Remember...when the GOP calls us "liberal,liberal,liberal" say HELL YES!

[Ken Burch]

This is an old message but we need to repeat it. "Liberal" and "Left" became negative terms because our leaders let the attacks on them go unchallenged. Voters turned against us because we looked like we were ashamed of our core values.

THIS HAS TO STOP!

We must stand up and say "Hell yes, we're liberal. Sometimes we're even radical. AND WE'RE RIGHT TO BE, DAMMIT!"

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, millions would have starved in this country in the Thirties.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, Hitler and Mussolini would have been allowed to take over the world.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, we'd have seen our troops dying in Vietnam for years and years longer. Maybe they'd STILL be dying there.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, segregation would have lived on forever.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, there'd be no laws at all protecting the environment from destruction.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, free speech would only be a theoretical right, reserved in practice solely for rich white men(In practice, the ACLU won the right of freedom of expression for all.)

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, the arts would have died out in this country for lack of funding.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, this wouldn't be a civilized country at all.

This is a proud heritage, and we as Democrats must never let it be besmirched and smeared and allowed to die from neglect.

Long live DU for defending the most American tradition of all-the liberal and radical tradition, the tradition that gives hope that someday, finally, this country may become a democracy.

No surrender! No compromise! No quarter given!

[Warpy]

1. "I'm a liberal and that's the most hateful, unchristian thing I've ever

heard you say," is the only appropriate response to braindead liberal bashers. After all, they can't say the words without saying something like "Liberals love it when our boys get killed in Iraq."

Throw the hate right back in their faces by identifying it as such.

[cadeyrn]

38. Jesus

Jesus was a liberal. Look at how his views clashed with the conservative religious views of his time.

[BOSSHOG]

2. College Educated Veteran and Proud Liberal Here

And always ask them what they are doing to help us stay the course.

I love whupping out my ACLU card, THEN, my military retiree ID Card. It just gets their little panties in an ugly knot.

[stepnw1f]

3. lol...

Salute!

:patriot:

[BOSSHOG]

4. Back at ya teammate!!

[acmejack]

5. Well said gentlemen!

Long live liberality!

[IronLionZion]

6. They called Andrew Jackson a jackass

and he made it our mascot! OWNED!!! Damn straight!

[karmaqueen]

7. You are so right!

I never could understand how they got away with changing the meaning of that word. I always say I am a proud liberal.

[wickedcity]

8. It's not just "they"

If you compare "liberal" as it was known in early America, and "liberal" as used by American Democrats today, there's a massive difference.

[Teenager]

9. Completely agree

Liberal! Liberal! Liberal!

Stand tall and be proud!

[DeanDem10]

10. Ditto

With the exception of my "Snoopy" here, we should all stand proud.

[4dsc]

11. Make that "PROUD LIBERAL" will ya...

I just love correcting rightie when he calls me a liberal. I simply tell them that the correct term is PROUD LIBERAL to you.. Just drives them nuts..

[WouldBe Speechwriter]

12. Yes, and the only thing worse than tax and spend is

Tax and Don't Spend! Reagan's budget guy Dick Darman later wrote a book about how the "starve the gov" strategy didn't and couldn't work ("Triumph of Politics"). The Repubs still use "tax and spend" to get elected. But the republicans tax us all by spending on war and by giving huge bailouts to the economy after the CEO's of major corporations take the money and run. In the 80s in was Neil Bush's Savings and Loan scandal. Now it's the Sub-Prime Mortgage crisis. We are all paying for these bailouts and that's a tax.

[Papi]

13. It is conservatives who should be ashamed

I honestly would not come out of my house if the world knew I were a conservatives. Conservatives took us into Iraq, gave us the recession and many more ailments that we suffer today.

