What does it mean to be a liberal as opposed to conservative?

Question

I support protecting the environment, which is considered a "liberal" viewpoint. What on earth does the environment have to do with liberalism and conservatism. It seems like the conservatives should be the ones that want to conserve, since they don't like change. Why not put the conserve back in conservative?

Answer 1

Conservative used to mean "keep things the way they are as opposed to change" while Liberal used to mean "progress".

Answer 2

The word liberal has very little to do with the current political meaning of liberal in the US. In the US politically liberal leans more toward socialism. Politically liberal people usually are for more governmnet control and as such require higher taxes in a redistribution of wealth from higher income individuals. Politically liberal people are usually more socially liberal such as enviromental protection; pro abortion; anti war. Politically liberal people are usually for more welfare such as national health care; helping the homeless; feeding the poor. Politically liberal people believe all problems can be solved with more money through taxes.

Conservatives are usually more religious, believe the capitalist system serves mankind the best and that problems are solved by individuals and groups of individuals and not so much by more money. Most beleive that all life is sacred even in the womb. Conservatives believe that extreme taxation is immoral. Conservatives want to protect the enviroment but believe the welfare of man takes priority.

Answer 3

The titles have little to do with the actual policies. Democrats are labelled liberal, republicans conservative. Actually, the old belief was thar Republicans were FISCALLY conservative - that is, they didn't believe in intruding into private lives, big government, or high taxes.

If you look at the national debt as a measure, the reverse has been true for the last four administrations. The first George Bush left a huge national debt which Clinton paired way down, only to have George W. run it up to an astronomic 8 TRILLION dollars. This is 30% higher than the national debt when Clinton left office.

Even some republican senators seem to be upset with the runaway spending of Bush. In addition, this current administration has created an office to inject money into religions (normally considered a person issue) and tried to intervene in issues like Terri Shivo's death - a purely personal family matter. This was the party that wanted to be able to snoop in gay men's bedrooms, and tried to keep laws on the books forbidden gay sex in private bedrooms; and when the Supreme Court overturned those laws, they called them "activist judges". Instead of concentrating on small government, low taxes, and fiscal responsibility, they've wasted SIX rounds of debate on trying to change the constitution to prevent gay marriage - another family/personal issue where a republican government should not be involved. Now they are tackling abortion - another private matter; instead of figuring out how to resolve the mess they created in Iraq.

The current administration has not taken any care of the environment, happily allowing big business to exploit our national parks and other treasures, to increase pollution from power plants and allow higher levels of poison in our water supply - all in the persuit of profits.

Answer 4

Conservation is a subject the liberals adopted to show they have substance, they have also done this with homosexuality and abortion, to name a few.

No party and no person can claim to be any more concerned about conservation than another. To do so is hypocritical. Granted, the government has made decisions that are unpopular to conservation, but sometimes unpopular decisions need to be made.

Winston Churchill answered it best when asked this question. He said: "When you're twenty years old and you're not a liberal, you have no heart! When you're forty years old and you're not a conservative, you have no brain!"

Answer 5

Liberal,
a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties including Freedom of religion and belief?
OR
Showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant of his opponent's opinions"

Its amazing to me all the comments about the liberals killing babies, For one thing, The opinion of the Court, written by Justice Harry Blackmun, for the legalization of abortion was Republican, the Chief Justice was Republican (Burger I think), yes they had some Democrats on the Court also, but both above voted for it also.

If you look up Liberal in the dictionary you will see and I quote..... Broadly speaking, contemporary liberalism emphasizes individual rights. It seeks a society characterized by freedom of thought for individuals, limitations on power, especially of government and religion, the rule of law, free public education, the free exchange of ideas, a market economy that supports relatively free private enterprise, and a transparent system of government in which the rights of all citizens are protected.[2] In modern society, liberals favor a liberal democracy with open and fair elections, where all citizens have equal rights by law and an equal opportunity to succeed.,....

