What does liberal mean to a liberal?
548138
If you used the dictionary definition of a liberal, most conservatives would want to be liberals, or would think they already are liberals:\n\n"marked by generosity and openhandedness, broad-minded, tolerant, bountiful, munificent" and so forth.  All except the part "lacking moral restraint, licentious" applies equally to conservatives.\n\nGood question, because I don't think a liberal defines himself the way a conservative defines a liberal.  And vice versa.
369574
I reworded it to say liberal Christians.
52233
In America being a liberal means you think people should have a lot of personal freedoms (abortion, free speech, unions) and that the economy should be closely monitored and modified by the government.\n\nConservatives think that people's freedoms should be more closely monitored and controlled and that the economy should be free from government interference.\n\nNow, this is just what the trend is GENERALLY nowadays, because really the ideals change as time goes on for both types.
362037
Because sometimes being liberal means being extreme without thinking of the consequences that will follow.
810077
we share similar but different views on politics and life. im just me. if you want to call me a liberal than whatever but i dont see myself belonging to any groups. mainly because i cant agree 100% with an individual group. my political ideas are intermingled. i would say though that i am more liberal than conservative. my parents are more conservative but have a few liberal ideas too. they are good people.
156556
You're not a Liberalist, if you know nothing about it.\n\nAnyway, I will try to simplify. Liberalism is the believe that the individual should be free of society and government restriction as long as he  (in the earlier liberalism was based on free men; women, children and slaves weren't included) respect and stop at the others' freedom. Liberty is postive freedom. Liberalism is in favour of individualism. Usually Liberalism is seen to include capitalism.\n\nHope that will help.
315652
There is nothing wrond with being liberal, its the opposite of conservative...  Liberal covers the entire left side of the political spectrum - it's generic for people who believe in individualism, freedom, equality, the social contract and rational evidence-based (as opposed to morality-based) public policy but often disagree on the application of these principles.
922471
If you are in the States, I believe you mean the Democrats.  Liberal is a political standpoint, like conservative.  Republican & Democrat are actually political parties.
1087650
Mine has a little different meaning but it is much better than being one of the little people where it is me,me, me all the time!!\n\nLiberalism is an ideology, philosophy, and political tradition that holds liberty as the primary political value.[1] Broadly speaking, liberalism seeks a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals, limitations on power, especially of government and religion, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market economy that supports relatively free private enterprise, and a transparent system of government in which the rights of minorities are guaranteed. In modern society, liberals favour a liberal democracy with open and fair elections, where all citizens have equal rights by law and an equal opportunity to succeed\n\nMany of the me. me. me people are an abomination of poor parenting and usually can be classified as Fascist.
443230
Liberal = change\nConservative = keeping things as they have always been\nModerate = will swing back and forth between the two depending on the issue at hand
920578
I'm an independent voter and have never belonged to either party - I guess I'm just not a joiner. I've tried to get a handle on liberal vs. conservative labels to see where I stand but there's so much overlap between the two, as well as differences within each label, that I'm not sure these generalizations have any distinct meaning. \n\nDescriptions for liberalism include classical American liberalism, modern American liberalism, and paleoliberalism. Conservatism can be classical, ideological, neoconservatism, paleoconservatism, social conservatism, fiscal conservatism, or libertarianism. Some of these labels, on either side of the semantic fence, seem to share pretty much the same beliefs so, outside of the generalizations made by political parties and the media, there's a good deal of commonality. In addition, it seems both Democrats and Republicans, as well as liberals and conservatives all seem to believe in individual rights, free enterprise, representative democracy, and the rule of law. I have my own issues but neither party nor nor any ideology satisfies me. I guess I'm too particular to let other people do my thinking for me.
133326
Why is a liberal labeled as such?  A liberal wants to do away with the 2nd Amendment, and limit how average citizens can protect themselves and their property against criminals. Sounds limiting to me, instead of how the word is supposed to mean.
1037465
Since you asked...my definition of "liberal" is one who believes in government sponsored programs designed to provide benefits such as healthcare, financial aid, and education to individuals in low income brackets.  This is accomplished by high tax rates on the upper level income earners.  They profess a belief in a strong middle class, have an aversion to corporations and "big business" and feel that privacy is the most important thing, other than helping the poor.\n\nConservatives are people who believe in business, big and small and feel that the money they earn should be retained by them, not spent on others.  They believe that since the highest income earners are also usually the ones who employ the middle and lower class, they should get a break because without them, there wouldn't be jobs.  Pro-gun, pro-military, agressive foreign policy (shoot first ask questions later).  They also believe in personal liberty, but often see compromises with that liberty as okay when it's for the good of the country.\n\nMe, I'm a Libertarian.  I am definitely more right than left, but I see that conservatives and liberals both have screwed up the government.  Neither one is in touch with anything except their bank accounts and hate.  I think I can stomach the right more because the views are a little more in line with mine and democrats (I'm gonna say it)...are hypocrites.
609077
Jesus was most definitely a radical. The message he was spreading in many ways attacked the very fabric of society at the time.\n\nAs for being a liberal, well there is nothing wrong with that at all. For some reason it has become a term of abuse in the US while very few people understand what they are attacking.\n\nThe dictionary comes up with - \n\n\nAdjective\n\n1) a. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism. d. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States. \n\n2) a. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor. b. Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes. \n\nNot strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation. \n\nOf, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education. \n\n3) a. Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman. b. Obsolete Morally unrestrained; licentious. \n\nNow personally most of the characteristics in the first definition seem pretty good.\n\nI particularly like the idea that if you are not a liberal you are a bigot, dogmatic and closed to ideas of progress.
825830
This liberal agrees with you.
793342
Liberal, in a sense means free, therefore; liberals are those in government who believe more in states rights and less in a  central government. The lines today are skewed and there is no longer an extreme difference between a liberal and a republican. There are liberal republicans and conservative republicans, and just as well there are liberal democrats and conservative democrats. The difference you should be looking for is between liberals and conservatives not liberals and republicans. Some may argue though, and those who argue are truly conservative republicans. In essence the conservative issues are pro life as opposed to pro choice, centralized government as opposed to states rights, opposition to gay marriage and basically any view to an issue that adheres to the way things have been done in the past, or in other words, views that are opposed to change. Lliberal views are just the opposite, those that welcome change and leave more choice in the direction of the country to the people.
78946
The word "liberal" is being turned into a dirty word by right-wing republican wacko's such as Shawn Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Regan.  According to them, if someone breaks the law by jaywalking, they are a liberal.\nIf you appear unpatriotic, you are a liberal.\nIf you question the war, they say you are a liberal.\nIf you dissagree with the "republican" president, you are a liberal.\nThose listed above have gone as far as saying that if you as so much question the reasons for invading Iraq, you're not supporting the troops and you should be tried for treason.\nYes, I find it disturbing and so do a lot of other even minded people in America. \nIn spite of their good ratings on radio, Rush Limbaugh, Mitch Albom, Michael Regan and those like them, do not express the majority opinions of Americans.\nRemember, the Jerry Springer Show gets good ratings too.