Labels; Liberal vs Conservative?How has the term “liberal” come to such a slanderous connotation? Even liberals now call themselves “progressives.” And it seems “moderate” is simply synonymous for “unprincipled flip-flopper.” According to Merriam-Webster Online, “liberal’s” connections to freedom and freemen are deeply rooted. I particularly like “of or befitting a man of free birth” although the citation claims that definition is archaic. “Marked by generosity” – who could object to that? OK, if you’re responsible for government budgets some might ask for a more frugal approach, but a liberal, generous spirit is nothing to be ashamed of. “Lacking moral restraint”? The dictionary claims this liberal definition is obsolete. But this seems to be the definition most often implied in politics. Maybe Merriam-Webster only wishes it was obsolete. “Broad-minded; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or traditional forms” OK, so maybe this is the root of the problem. Are those labeled as “liberal” too unorthodox or non-traditional? What’s the alternative? To not be labeled “liberal” does one have to embrace narrow-mindedness, authority, and orthodoxy. I’d rather be liberal. Finally “of, favoring, or based upon the principles of liberalism” with “liberalism” defined as “a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard.” Hallelujah! Except for that last bit about the gold standard, I’m a liberal!? But I thought I was “conservative”, at least on economic policy. Well, M-W say “conservative” is “tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions.” They define “conservatism” as a “disposition to preserve what is established” and “a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions, and preferring gradual development to abrupt change.” Hell no, I’m not conservative by that definition. My campaign is founded on a desire to challenge the status quo. What’s a label-conscious candidate to do? (I’ve tried “moderate” but that doesn’t really fit my fiscal/constitutional perspective.) Well, the traditional politician’s answer is to make up something incomprehensible. (e.g. “strategery”) How about “Constitutional Conservative”? Who could argue with anything labeled constitutional? Conservative in this application applies to preserving the established principles of the constitution, even if that represents a radical change from recent established tradition. So here’s the paradox; by conservatively preserving, protecting, and defending our constitution (an incredibly “liberal” document), I am, in essence, a self-made oxymoron. (That’s OXYmoron.) I’ll go with “Constitutional Conservative” because I’ve been in and around marketing long enough to know that consumers prefer “sushi” over “cold raw fish”, and the dreaded “L” word is political poison. Michael – Constitutional ConservativePrevious: We’re being boiled like frogs! Panic now! -- Next: Alabama; d’oh! Comment from Corvallist: Progressive, hah. I’m a liberal with a capital L and proud of it. ; ) But you’ll probably get smacked with the liberal epithet anyway. It’s the easiest way to take down a political opponent these days. Posted by Corvallist May 31, 03:48 AM # Comment from crallspace: COnstitutional conservative may rub MANY people the wrong way… they’ll think of Pat Buchanan and the Constituion party. I am a progress-minded person, defined as a liberal in today’s political arena, which is just a smear and label fest. I think it’s important for us little people to be comfortable with our stance on issues, and not feel the need for a label to lump us in with others we may not agree with. That’s why I hesitate to call myself a liberal. In your case, as someone running for office, it’s like you have to come up with something that is like a soundbyte description. Lame, I know. But really I think that, just as the AMerican flag has been highjacked by the neo-cons and has negative conotations, the label of “constitutional conservative” may throw off too many people that would associate you with the Constitution party. Posted by crallspace May 31, 04:24 AM # Comment from CBone: I think the definitions you have for liberal and conservative may be thought of as a little “off”. Yes, they are definitions, and I can agree liberals want to change so much while conservatives want to preserve whats already been established. So, we look to our founding fathers. Maybe they were thought of as liberals on their day, yet why do conservatives want to preserve what they built and why do liberals want destroy it? Posted by CBone Jun 13, 04:01 AM # Comment from Michael Smith: cbone, I get your point, but it may be flawed in assuming that what we see today reflects the vision of our founding fathers. I’d suggest that preserving today’s status quo only serves the narrow interests of the elite. A return to the vision of our founding fathers (personal liberties, limited government) may seem revolutionary compared to what our “conservative” administration has done for us lately. Posted by Michael Smith Jun 13, 05:30 AM # Comment from CBone: Michael, I am a staunch conservative I honestly feel we cherish the foundation of the country and our constitutional framers more than the right…do you not agree? Also, I think it would be safe to say most of our founding fathers could be thought of as liberatarians. This due to their strong belief in limited government socially and economically. Posted by CBone Jun 14, 07:35 AM # |
Favorite Posts:
Other Blogs:Links:
Feeds - SFP updates for your homepage:Previous Posts: |
