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Why I Am a Liberal (Not trolling - Jist food for thought)
useless knowledge ^ | Warren C. Norwood

Posted on 02/18/2005 2:52:25 PM PST by loe joe

Some of my friends, family members, and co-workers wonder how I could be a political liberal in the midst of this new swell of conservatism the United States. The answers to that are all too simple.

I am a liberal because the system originated by liberals called Social Security has made my parents' retirement more possible and comfortable than it would otherwise have been.

I am a liberal because the system originated by liberals called Medicare paid for my mother to have two knees and a hip replaced at a cost that otherwise could not have been born by all of her children together.

I am a liberal because Medicare paid for my father's operation to remove a cancerous kidney at a cost that would otherwise certainly have forced my parents to liquidate their assets.

I am a liberal because that system originated by liberals called WIC gives my daughter food stamps for cheese and milk and other necessities she needs to feed her children.

I am a liberal because that system demanded by liberals called company-paid employee medical insurance helps pay doctor bills for me and my wife and my daughter and son-in-law and grandchildren and sister and most of my other close relatives.

I am a liberal because the idea of autonomy of the individual is a liberal idea.

I am a liberal because the idea of political liberty is a liberal idea.

I am a liberal because government by the consent of the governed is a liberal idea.

I am a liberal because the Bill of Rights is a set of liberal ideas which protect us all. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of worship, freedom of the press, due process of law, freedom from torture, the right to face our accusers, the writ of habeas corpus, and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure are all liberal ideas. Most people in the world do not have those rights.

I am a liberal because those liberal ideas in our Constitution give us control of our representatives from the school board to the Senate and President of the United States, give us the liberal idea of checks and balances, and the liberal idea of no taxation without representation.

I am a liberal because the idea of public education is a liberal idea.

I am a liberal because the idea of a five day work week is a liberal idea.

I am a liberal because the idea of a strong, well funded and disciplined military under civilian control is a liberal idea, as is the notion of Veteran's benefits and military retirement.

I am a liberal because the Geneva Conventions are a liberal idea. The conventions protect American prisoners and all prisoners of signees from torture and abuse.

I am a liberal because the idea of the public maintenance of roads is a liberal idea.

I am a liberal because civil rights, children's rights, women's rights, and labor rights, are all liberal ideas.

I am a liberal because almost all the progressive ideas of the last four centuries have been liberal ideas resisted by the conservatives of their times. Those liberal ideas make this a better place to live for me, my family, my friends, my community, my country, and my world.

I ask people who insist on repudiating liberalism to please check off the liberal ideas above they are ready to do without.


TOPICS: Philosophy
KEYWORDS: gimme; iloveche; inbeforethezot; kittychow; mentalillness; newbie; roadapples; troll; wantsfreestuff; whiner; willworkforjist; zot
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To: loe joe
- - - I am a liberal because the Geneva Conventions are a liberal idea. The conventions protect American prisoners and all prisoners of signees from torture and abuse. - - -

Iraq signed on to the Geneva conventions. Ask our pilots and soldiers who were captured in the first Gulf War if the Iraqi government treated them humanely. Read Jeff Tice's experience, for example http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/gulf/war/3.html . Like so many other liberal ideas, the Geneva Convention is a nice utopian idea, but it isn't worth the paper it's written on. It may protect everyone in the world from us, but doesn't protect our troops from anything.
281 posted on 02/18/2005 4:12:06 PM PST by Kay Ludlow (Free market, but cautious about what I support with my dollars)
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To: So Cal Rocket

"I am a liberal because the Bill of Rights is a set of liberal ideas which protect us all. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of worship, freedom of the press, due process of law, freedom from torture, the right to face our accusers, the writ of habeas corpus, and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure are all liberal ideas. Most people in the world do not have those rights."


Did you notice that the Second Amendment, the one that more
than any other protects the "autonomy of the individual" is missing from his litany of kerap!




282 posted on 02/18/2005 4:12:21 PM PST by gc4nra ( this tag line protected by Kimber and the First Amendment (I voted for McClintock))
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To: loe joe

You are a socialist because you and your family has never mustered the gumption to be responsible for yourselves.


