Thread: How to know if you're a liberal

Originally Posted by Shiva

I agree. But limited government is NOT the same as small government. It denotes no preference as to the size of government.

While that's technically true, it's also true that 18th-century liberals were small-government people for the most part. There really is a distinction to be drawn between the liberalism of Thomas Jefferson and that of Franklin Roosevelt, in terms of means. In Jefferson's day, the privileged class, the enemies of liberty and equality, were titled nobles and the King of England. In Roosevelts, they were big capitalists. Jefferson's America was pre-capitalist; Alexander Hamilton wanted to establish capitalism and his big-governemnt advocacy was to that end. Jefferson foresaw the emergence of a new privileged class if we developed large-scale industrial wealth, and opposed all efforts to do this.

He lost. Hamilton won. The deed is done. Capitalism is here. We can't go back to the small-government restrictions that would have prevented it. Instead, we have to manage it, and that requires bigger government.

And social welfare is not mutually exclusive with free markets.

Also true. However, it's also true that modern liberals have seen a need to regulate the market and depart from strict free-market principles to some degree.

Originally Posted by TSGracchus

While that's technically true, it's also true that 18th-century liberals were small-government people for the most part. There really is a distinction to be drawn between the liberalism of Thomas Jefferson and that of Franklin Roosevelt, in terms of means. In Jefferson's day, the privileged class, the enemies of liberty and equality, were titled nobles and the King of England. In Roosevelts, they were big capitalists. Jefferson's America was pre-capitalist; Alexander Hamilton wanted to establish capitalism and his big-governemnt advocacy was to that end. Jefferson foresaw the emergence of a new privileged class if we developed large-scale industrial wealth, and opposed all efforts to do this.

He lost. Hamilton won. The deed is done. Capitalism is here. We can't go back to the small-government restrictions that would have prevented it. Instead, we have to manage it, and that requires bigger government.



Also true. However, it's also true that modern liberals have seen a need to regulate the market and depart from strict free-market principles to some degree.

I would rather deal with the consequences of the free market than have to deal with changing one thing. There are some things that are better off regulated, however, that has only proven to give fuel for some to want to regulate where regulation is not needed (and creates larger problems when done).

THAT'S AN EASY QUESTION!:

"A liberal is typically concerned with distributing the eggs that the Golden Goose lays. A conservative is typically more concerned with the health of the Golden Goose."

Originally Posted by Oreo

THAT'S AN EASY QUESTION!:

"A liberal is typically concerned with distributing the eggs that the Golden Goose lays. A conservative is typically more concerned with the health of the Golden Goose."

The goose being demonstrably healthier under liberal guidance, I can only say that in that case, conservatives don't know beans about goose care.

Originally Posted by Right Wing Partisan Hack

"A liberal is typically concerned with distributing the eggs that the Golden Goose lays. A conservative is typically more concerned with the health of the Golden Goose."

This is just your typical and meaningless partisan hack analogy. If one were a left wing partisan hack they could just as easily say:

Originally Posted by Left Wing Partisan Hack

"A conservative is typically concerned with taking the eggs that the Golden Goose lays. A liberal is typically more concerned with the health of the Golden Goose."

See what I did there Oreo? I turned your brainless partisan quote into an oppositely meaning, and equally as brainless partisan quote.

(Can't forget the passive agressive wink on this one, it's oddly apropriate).

How about this quote...

"The vast majority of conservatives like guns. The vast majority of liberals don't like guns. Guns > no guns. Conservatives win." lol.

P.S. If I ever find a goose that lays golden eggs I might give some of you a piece of a shell, and call it trickle down.

Originally Posted by fishjoel

How about this quote...

"The vast majority of conservatives like guns. The vast majority of liberals don't like guns. Guns > no guns. Conservatives win." lol.

P.S. If I ever find a goose that lays golden eggs I might give some of you a piece of a shell, and call it trickle down.

Exactly, man cannot live on shell, thus conflict is the result.

I'm a liberal, a classical liberal, a von Mises classical liberal...anything else is statism