The Left Needs to Reclaim the Concepts of "Freedom" and "Liberty"

[ulTRAX]

Poking around the web for archived Jeff Gannon pages I came across this quote by Ronnie Reagan: "Man is not free unless government is limited.... As Government expands, liberty contracts."

I've debated many on the right who seem to think they have a monopoly on the definition of "liberty".... or "freedom" for that matter. One nut suggested that liberty was more important than democratic self-governance. I assume he meant he'd prefer a "beneficent" dictator to the Greens taking office.

But there is a deeper philosophical question here. From a Progressive standpoint I see the danger in too much government... yet, used correctly, I also see government as a liberating force. Ya.. we can claim liberty too. Not that all the Progressive reforms have been enacted... but is it not liberating to feel free to quit a bad job you endure just to keep for the health insurance? Isn't it liberating to finally get a renegade corporation that pollutes to stop making your family subsidize their profits with their bad health? Isn't it liberating to know the market will not penalize you with extra health insurance costs just because you were born with some genetic predisposition to a disease health insurance companies want nothing to do with?

We on the Left can not surrender this ideal of Liberty to the Right and allow it to pervert its meaning to include social insecurity. WTF is the point of civilization?

[ulTRAX]

1. here's the quotes I was referring to:

"Liberty is freedom from tyranny, regardless of the details of government."

"Democracy is secondary. Liberty is primary."

Here's the original thread: http://groups-beta.google.com/group/alt.politics.radical-left/browse_frm/thread/1fa92558c698109e/1792ec7de8c4757b?tvc=1&q=[e-mail]