283 posted on 02/18/2005 4:12:33 PM PST by Tweaker
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To: humblegunner
LOL!!!!

284 posted on 02/18/2005 4:12:34 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (aitch tee tee pea colon 2 slashes dubya dubya dubya dot proud patriots dot org)
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To: Sidebar Moderator
AKKKKKKKK!

Who does?

LOL I probably had that one coming.

285 posted on 02/18/2005 4:13:02 PM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
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To: bd476

They do.


286 posted on 02/18/2005 4:14:18 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (aitch tee tee pea colon 2 slashes dubya dubya dubya dot proud patriots dot org)
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To: humblegunner

We're not talking coffee and tea as the beverage of choice then are we?


287 posted on 02/18/2005 4:14:24 PM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
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To: loe joe

I'm a conservative because I don't owe your parents a thing.


288 posted on 02/18/2005 4:14:47 PM PST by Fintan (Annoying FReepers since 1998...)
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To: Brad's Gramma

Who does?


289 posted on 02/18/2005 4:15:18 PM PST by bd476 (Now cut that out. LOL.)
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To: bd476; humblegunner; Eaker

If it's my coffee.. it may be the drink of choice.
*Cough* cutting fluid *cough*


290 posted on 02/18/2005 4:16:28 PM PST by Darksheare (It is not a ZOT, it is aggressive electro-dermal exfoliation! Yeeeeeeeeeeeagh!)
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To: KidGlock
If you want to get technical, "my wife" should be mentioned before "me."

That's about the only thing I thought I remembered from grammar I was hoping someone else would confirm that.

291 posted on 02/18/2005 4:17:07 PM PST by not_apathetic_anymore
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To: loe joe

You clearly show that you have no understanding of the difference between Liberal and liberal. How sad. And you leftists think we conservatives are the stupid ones.


292 posted on 02/18/2005 4:17:18 PM PST by Owl558 (Please excuse my poor spelling)
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To: bd476

Uh............................................


293 posted on 02/18/2005 4:17:47 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (aitch tee tee pea colon 2 slashes dubya dubya dubya dot proud patriots dot org)
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To: Darksheare

Coffee sot!


294 posted on 02/18/2005 4:18:43 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (aitch tee tee pea colon 2 slashes dubya dubya dubya dot proud patriots dot org)
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To: loe joe

295 posted on 02/18/2005 4:19:18 PM PST by Monti Cello (We've got to move these refrigerators. We've got to move these color TVs.)
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To: bd476; Brad's Gramma; Sidebar Moderator; Darksheare
We're not talking coffee and tea as the beverage of choice then are we?

No. SideBAR Moderator.
Always up against the bar, wireless laptop and all that.
Likely gets tossed out of two or three places a day and then has to hunt for broadband.

A bit sad, but necessary.

296 posted on 02/18/2005 4:19:55 PM PST by humblegunner
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To: Darksheare
LOL!

Wait! It's too early for St. Patrick's Day beverages.

297 posted on 02/18/2005 4:20:54 PM PST by bd476 (Someone's been kissing the Blarney Stone.)
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To: loe joe
Some of my friends, family members, and co-workers wonder how I could be a political liberal in the midst of this new swell of conservatism [in] the United States.

I suspect none of the above asked you, let alone give a sh!t.
298 posted on 02/18/2005 4:21:46 PM PST by Bars4Bill
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To: loe joe

You're a liberal because your daughter had children she couldn't afford, and now we all are paying for her indiscretion? OK. Good thing some of us conservatives work for a living to pay those taxes, huh?


299 posted on 02/18/2005 4:22:06 PM PST by VegasCowboy ("...he wore his gun outside his pants, for all the honest world to feel.")
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To: humblegunner
Duh, she says, slapping herself across the forhead.

SideBAR Moderator. Got it!

300 posted on 02/18/2005 4:23:37 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (aitch tee tee pea colon 2 slashes dubya dubya dubya dot proud patriots dot org)
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