Posted on 07/24/2007 10:43:57 AM PDT by InvisibleChurch
Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton ran away from the "liberal” tag during Monday night’s Democratic debate, claiming instead that she is a "progressive.”
Early on in the CNN/YouTube-sponsored debate, a California resident posed these questions on his video: "Mrs. Clinton, how would you define the word ‘liberal’? And would you use this word to describe yourself?”
Hillary answered: "You know, it is a word that originally meant that you were for freedom, that you were for the freedom to achieve, that you were willing to stand against big power and on behalf of the individual.
"Unfortunately, in the last 30, 40 years, it has been turned up on its head and it's been made to seem as though it is a word that describes big government, totally contrary to what its meaning was in the 19th and early 20th century.
"I prefer the word ‘progressive,’ which has a real American meaning, going back to the progressive era at the beginning of the 20th century.
"I consider myself a modern progressive, someone who believes strongly in individual rights and freedoms, who believes that we are better as a society when we're working together and when we find ways to help those who may not have all the advantages in life get the tools they need to lead a more productive life for themselves and their family.
"So I consider myself a proud modern American progressive, and I think that's the kind of philosophy and practice that we need to bring back to American politics.”
CNN host Anderson Cooper said: "So you wouldn't use the word ‘liberal,’ you'd say ‘progressive.’ He then asked former Sen. Mike Gravel: "Are you a liberal?”
Gravel replied: "I wouldn't use either word” – and changed the subject.
The liberal group Americans for Democratic Action gave Hillary a 95 percent "liberal quotient” last year, among the highest ratings in the Senate.
Get those thunder thighs slapping.
No one on the right will believe you’re a conservative or moderate. All the moderates will believe you are one of them. Everyone on the Left will know you’re lying and it’s just a trick to get in office, when you can put your communist beliefs into practice.
These Clintons are the epitome of the disgusting politician.
Well, that what "progressives" ARE---Marxists. I'm amazed that she is that up-front about it.
"Unfortunately, in the last 30, 40 years, it has been turned up on its head and it's been made to seem as though it is a word that describes big government, totally contrary to what its meaning was in the 19th and early 20th century.
If she were in Europe she would be partially correct...but since we are talking about "liberal" in the context of the United States political use, she is totally incorrect...trying to re-write history again...
liberal (adj.) c.1375, from O.Fr. liberal "befitting free men, noble, generous," from L. liberalis "noble, generous," lit. "pertaining to a free man," from liber "free," from PIE base *leudheros (cf. Gk. eleutheros "free"), probably originally "belonging to the people" (though the precise semantic development is obscure), from *leudho- "people" (cf. O.C.S. ljudu, Lith. liaudis, O.E. leod, Ger. Leute "nation, people"). Earliest reference in Eng. is to the liberal arts (L. artes liberales; see art (n.)), the seven attainments directed to intellectual enlargement, not immediate practical purpose, and thus deemed worthy of a free man (the word in this sense was opposed to servile or mechanical). Sense of "free in bestowing" is from 1387. With a meaning "free from restraint in speech or action" (1490) liberal was used 16c.-17c. as a term of reproach. It revived in a positive sense in the Enlightenment, with a meaning "free from prejudice, tolerant," which emerged 1776-88. Purely in ref. to political opinion, "tending in favor of freedom and democracy" it dates from c.1801, from Fr. libéral, originally applied in Eng. by its opponents (often in Fr. form and with suggestions of foreign lawlessness) to the party favorable to individual political freedoms. But also (especially in U.S. politics) tending to mean "favorable to government action to effect social change," which seems at times to draw more from the religious sense of "free from prejudice in favor of traditional opinions and established institutions" (and thus open to new ideas and plans of reform), which dates from 1823.
"Conservative, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others." [Ambrose Bierce, "Devil's Dictionary," 1911]
The noun meaning "member of the Liberal party of Great Britain" is from 1820. Liberalism is first attested 1819.
Progressive = Soviet Front
The fact that the Soviet Union is gone does not change the definition. The fact that Hillary! Rodham (Clinton) thinks calling herself a Progressive makes her sound like less of a screwball speaks volumes about her political tin ear.
progressive (adj.) 1607, "characterized by advancement" (in action, character, etc.), from progress (q.v.). Of taxation, from 1889; of jazz, from 1947. Meaning "characterized by striving for change and innovation, avant-garde, liberal" is from 1908; the noun in this sense is first attested 1865.
She's just dumb...
The RATS view an election as a public auction of stolen property.
Everyone knows Progressive is just a new term that replaced Socialist/Liberal/Communist and so forth.
The saddest part about this drawn out election season is that someone's going to win.
Yes, you are.
She's a Marxist.
She would have an easier time convincing me she isn’t a woman.”
You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a PIG......
She can call herself anything she wants, but she cannot hide what she really is and what her “husband” (beard) really is and was and she cannot hide what a rotten president she would be if she somehow got elected.
...
"So I consider myself a proud modern American progressive, and I think that's the kind of philosophy and practice that we need to bring back to American politics.”
What? Has she started having late night conversations with Teddy Roosevelt's ghost?
two the top
NO she’s not she’s a communist...
I am not a liberal! I am a progressive liberal!
Progressive or liberal both mean communist dictatorship.
Pray for W and Our Troops
“Progressive” as a euphemism for Socialist/Communist goes all the way back to the 1920’s, and 30’s, through the 1950’s Atomic Spy trials, convictions, and executions of self proclaimed “Progressives”, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.
“Progressive” has always been a code word for Socialist/Communist. That is how they identified themselves and one another.
A very unfortunate choice of words for Miz Hillary, unless, of course, she meant it as a code phrase to give a “wink wink “ to the Far Left.
She can call herself anything she wants except President.........Cunning Runt fit’s her to a “T” !!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.