[Ezzard Mack Charles]

18. It is Conservatives who should be ashamed.

You consider George the 2nd a Conservative? Your not serious are you? With his expansion of the Federal Govt. his signing into Law The Military Commissions Act,FISA, Patriot Acts 1 and 2,the introduction of HR 1955 thats still in Commitee, Patriot Act 1 being nothing more then a warmed over version of The Comprehensive Anti Terrorism Act of 1995 that the Clintonistas attempted to foist on the American public, with the Democrats rubber stamping all. This Man is Purely a Collectivist/Statist, a different side of the same Left Liberal Coin.

[progpatriot76]

44. Amen

Bush = LIberal. Good Argument.

[Youth Uprising]

46. I've heard this argument coming

from the looney libertarians before. They claim that big-government conservatives like George Bush are actually progressives and accuse liberals of being Statist. What a load of BS. Hate to break this to you, but conservatives love big government, what they hate is compassionate, competent, liberal governments.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[companionnow]

15. major politicians run from the lable

It's time for them to embrace it.

[jmunger]

16. deadpan

I don't even get huffy and proud about it. I just say "yes, I am" matter-of-factly. It's much harder for them to react to that. They're not used to it. :D

[tuumi]

17. take it back

Love it!

[Karl_Bonner_1982]

19. Remember the Santos/Vinick debate from the WEST WING?

Where Vinick starts using "liberal" as a put down and Santos stands up to reclaim it with pride?

[Rebelscum954]

20. Well...

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, Hitler and Mussolini would have been allowed to take over the world.

The republican party was divided between pro WW2 big stick Republicans and anti WW2 isolationists. Liberals don't have a monopoly on support for WW2.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, we'd have seen our troops dying in Vietnam for years and years longer. Maybe they'd STILL be dying there.

A VERY liberal Democrat president got us into Vietnam and was largely responsible for it's poor handling, and a very conservative Republican pulled us out.



If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, segregation would have lived on forever.

The southern democrats were the party of slavery as well as the party of segregation... Fiscally liberal/social conservatives "Blue Dog" democrats still exist in many places in the South.


If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, free speech would only be a theoretical right, reserved in practice solely for rich white men(In practice, the ACLU won the right of freedom of expression for all.)

Paleoconservatives disagree. If you mean liberal in the sense of "classic liberalism" then you are correct. Your libertarian leaning conservatives are staunch supporters of free speech.

If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, this wouldn't be a civilized country at all.

This is just a baseless claim with no supporting evidence.

[bhbwl]

23. Does DU always allow lies in its forums?

"If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, Hitler and Mussolini would have been allowed to take over the world."

The republican party was divided between pro WW2 big stick Republicans and anti WW2 isolationists. Liberals don't have a monopoly on support for WW2.

You seem to be ignoring the efforts and sacrifices of some tens of million Soviets who died for the cause. Remember, the OP said liberals and leftists (proud to be both).

"If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, we'd have seen our troops dying in Vietnam for years and years longer. Maybe they'd STILL be dying there."

A VERY liberal Democrat president got us into Vietnam and was largely responsible for it's poor handling, and a very conservative Republican pulled us out.

What kind of revisionist history are YOU reading? Obviously not the truth. And again, you seem to want to ignore the several million DEAD liberals and leftists IN VIETNAM, whose blood is on American hands.

"If it wasn't for liberals and leftists, segregation would have lived on forever."

The southern democrats were the party of slavery as well as the party of segregation...

The lies just don't stop with you, do they? The REPUBLICANS are the party of slavery--past, present and future. The REPUBLICANS are the party of Jim Crow--past, present and future. The REPUBLICANS are the party of segregation--past, present and future.

I thought this was a thread for liberals AND leftists. I see I was wrong.

[clarence swinney]

21. LIBERALS HAVE THE GREAT RECORD

Refuse to promote it

google

clarence swinney

+ 82 democrats
+ democrats create wealth and jobs
+ tax & Spend
+ praise clinton
+ clinton vs reagan
+ carter vs reagan
+ how to identify a republican
+ clinton terrorism

I am amazed as to how Conservatives can get by with demeaning Tax & Spend Liberals.

