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Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)

51. I don't think there is much difference in terms of philosophy...

Reply to UnrepentantLiberal (Original post)

Mon Dec 31, 2012, 03:18 PM

Dec 2012

But, I think of liberals as people for whatever reasons aren't very political, such as a few of my instructors in college. I think it's mostly a time factor.

And I think of progressives as being professional liberals, they are political and devote a large chunk of their lives promoting a progressive agenda.

I think we need both. Liberals that aren't involved in politics on a daily basis and do other work for a living can give progressives an outside perspective and progressives can further the liberal agenda because they devote a lot more time to politics.

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What is the difference between the terms "liberal" and "progressive" in American politics? [View all] UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 OP

You'll get a different answer from everyone. MineralMan Dec 2012 #1

This is a really great question and timely. MrYikes Dec 2012 #2

What is not stupid tama Dec 2012 #19

Not "stupid" MissMillie Dec 2012 #32

"Progressive" is the term that had to be pressed into service annabanana Dec 2012 #3

Correct Freddie Dec 2012 #15

The term Progressive goes back to the turn of the 20th Century. It denoted substantial reform leveymg Dec 2012 #52

That's a pretty good definition there levey....... socialist_n_TN Dec 2012 #69

Actually, Liberal is actually a terribly non descriptive term. It means UNREGULATED. KittyWampus Dec 2012 #58

The correct historical definitions: H2O Man Dec 2012 #4

As a liberal that ... 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #9

Not me. I wear Liberalism like a badge of honor. JaneyVee Dec 2012 #11

As do I. n/t 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #30

When the ancient H2O Man Dec 2012 #28

Let me chew on that ... 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #31

One of the most H2O Man Dec 2012 #36

Funny, you mention Dr. King's "transformation" into a "real" threat ... 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #50

Jesse's runs -- and H2O Man Dec 2012 #53

I comletely agree ... 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #57

You were right. H2O Man Dec 2012 #64

Jesse Jackson's key phrase ... 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #70

I was pleased to stumble across this subthread PETRUS Dec 2012 #65

I've never thought of liberal philosophy as far as how it relates to governing this country. UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #12

Interesting. H2O Man Dec 2012 #68

Of course I connect them with politics. UnrepentantLiberal Jan 2013 #71

Amazing, you offer the actual definition, and instantly folks come to say 'I don't like the real one Bluenorthwest Dec 2012 #20

I wasn't questioning the definition, UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #25

I actually was not referring to you, so I guess your leap is also amazing. Bluenorthwest Dec 2012 #37

Then it was ME who jumped to conclusions. UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #45

Thus, the question becomes: H2O Man Dec 2012 #29

Very astute ... 1StrongBlackMan Dec 2012 #34

Republicans benefit from that confusion. Bluenorthwest Dec 2012 #39

Yep, definitely. H2O Man Dec 2012 #67

The nature of H2O Man Dec 2012 #66

That's simply incorrect. Downthread, someone has the historical definition of "liberal": Romulox Dec 2012 #41

A wonderful example H2O Man Dec 2012 #48

LOL. You used a term incorrectly, and then proceeded to lecture others ad nauseum. Romulox Dec 2012 #55

Yes. My mistake H2O Man Dec 2012 #56

A "laissez-faire economic policy" is the economics of the hard right, for a start. Romulox Dec 2012 #60

If we were to H2O Man Dec 2012 #63

What's the difference, then, between a "Progressive" and a "Revolutionary"? Not coalition_unwilling Dec 2012 #42

In the context H2O Man Dec 2012 #44

Always an interesting discussion topic. Some dictionary definitions - NRaleighLiberal Dec 2012 #5

None except.. kentuck Dec 2012 #6

This is my impression as well.... hlthe2b Dec 2012 #10

in the spirit nraleighliberal xchrom Dec 2012 #7

The definition of liberal is quite different in England. UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #14

. NRaleighLiberal Dec 2012 #21

... xchrom Dec 2012 #24

All Progressives are also Liberal but not all Liberals are also Progressive. JaneyVee Dec 2012 #8

"Progressive" has not yet been fully demonized? Fumesucker Dec 2012 #13

Believe me they're working on it Freddie Dec 2012 #16

^This^ Bad_Ronald Dec 2012 #23

Not me. UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #26

Liberal is a noun and progressive is a verb proud2BlibKansan Dec 2012 #17

"progressive" emphasizes the notion that progress can and should be made HereSince1628 Dec 2012 #18

I've noted that Thom Hartmann seems to use the term "progressive" more often. n/t NRaleighLiberal Dec 2012 #22

Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern. nt. Warren Stupidity Dec 2012 #27

Liberals know the direction we need to move randr Dec 2012 #33

17, 18, & 33 work for me. Gidney N Cloyd Dec 2012 #35

Both terms are meaningless. mmonk Dec 2012 #38

Originally, "progressives" were Republicans and northern Democrats around 1900 Recursion Dec 2012 #40

Do we not like Daily Kos here? timesamillion Dec 2012 #43

That was posted in 2008. Too late to comment, I'm afraid. ;-) leveymg Dec 2012 #54

Corporatists are busy with propaganda to try woo me with science Dec 2012 #46

There are some good points made upthread. LWolf Dec 2012 #47

Speaking of twisting the meaning of words for political purposes... UnrepentantLiberal Dec 2012 #49

I don't think there is much difference in terms of philosophy... Kalidurga Dec 2012 #51

Liberal simply means progressive & isn't specific. In Europe, Neo-Liberal means unregulated markets. KittyWampus Dec 2012 #59

"Neo-liberal" means the same thing in the United States. That's because it's very close to Romulox Dec 2012 #61

History has clouded what liberalism actually is JReed Dec 2012 #62