Am I A Liberal?

[Syrinx]

I believe in a progressive tax structure. I'm for reproductive rights. I'm against the death penalty. I think we should have a strong military, but that it should be used only for national defense, not to enrich those individuals and corporations with strong ties to the government. I believe in equal rights for gays and lesbians, including civil unions and adoptions by homosexuals. I believe the goals of affirmative action are worthy, but that race should not be used as a factor in hiring or admissions. I believe racial discrimination is always wrong, and should not be tolerated in goverment. But private clubs should be able to accept or reject a prospective member at their discretion. I think that mandatory drug tests are a violation of the fourth amendment protection against unreasonable searches. I believe in a social safety net, because people have a right to food, shelter and adequate medical care. I absolutely believe marijuana should be legalized, but have mixed feelings about cocaine, heroin, etc. That's all I can think of at the moment. :)

So, am I a liberal, or a moderate?

[TSIAS]

1. I'd consider you a liberal

But more moderate than DU'ers on a few issues.

[roughsatori]

2. You are a filthy librul (sic)

:P

[Syrinx]

11. I love that icon

It's cute!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. Sure for the most part

Although I disagree on your assessment of race not being a factor in hiring and admissions. I have NO OBJECTION to EXPANDING AA to consider/include socioeconomic status as well, however.

[Syrinx]

10. I think that would be a good idea! n/t

[Clete]

4. If you hug a tree, besides all that, then you are a liberal.

Saving the environment is big with liberals. Let's face it, it's about the air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat.

[Syrinx]

9. I like trees :)

And clean water too!

I remember when Reagan said that clear-cutting forests was good for the environment because trees cause pollution!

[Clete]

16. Cough. Sputter.

Bush says we should cut trees to stop forest fires. I guess if there are no more trees, there will be no more fires. This is ecology? Oy vey.

[oostevo]

5. You seem liberal ...

You seem to have opinions that fall along the liberal/progressive agenda, but keep in mind that all liberals do not share the same opinions (then again, neither do conservatives or moderates).

[newyawker99]

22. Hi oostevo!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Fixated]

6. ....

Having one or two more right-leaning thoughts doesn't make you a moderate. You're a traitor, all right.

[Friar]

7. Liberal!

Die die die!

[redeye]

8. All of those are liberal positions...

...but the litmus test for being a liberal is not so much what you believe rather than why you believe that. If you support liberal positions because you think god told you to do so, or because the president of the US is a liberal, then you're not really a liberal. On the other hand, if you support some illiberal positions but have reached them thru individual thought and thru looking what helps everyone progress the most quickly, then you're definitely a liberal.

[Syrinx]

12. Well, God hasn't spoken to me lately.

:)

I'm not even sure whether I believe in God or not. It seems impossible for God to exist. It also seems impossible for God not to exist.

Those are things I just believe, because they seem to me to be the "correct" positions.

So I guess I'm a dang lefty. :)

[redeye]

15. I guess so, too...

...I never thought you weren't a dang lefty; however, not all leftists are liberals. You, it seems, are, though :D.

[waggawagga]

13. I'd call you a moderate

Affirmative Action is a make or break issue for liberals. You don't have to support the whole package to this is a biggie.

[Syrinx]

14. I wouldn't object, really, to being called a moderate

I'm just trying to figure out what I should say when someone asks me whether I'm a liberal, moderate, or conservative. Conservative is definitely out!

ON EDIT: I think I've heard Mike Malloy say he's against affirmative action, yet he constantly refers to himself as a liberal.

[Friar]

17. I've never heard him say that

But since he took my call today and I'm going to call him everyday now (Gawd, I'm so egomaniacal), I'll bring it up.

[Syrinx]

18. I don't remember what he was talking about...

But I remember him saying something approximating "Well maybe that's another reason we should throw affirmative action on the trash heap."

Congratulations on getting on the air! I haven't got up the nerve to call in, yet. Maybe one day.

[Syrinx]

19. please don't say my handle

Unless I'm right!

[Friar]

21. I can imagine that

"Hi. I'm calling on behalf of syrinx9999" *click* "Hello? Hello-o?"

[ButterflyBlood]

20. I wouldn't consider AA a litmus test

I know someone who's essentially a Marxist who's against it. This is also the only conservative posititon he has.

[Northwind]

23. Said it before, say it agin

Liberal is not a term for your views, it is a term for how you came to them.

[German-Lefty]

24. Yeah, well you're not part of the "New Right" that's for sure

There are people that don't consider themselves liberal that believe in subsets of your beliefs.

I'll consider you definately to be a social liberal.

Liberal in American english on the economic scale is actually backwards, it means you believe in Government envolvement in the economic sphere in the modern context (the exact opposite of a Libertarian).

Do you believe in public schools, goverment roads, social programs, social security, government involvement in things like health care and transportation?

The new right (some republicans and libertarians) tend to reject these things, and think that somehow the private sector can do everything. They're the right wing version of communists, instead of socializing everything they want to privatize everything.

Social Authoritarians (you're opposite) want this because they think with enough money they'll be able to control morality in the private sector (private schools, media conglomerates, private police force, ect). Some want to destroy the secular state to try to fill the vacum with the church.

[MaverickX]

25. in the real word a liberal but on DU

You'd be considered far right just because many DUers are very radical. I support the death penalty, support drug laws, and supported using force in Iraq but consider myself liberal because I support government activism, support labor, oppose "free trade", and support an expansion of social security, and public healthcare.

[Kamika]

26. Liberal

Just like me :D

Altough that social safety net is abit "un"liberal

[Syrinx]

28. forgive me if I'm being dense

But why is a social safety net "unliberal?"

[Liberator_Rev]

27. There's no hard line in the sand that makes the difference between

"Conservatives" and "Liberals". You're Liberal on most positions, but rather Conservative on A A. If you'd like to see a great analysis of how "Liberals Like Christ" understand those two important terms, see the site below:


at http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/Liberals
&
http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/racism .