on the Left and the Religious-Right and Nationalists on the Right.
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