Why do liberals now call themselves "progressive"?

Question

Is it because "liberal" has such a negative connotation in America now? Why do they constantly have to try and fool people about who they are and what they believe? What do you think they'll call themselves when "progressive" becomes negative?

Answer 1

They want America to "progress" toward socialism.

Answer 2

Lol, Western guy has the only right answer to this question, and he's thoroughly actual. they choose to guard you from your self and the worldwide on account which you're too stupid to appreciate the complexity of what's solid or incorrect, or what's sweet for you. only right pass away the Aristocrats (i.e. "liberals" or extra suitable yet condescending leftists) to the business enterprise of growing to be the "complicated" judgements in existence and society and enable the masses only drone away at mundane jobs together as they experience superficial happiness. some Black woman is the epitome of what freedoms and selections leftists help, and that's approximately all the guy liberties that they help. certainly, Jose Ortega, leftist hi-jacked the call back interior the early 1900's whilst political philosophers broke up the term liberalism into 2 categories, classical liberalism and welfare liberalism, with the intention to tell apart the two philosophies. earlier, what we call classical liberalism, became only referred to as liberalism. Now the closest ingredient to classical liberalism is libertarianism. All definitions and labels via US standards. As somebody else observed, those labels advise extremely some issues in Asia, and additionally Europe.

Answer 3

The titles have always been interchangable but now they want to emphesize how little the nation has moved forward over the last 7 years and how the nation will make leaps and bounds forward if they are elected. It has been that way before where the progressives (including Republican T. Roosevelt) are in power and stagnant or slipping backward when the conservatives are in power. Some times we move so fast in the positive direction we need to stop and take a rest and that is where the normal mainstream conservative helps. Radicals on neither side are helpful. We've experienced conservative radicals in power lately and thus have not just paused to catch our breath but actually slipped backward. It is time we move forward once again.

Answer 4

Liberals long derrided the term 'progress' which for a long time was synonymous with economic development. Progress was making the deserts bloom with irrigation. Progress was using DDT to stamp out insect-vectored diseases. Progress was building damns. Progress was turning trash and worthless swamp land into valuable real estate! Progress was expanding industry.

Liberals stood in the way of progress so long and so effectively that we've prettymuch stopped using the word - we haven't had much progress, in that sense, in the last 30 years, afterall.

I suppose they may feel that that association has worn off, and it's safe to take up that mantle, again.

It'll be fun digging up the platforms of past 'progressives' like Teddy Roosevelt, and contrasting them to those of the new 'progressives.' ;)

Answer 5

well... it may be because of the ridiculous lies the conservatives try and spread about liberals?

you need only surf around on this site for about an hour to find multiple examples of it...

some seem to be said in joke... yet, it's almost like a "I'll say I'm joking if anyone calls me on it" Coulter-like move...

I mean you have entire books that are best sellers that are nothing more than liberal bashing...

is there one Republican that really has any idea about what liberals really actually believe? I've not seen many... very few and far between...

so I seriously doubt you're much of a judge on who's hiding what and who's fooling who...

Answer 6

Yeah, it could be that they call themselves "progressive" because "liberal" has gotten to have negative connotations. I think it's a very descriptive term especially since the Republicans have pushed us back to 19th-century laissez-faire capitalism, and mid-20th century Cold War and nuclear proliferation problems. In fact the two camps really are the PROgressive Democrats versus the REgressive Republicans.

Answer 7

It is just another name for some of the more liberal views.
They are still the same people with the same views

Answer 8

Actually.. you cons make more names up for us than we make for ourselves.. and all of them are negative to you guys.. none of them.. liberal, progressive.. or whatever.. are negative to us.

And, now it's time for a history lesson.

we are "progressive" because traditionally liberals have been the party of change whereas conservatives have been the party that has tried to limit change in the name of stability.

change is considered a progressive mentality.. hence why we are called progressives.

Answer 9

All of this name calling!! back and forth both parties, just reading this, and other questions about politics, you ALL sound like a bunch of back biting kindergartners. Can't bi-partisan politics work for the GOOD of America and it's people, it's time to stop the hate and come together as our fore fathers did when they founded this awesome country! The terrorists FEED off of all of this hate!!! please unite to the greater good.

Answer 10

They use "progressive" because they believe they are smarter, better educated, and more insightful then the rest of us rabble. They have "progressed" beyond the norm.

After "progressives" they will call themselves " caretakers" since without their gifted insight, and their God given gift of always knowing whats best for others, the rest of us would be helpless without their guidance.