The difference between 'left' and 'liberal' and why voters need to know.

[alwaysinasnit]

https://theconversation.com/the-difference-between-left-and-liberal-and-why-voters-need-to-know-120273

According to press accounts, all of the Democratic contenders taking the stage this week rank on a spectrum of more or less “liberal.”

They don’t.

While most are liberal, two or three are leftist, not liberal. It’s important that voters start distinguishing between those terms because the primary presents them a stark choice between the two.

Leftism and liberalism are distinct political categories with different histories. Understanding the problem of fusing them requires a quick tour of British history from around 1845 to 1980 with just a few stops along the way to the U.S. in 2019.

......

Interesting article and well worth reading.

[FiveGoodMen]

1. Since people will always argue about the labels

how about just talking policy?

[alwaysinasnit]

2. I believe the article is less about labels per se but rather what they might represent.

[pwb]

3. How about they are all Democrats..

?

[alwaysinasnit]

5. Yes, there is no doubt we will all vote for our nominee in the general election, but this article

is more about each of us determining our choice of candidates in the primaries.

[pwb]

7. I don't see it that way. This article attempts to divide .

Looks like everybody else thinks this too.

[alwaysinasnit]

8. I have no wish to foment division at all, but I think what is being lost in this discussion is that

the author is focusing on our choices in the primaries.

"While most are liberal, two or three are leftist, not liberal. It’s important that voters start distinguishing between those terms because the primary presents them a stark choice between the two."

[emulatorloo]

12. There is no "stark choice" in our primary

All of our candidates believe in lifting up the 99%, some form of universal healthcare, civil rights, and protecting the most vulnerable people in our society.

The stark choice is between any one of our candidate and the egregious Trump and his Republican enablers.

This is why people are finding this article divisive. It is trying to put out false distinctions about people who ageee

[emulatorloo]

4. I believe voters today are interested in solutions, not labels

No offense but I am not interested in an article that attempts to nitpick and divide us right now. At DU We are all united for 2020.

But thanks for posting.

[alwaysinasnit]

6. I don't believe that this article is attempting to nitpick or divide. It is more in the historical

nature of what liberal and left are about.

[leftstreet]

9. LOL There are no 'leftist' candidates taking the stage

unless I missed something

[myohmy2]

10. I'm the rarest...

...of a rare breed, I'm an old white guy who looks extremely Republican yet loves Socialism and Diversity...

...I've always made a distinction between Liberal and Leftist...I've had to...

...Liberals want to chase their stock portfolios around wall-street in their limos while Leftists would rather eliminate the place...Liberals will visit diverse communities while Leftists chose to work and live there...

...Liberals usually talk a good game in public but deliver very little...Leftists usually don't say much in public but will deliver if given half a chance...Liberals are driven by capitalist ideology while Leftists usually aren't...

...that's my opinion and I sticking to it...

[Go Vols]

19. +1

[Poiuyt]

11. The article describes a liberal in the classic sense as per Adam Smith

It gets confusing when a classic liberal is closer to a Tea Party conservative.

BTW, neoliberals are at the root of all our country's problems.

[alwaysinasnit]

15. The evolving nature of how the rich benefit from capitalism???

[Wounded Bear]

13. Why are there never articles like this about the Right?

[ismnotwasm]

16. Excellent question

[alwaysinasnit]

17. My guess is that it is all about greed throughout millenia, so no need to categorized on the

spectrum of greed.

[marybourg]

20. Good question.

Most of those the MSM call "conservative " are actually radical reactionaries.

[ismnotwasm]

14. I was all set to be irritated, then I read the article. Kind of meh.

I mean..ok. I guess.

One thing I understand is goalposts get moved and labels subverted. I was, at one time, considered a “radical” feminist. I had always thought I was a liberal feminist. Boy was I surprised.

[alwaysinasnit]

18. I guess it is about the evolution of priorities in every generation and how our current preferences

affect our political choices.

[ecstatic]

21. Why bury the lead? Who are the 3 leftists?

[alwaysinasnit]

22. I might guess at 2 of them but not the 3rd. Any ideas?

[elocs]

23. "Liberal" is a comparative term. To Republicans, all Democrats are Liberal.

But within the Democratic Party not everyone would be considered "Liberal".
How we do love labels though. Democrat or Republican helps us to identify the tribe so we know if we should consider someone evil.
Then within our Tribe we have Liberal and Progressive. There is "Moderate" or even, gasp!, "Conservative" but we all know they are not really Democrats at all, just DINOs and Republican-Lite.
Yes, labels are very helpful.

[ROB-ROX]

24. REPUBLICANS ARE TO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND

Most republican voters are zombie drones who do not think. They are hand fed crap from republicans that feeds their tiny brains. I think education prevents a new voting generation of republicans. Most republican morons just do SATAN'S bidding because they are brainless morons.