“to those of us who contend that the left (never to be confused with liberals)”
Huh? Is he referring to the original meaning of “liberal,” which meant someone who believed in liberty? Otherwise, I have no idea what the difference is.
IF he is smart, he just trying to divide the left - Liberals and Progressives, Mensheviks and Bolsheviks, etc.
Have to give them room to fight each other.
After all the Left is trying to do it us - Alt-Right vs. Conservative vs. NeoCon.
That could be his cast...
Or he may be distinguishing between participants and mindless supporters, like jihadists and “moderate” muslims.
Liberals are “well-intentioned”, Leftists are willing to break eggs and rules to get their empire.
He means classic liberals known now as conservatives (we should reclaim the term classic liberals IMO).
Alan Dershowitz: liberal
John F. Kennedy: liberal
Bill Clinton: liberal
Hillary Clinton: leftist
Barack Obama: leftist