One of the main reasons I’m not a Democrat

[Room101]

One of the main reasons I’m not a Democrat is because of the highjacking of the word liberal. Or more accurately the giving away of the word by the Democratic establishment (are they really liberal?) It’s much more than a word it’s who we are and what we stand for.

The Right has attached a stigma to the word liberal and it drives me nuts!
The label “Massachusetts liberal” is a compliment in my eyes and yet the right uses it as an insult.

Could you image if someone on the left said that “South Carolina conservative” in an insulting way?

The next time a right-winger (Bush cabal) calls Kerry or Edwards a “Liberal” as an insult I wish they would point out that liberalism is responsible for the GI Bill, Labor Laws, Environmental protection, Social Security, Civil rights movement, Women's right to vote, Family and Medical Leave Act, ……

So is the (Bush cabal) against all the above mentioned accomplishments of liberals? (Obvious answer, yes) The Democratic Party needs to ask these questions and put the right on the defensive! If the Democratic establishment (are they all that liberal?) Would reclaim the word and ideas of Liberalism it would make my heart tingle to say the least.

[Woody Guthrie]

1. We can thank Rush

for that. He's solely responsible for making the word 'liberal' a negative connotation. Repeating over and over for years to his ilk has been pretty effective..

[bigwillq]

2. Hello Woody

Welcome to DU!

[Shakespeare]

5. Oh, it started long before Rush.

Try Reagan, c. 1979.

[Piperay]

14. Plus Dukasis

who let that insult go by without ever rebutting it when he ran. :mad:

EDIT: spelling

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. Damn straight!

Dukakis, the weenie, let it slide, and then it showed the world that, wow, the democrats are EMBARASSED by being called "liberals"!

I don't know why we even ran that guy.

But you're right - if Dukakis had responded, the word "liberal" wouldn't be a swear word now.

[PoliticsSportsMusic]

3. I agree with all you say....

but the best way to reform the political landscape is from within the Democratic party. *ush has gotten to people...there is a grassroots feel to the Democratic party right now....granted after we take the WH we need to hold our leaders feet to the fire....can't just vote then go to sleep...HOLD OUR LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE! Don't act like repugs.

[Trajan]

16. Definitely ...

I am a Democrat ...

I am a Liberal ...

Im PROUD to be both ...

I refuse to get sucked in to the 'liberal = bad' game ....

Ask someone WHY 'liberals' are bad, and they will give you 800 silly fallacious reasons that have LITTLE to do with liberalism ... and everything to do with the strawman fallacies that they have created in the name of liberalism ...

FIGHT them .... NEVER will I leave this party .. I will CHANGE it ...

[stepnw1f]

4. Try Fixing The Issue

It's a hell of a lot harder starting from scratch. And takes longer.

[Snoggera]

6. Democrats are responsible for

"GI Bill, Labor Laws, Environmental protection, Social Security, Civil rights movement, Women's right to vote, Family and Medical Leave Act, ……"

All of the above.

[Killarney]

8. exactly what I was going to say

what's wrong with being a Democrat? Democrats accomplished all the things in the list you wrote in the OP.

[The Crazy Canadian]

7. No Democrat wants to be called a Liberal.

From what i can tell, it seems to me that Kerry and others run away from that label, while most Republicans are proud to say their Conservative. I think most people who are on the Left consider themselves Progressives instead.

I think the Right is on the defensive. The Neoconservatives have been discredited with their failed plans in Iraq. Now your seeing the Right fight among themselves (neocons vs paleocons).

[Zen Democrat]

9. Begala was great on that today on Crossfire.

One of the Bushevics said that Kerry/Edwards were ultra-liberals who would return to the Great Society.

Begala asked him which part of the Great Society he wanted to repeal, Medicare or Head Start?

[Trajan]

17. One of the great lines of my old coworker pal ...

Leroy ...

"What do you want to get rid of first ? ... Clean Water or Clean Air ?" ....

Damn I miss ole Leroy ....

[trof]

10. Tax-and-spend-liberal-Democrat

Nixon and his henchmen.

[stellanoir]

11. yeah loot & waste

pseudo conservatives (fascists) are so much better

sarcasm/ off

[JNelson6563]

12. It is so old, trashing of the word Liberal

I am 41 years old. I remember as a child occassionally "watching" the news with my dad. Even in my grade school years (early 70's) the word "liberal" was pretty much spat out with disdain.

This has been a decades long crusade. We have sat around and let it happen, so blind to it we have been folks actually think it started with Rush.

Now we must do the same. Commit to working for decades to achieve our goals. Those who I see jump ship or that are even to fearful to board, they are of no use to this long term task.

So you say you want a revolution? Get in, help take over and steer things in the right direction. Don't let Rethugs set the debate, don't let them frame the language and don't let them fool you into thinking they will forever be on top.

Julie

[library_max]

13. What party are you a member of instead?

As others on the thread have pointed out, all the things you listed were accomplished by Democrats. What things have been accomplished by the party you now prefer to the Democrats?

[BattyDem]

15. Everytime one of my RW friends or relatives bashes Liberals ...

I say:

"Every civil right, social program, equal opportunity and environmental protection is the result of hard work by a Liberal! Are you saying that you think all of those things are bad?"

:evilgrin:

[OKNancy]

18. What I say always gets them

"You do know that we always win don't you? You can try to slow liberal thought and progress, but we always win in the end."

[Trajan]

19. EVERYTHING about our present society ....

EVERYTHING that makes it possible to survive: brought to you by FDR, LBJ and company ...

DEFEND our record every chance you get ...