If you tremble indignation [[Image:Liberal Brain.jpg|thumb|230px|top|<center>A satirical conception of the liberal brain.</center>]]A '''liberal''' is a believer in many of the following political positions: * Tax and spend government* Taxpayer-funded [[abortion]]* [[Income redistribution]], usually through progressive taxation* Government-rationed and taxpayer-funded medical care* Taxpayer-funded "free" [[public education]]* The denial of inherent [[gender differences]] and wanting men and women to have the same jobs in the [[military]]* [[Same-sex marriage]]* [[Affirmative action]]* [[Political correctness]]<ref>[http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/27429.html Politically Correct Terrorism] ''The Conservative Voice'', August 21, 2007</ref>* [[Censorship]] of [[prayer]] in classrooms and school sponsored events* Labor [[union]]s* Elimination of [[abstinence]]-only program funding <ref> [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286671,00.html Democrats Aim To Kill Abstinence-Only Program Funding], [[Fox News]], Monday, June 25, 2007</ref>* A "[[living Constitution]]" that is reinterpreted, thwarting the amendment process specified in the Constitution as written.* Support for [[gun control]]* Government programs to [[rehabilitate criminals]]* Abolition of death penalty* [[Environmentalism]]<ref>[[Greenpeace]], for example.</ref>* [[Disarmament treaties]]* [[Globalism]]* Opposition to a strong American foreign policy <ref>Stefaan Walgrave and Joris Verhulst, [http://nicomedia.math.upatras.gr/conf/CAWM2003/Papers/Verhulst.pdf The February 15 Worldwide Protests against a War in Iraq: An Empirical Test of Transnational Opportunities. Outline of a Research Programme](PDF).</ref>* Support of obscenity and pornography as a [[First Amendment]] right<ref>The [[Warren Court]], led by [[liberal]] Justices [[William O. Douglas]], [[Hugo Black]], [[Abe Fortas]], [[William Brennan]] and Chief Justice [[Earl Warren]] issued 36 decisions granting [[First Amendment]] rights to obscenity and pornography. These decisions remain fully supported by liberals today.</ref>* Opposition to full private property rights<ref>For example, the liberal wing of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] issued the 5-4 [[Kelo v. City of New London]] decision authorizing the taking of private property by government in order to give the property to another private entity rather than convert it to a public use.</ref>* Limiting [[conservative]] talk radio by reinstating the [[Fairness Doctrine]]* Promoting [[liberal deceit]] if it advances their goals, or at every injustice then you least tolerating it<br> == Liberalism in North America today ==[[Democrats]] and many media outlets in the [[U.S.]] often have a [[liberal bias]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrc.org/biasbasics/biasbasics1.asp|title=Media Bias basics|publisher=Media Research Center}}</ref> ===Liberal Rankings of Congress Members=== The National Journal compiles the votes of each congress member each year and uses the information to create rankings<ref>http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/index.htm</ref> of how liberal each member of the United States [[Congress]] is. In addition to showing the voting records of each member and given an overall all ranking of liberalness, the National Journal also ranks congress members by liberalness in the areas of social, economic, and foreign policy. ==Liberalism in Europe today== In Europe, on the other hand, parties that call themselves ''liberal'' are moderate in outlook, ranging from centre-left to centre-right, promote typically economic and business freedom. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe<ref>http://www.alde.eu</ref> is an party of the European Parliament that represents most ''liberal'' parties from European countries. Similar policies are promoted by many ''liberal'' parties throughout the world,<ref>http://www.liberal-international.org/</ref> such as the Liberal Party of Australia.<ref>[http://www.liberal.org.au/]</ref> Trade unions and socialist parties often criticize politicians that promote lower taxes on business, or more flexible hiring and firing laws, by calling them "liberals" or [[neoliberal|neoliberals]]. Thus, just like in the US, "liberal" is often used as a comrade term of mineabuse.But when someone is called "liberal" in Europe, it is an entirely different to the meaning in the US.In fact, the US meaning of liberal is more similar to the politics of European [[socialist]] or [[social democracy|social democratic]] parties.<ref>[http://www.pes.org]</ref> ==Historical Liberalism ==In history, the word "liberal" has meant different things at different times, and was associated with individual liberty in prior centuries. In the postwar period, liberals supported government intervention in the economy and welfare state policies, as well as peaceful coexistence with the communist block, which are not liberal policies in the sense of classical liberalism. After the end of the cold war, with the demise of socialism and communism, many liberals embraced some ideas from economic neo-liberalism, and coined it the "Third Way". In the area of national security and foreign policy liberals in the [[U.S.]] failed to define a consistent stance, even after the events of 9/11 and the beginning of the war in Iraq. Liberals generally support affirmative action, gay marriage, and abortion.<ref>"Political liberals tend, for whatever reason, to be ardent supporters of both gay rights and pro-choice programs." Greenberg and Bailey [http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/Bailey/Greenberg-Bailey/Homosexual%20Eugenics.pdf] </ref> ==Original meaning: Classical Liberalism==Liberalism is a political philosophy with freedom as its core value. The term was originally applied to supporters of individual liberties and equal rights, but, in America, the term has come to represent a movement of social change that often conflicts with [[conservative]] values such as moral values and tradition. See [[Classical Liberal|Classical Liberalism]]. Compare [[Libertarianism]]. ==Alternative meanings of 'liberal'== One definition of liberal is anything that is not conservative. For example, the American Heritage Dictionary includes this definition of "liberal":<ref>Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal</ref> * Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas ... ==Liberal Organizations == *[[AARP|AARP - American Association of Retired People]] *[[ACLU|ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union]]*[[AFL-CIO|AFL-CIO - American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations]]*[[Amnesty International|AI - Amnesty International]]*[[Democratic National Committee]]*[[Greenpeace]]*[[NARAL|NARAL - National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League]]*[[NAACP|NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]]*[[National Committee for an Effective Congress]]*[[National Education Association]]*[[National Organization of Women]]*[[Planned Parenthood|Planned Parenthood Federation of America]]*[[Rainbow/PUSH Coalition]]*[[MoveOn.org]]*[[A.N.S.W.E.R.]] Source: [http://www.politixgroup.com/lo.htm The Politix Group] ==See Also==* [[Liberal Bias]]* [[Liberal Hypocrisy]]* [[Essay:Liberal Style]]* [[The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness]]* [[Conservative Links]]* [[Liberal denial]]* [[Liberal hypocrisy]]* [[Liberal deceit]]* [[Liberal quotient]]* [[Liberal hate speech]]* [[Liberal logic]] ==References=={{reflist|2}} [[Category:Politics]][[Category:Political ideologies]][[Category:Deceit]][[Category:Liberals]]