General Discussion

H2O Man

(79,100 posts)

66. The nature of

Mon Dec 31, 2012, 09:53 PM

Dec 2012

the forum has been pretty grumpy & nasty recently. I think the OP asked a solid question, and so I contributed the correct answer. Some, like yourself, are already as familiar with that, as I am ..... and equally familiar with the negative potential of both mis-using words, insulting others who hold slightly different viewpoints, and the like.

There is one prime example of such a specimaniac who has "replied" to me several times here, who takes it from "I don't care," to attempting to create disharmony. Since my New Year's Resolution for 2013 is to be nice to everyone for the rest of 2012, I've gently tried to get him to do more research than simply reading two sentences from an internet-wiki site.

But overall, the OP/thread seems like one of the more pleasant I've seen in weeks.

Thanks for your contributions here. And I'm wishing you & yours the best in the new year!

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Highlight:

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