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Friday, November 21, 2008 12:00 AM

Is it OK to be liberal again, instead of progressive?

Come out of the closet, liberals. Stop using the fashionable euphemism "progressive" and relaunch the old, tarnished L-word.

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  • Friday, November 21, 2008 03:15 PM

    Pragmatic Progressive, for me

    Twenty years ago I realized that liberals think people with more money than they need should be made to feel guilty about it so they'd give some to people who don't have enough. Even when that works, it creates a lot of resentment; hence the conservative backlash of the late '70's. Liberalism is based on guilt.

    I call myself a Pragmatic Progressive. "Change is inevitable; progress is optional." My ideals would be considered very radical by most, but I am willing to work toward what is achievable.

    In addition, I reject guilt as leverage. The "shoulds" of the Left are as onerous as the "shouldn'ts" of the Right. While I believe that every American is entitled to quality education and healthcare, I believe it must be marketed as a benefit to all Americans, that that improving the capabilities of the "have nots" greatly benefits the "haves." Social programs are not WELFARE, but investments in a stronger economy, a stronger nation.

    Also, I believe that the idea of "corporate America" that Rush claims to defend is a fiction. All large corporations are global, multinational rather than American. Corporations have only one purpose: to benefit the financial interests of the owners. They are not humanitarian, nor patriotic. Never think otherwise.

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