Definition of Liberal?

Question

It seems the past few years that 'liberal' was simply shorthand for 'Not 100% on board with Bush'. People apply the term to anyone who expresses doubt or disagreement with the current admin. regardless of their actual overall political views. I've seen people who under any other circumstances would be considered solid republicans, even conservative ones, be classified as libs simply for disagreeing with policies or actions of the White House. Politics isn't a baseball game, with 2 clearly defined sides, most people have views that fall all over the map, not just in 1 category. Is it just intellectual laziness, or a genuine fear that the world isn't so clear-cut and easy to understand (us vs them)?

Answer 1

lib·er·al (lbr-l, lbrl) KEY

ADJECTIVE:


Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.

Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor.
Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes.
Not strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation.
Of, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education.

Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
Obsolete Morally unrestrained; licentious.
NOUN:

A person with liberal ideas or opinions.
Liberal A member of a Liberal political party.

http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/liberal

Answer 2

a Liberal, one who resides in a fairy tale land! where all the people have all things equal! No one has more than the other so no one progresses or becomes more successful or wealthy. to help stimulate growth in an economy and create more jobs. everyone is really good inside!, we should therefore always excuse the actions of a criminal-oops cant label anyone thats not PC! excuse the actions of a man who has therapy resolveable issues. That we should always surrender ground rather than fight for it. a socialist in all of its forms. weatlh redistribution is on the mandate and all things religious are accepted freely except christianity that must be silenced. tolerates only its own views and labels all other views as hate speech to keep the masses from studing.!a liberal

Answer 3

No, Bush admin has nothing to do w/ it. You're placing blame where it doesn't belong. A liberal is someone who doesn't live in reality but feels they have all the answers to the problems they don't face themselves. I work in NYC I face liberals daily. Not all people live like you do or I do and liberals don't realize that. A liberal believes all people are educated to some extent or even read the newspaper, watch the news.The rules of "engagement" are different for people their daily lives are not based on what's going on in the world just in their own universe they live in.Not everyone knows what the Bush Administration is doing or even who is President.To think it has anything to do w/ not liking the Bush Admin is a clear cut example.

Answer 4

Being liberal means accepting different opinions and ways of behaving and tending to be sympathetic to the other people.I am a liberal person,I believe in social or political change,I'm not narrow-minded,I learn about a wide variety of things.