They are far more interested in protecting the Mother Earth against corporate destruction, I can go on and on, basically there they don’t want the government to interfere with its citizens and want the rich to pay more taxes.
Can they lean a little to far left, they sure can at times, just like the opposition is leaning WAY FAR right now

Answer 6

I think you can be a Conservative and an environmentalist. I once supported the N.D.P. being from Saskatchewan. That was just expected of you. Now I would call myself more of a Liberal or Green supporter. Our government refuses to give more money in transfer payments to provinces for education, health care, social services. Just look at the number of homeless on the streets of BC and Alberta (also California in the states). I don't think a single mother should have to live off $900 to $1500 a month. If they want her off, help with daycare and housing and offer educational and work opportunities. A woman could work part-time and go to school part-time after the kid(s) are over the age of three. I do agree with placing a limit of having no more than two kids on welfare. If you come on to the system with more, you must work part-time to contribute and cannot have anymore. The limit should be four years for most, unless they are going to school, have a disability, work part-time, have health issues, etc.

However, I don't understand why we don't do something about organized crime, lack of policing on the streets, the corporate welfare system, etc. I think gun control is important but so is cracking down on hardcore criminals. I would decriminalize drug possession, though. Someone who engages in prostitution, violent acts, break and entries, harassment of civilians and drug-trafficking and has a rap sheet a mile long shouldn't be out in the first place.

Also, I support some degree of privatization in medicare. Why shouldn't a person be able to buy private insurance, pay out of their wallets for services or go to a private clinic? Nobody should be forced to wait for cancer treatment. Then again, we don't cover needles for Type I diabetics and the amount of money that the disabled/mentally ill get is not enough. We need a national housing plan and some type of daycare plan for low-income earners, students, welfare recipients and single mothers who cant' work without it.

However, listening to civil servants cry about "NOT ENOUGH WAGES" when some people can't go see a doctor, go to emergency, go to EI, kids can't go to school, bus strike and pedestrians can't bus it nonsense I am tired of civil service workers whining and striking, would they prefer we contract out their jobs? My wife could do cleaning for $10 to $13 an hour with benefits and overtime. It's not ideal but you can be a medical transcriptionist for $18 an hour or more. Not bad. EI counsellors get $20 an hour or more. She works as a busser at one restaurant and a waitress at another. She studied English Literature, Social Work and has a diploma in office administration. Private offices start at $9-$11 an hour. What is the bitching and whining about?

. The teachers got hiring bonuses and a steady increase in wages. What are they crying about? And why should government control liquor and gambling? I would privatize it.

Answer 7

In the rest of the world it means that your views are slightly more or less liberal or conservative than I am, and I respect your views.

In the US it means that if you profess to be a Conservative you are classed with idiots like Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, don't care a damn about the evironment, and think Hillary is the end of civilsation as we know it........
The vast majority are Conservatives are NOT like this!

If you say you are Liberal you are immediately assumed to be a Communist 'baby-killer', a 'tree-hugging hippie pothead', you are in love with Barbara Streisand, and think Bill is the Messiah.
The vast majority are Liberals are NOT like this!

Why are Americans so intolerant toward each other?

Answer 8

Once again, I am a conservative who's main mode of transportation is a bicycle. What do all you liberals get around in???

Liberals seem to think that plants and animals have MORE right to life than unborn people.

Answer 9

look at the British conservative party. they have really harnessed the link between the two, even if in a very cheesy way. Ultimately, liberalism and conservatism are not opposites. Environmentalism is also something that can appeal to both sides.

Answer 10

Hi there,
Being a liberal means liberty and justice for all with equal opportunity.
Conservative means re write the Constitution and abolish the Chief Justices.
To deceive and deprive the common citizen while perpetuating social discord and excessive tax breaks for the extremely wealthy.
It is a shame to see that, those that this country has provided a great bounty for, are so stingy as well as arrogant.

Many of whom call themselves conservative are the descendants of immigrants 1st & 2nd World War refugees and remnants of the old south.
They now have acquired critical mass of prosperity and wealth with blatant disregard to " One Nation Under God With Liberty and Justice For All...