The Greatest Liberals In American History And What They Did For Our Country

[UrbScotty]

Republicans have villainized liberals for three decades now. They have made efforts over that period of time to tear apart the policies that liberals instituted since the founding of America. Many liberals sought to make this country the greatest nation on the face of the Earth, and now Republicans are destroying what they built. Here is a list of the greatest liberals in American history and what they did to make our nation great.

The entire list is a great read and includes several Presidents (including John and John Quincy Adams, Washington, Lincoln, Wilson, LBJ, both Roosevelts) and many champions for equality and social justice (Anthony, Stanton, Chavez, King, etc.).

The article concludes:

The United States of America was the first country to be founded on the liberal ideas of John Locke and other philosophers of the Enlightenment, with no monarchy, no hereditary aristocracy, and no established religion. The American Bill of Rights guarantees every citizen the freedoms advocated by the liberal philosophers: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, the right to gather in peaceful assembly, the right to petition the government for redress of grievances, and the right to bear arms, among other freedoms and rights. In this sense, virtually all Americans are liberals. Many liberals have rose to prominence to shape American history. These great liberals took on the causes of the poor, the disenfranchised, the sick, the hungry, the homeless, and the jobless and molded America into a place where they too could thrive and have opportunities. Because of American liberalism, the United States became a nation of compassion, innovation, freedom, opportunity, ideas, wealth, equality, and respect envied throughout the world.

But America is now under assault by a political philosophy known as conservatism. Conservatism has never been successful in this country. It has only led to some of the darkest periods in American history. The Civil War, the Great Depression, and now this last decade are all due to rampant conservatism. The cause of the situation today can be traced all the way back to a day in January 1981, when a man named Ronald Reagan took office and began a slow and systematic purge of liberal policies and programs that built this nation. For the last thirty years, the infrastructure and foundation of America has been taken apart brick by brick. And now, conservatives are poised to use a wrecking ball to bring the remainder of the house down. America needs a strong liberal President once again to rebuild what the conservatives have torn down to suit their own personal and monetary interests. Being liberal is an American tradition. Liberals have always looked forward. They are men and women of vision who seek to make the government work for everyone. Liberals give a voice to those who previously had none. They give people hope and dare to dream of things that could be. And it’s time to return to that tradition before all is lost.

One of the best articles I've read in a LONG time!

[tblue]

1. How we need them now!

We are in dire straits and getting back on our feet feels impossible. But it's not the first time.

[sense]

2. Link?

[exboyfil]

3. Wilson a liberal?

Given the context of his time he was one of the most racist presidents we ever had. He complained bitterly about T. Roosevelt having Booker T. Washington in the White House for dinner. His actions both as president of Princeton and as the U.S. president showed deep racism as he attempted to exclude access for African Americans to positions and jobs. You may argue he was a man of his times, but T. Roosevelt had already broke the ice for better racial relations. Wilson regressed in those relationships.

His 14 points were only for Europeans (just ask Ho Chi Minh). He got us into a war we had no business being in (hardly an action of a liberal).

Thomas Jefferson, who was a man of his time and flawed, still is a much greater liberal than Wilson. The opening paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, according to Joseph Ellis, echoes most of the social progress we have seen the last two plus centuries.

Both Adams, both Roosevelts, and Washington rightly deserve to be on the list, but I would never include Wilson. He is the most overrated president in history.

[Scruffy1]

5. And throwing labor leaders in prison.

The Espionage Act of 1917 and its amendments known as the Sedition Act of 1918 led to the arrest and imprisonement of Eugene Debs, Bill Heywood and hundreds of other labor leaders and members. In my opinion it was the biggest set back that the labor movement suffered until the passage of Taft Hartley in 1948. The lack of any strong national voice for labor had a lot to do with the great transfer of wealth that occurred during and after World War I and of course had a
a role in the subsequent crash and depression.
How this evil anti worker racist war monger gets white washed by history always amazes me.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

6. I was thinking the same thing.

Also, putting people in jail for being anti-war is hardly a "liberal" or progressive thing to do.

[NorthCarolina]

4. Can you post a link for that article?

I would love to read it, and possibly tweet it around.

[pepperbear]

7. link to article....

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/09/03/the-greatest-liberals-in-american-history-and-what-they-did-for-our-country/