TAX-SPEND=PAY YOUR WAY
SPEND-BORROW=KIDS PAY TOMORROW

FACT CHECK

200 years=1000B of Debt
20 years of Spend-Borrow-9500B of Debt

Reagan cut Income Taxes by 750B and borrowed 1700B to pay for it. Cut rich taxes by 60%.

Bush cut "rich" taxes by 1700B and will borrow 4500B to pay for it.

why do not D attack attack attack

Have the numbers of Greatness.

Get led into traps of non-important issues

SOL=standard of living=Democrats Great Record

shamed of such success? Drives me batty

wake up D leadership if there is such a thing

Let me Train Them.

[progpatriot76]

45. Take me back to the days..

Of the 90's when Clinton was in Control! Good argument that Government CAN do great things with an intelligent taxation policy.

[Hellataz]

22. I don't mind being called a Liberal, i'm proud of it.

I don't mind being called a Liberal, i'm proud of it.
You know what "bleeding heart liberals" means to me? It means we care about EVERYONE, not just the rich or people that looks like us. We understand people of all races and genders have problems beyond their control and we try to help them, not judge them.
Being Liberal means you understand spending is necessary to help improve our country, but spending in terms of social programs not war efforts and bail outs.
Liberal to me is a combination of progressive and intelligent, open mindedness and and compassion, maybe a bit idealistic, but ultimately the people who take the high road and strive to make life better for everyone, not just themselves.

[Rabia]

24. 'Conservatives' need some of that 'liberal' flow

To help them release some of that anal retentive backup.

[spookytooth]

25. I think it became a dirty word in 1988 when George Sr. used it against Dukakis

but then I recall watching an episode of "All in the Family" and Archie was hurling it around like an insult even back in the early 70s! So I agree that we have to make no apologies whatsoever.

[ihatehannity]

26. tell hannity that

I want to see hannity bring in one intelligent liberal onto his show to back out play.

Instead of all these celebrities that don't know jack. I think that is why we have such a bad name...

all the wrong people standing up for liberalism

[Blue Dog Dominion]

27. Liberal yes, "progressive" no

Re-branding yourself as a "progressive" because some Luntz-like study says the word "liberal" has negative connotations is the wrong way to go. It's up to all of us to make the word "liberal" mean something in a positive light.

Conservatives have defined their platform in such a way as it is full of hate-filled rhetoric or idiotry (is that a word?) that I can't in good concious identify myself as one.

I know centrists views are outnumbered here, but the tent is supposed to be big enough for everyone.

[clarence swinney]

28. LIBERAL LIST OF GREATNESS

WHY IS NOT THIS PROMOTED??

SUBMIT IT TO MANY FORUMS AND PAPERS ETC

82 GREAT THINGS BY DEMOCRATS

ALL AMERICAN PARTY

Can anyone name ten for Republicans

Credit for this most of this information goes to my friend, a great mind, and his terrific site
(Rev.Ray Dubuque—www. Liberals like Christ.org)

Republicans fought most of these plus WWII Draft

1. social security act

2. medicare

3. gi bill of rights

4.national industrial recovery act

5.national housing act

6.federal communications act

7.national labor relations act-wagner act of 1935

8.fair labor standards act (min wage & max hours laws)

9.public works adm-works progress adm

10.civilian conservation act

11.Tennessee valley (power) authority

12.rural electrification act

13.full employment act

14.permanent school lunch program

15. Truman ended segregation in armed forces

16.veterans emergency housing act

17.public health service act

18.marshall plan

19.peace corps

20.aid to dependent children program

21.small business investment act

22.establishment of arms control and disarmament agency

23.consumer drug protection laws

24.equal pay act

25.manpower development and retraining act

26.clean air act

27.mental health and mental retardation act

28.college and vocational education act

29.civil rights act

30.voting rights act

31.mass transportation act

32.omnibus poverty act (office of economic opportunity, vista, job corps and public assistance programs)

33.war on poverty

34.head start (for pre-school children)

35.land conservation fund

36.permanent food stamp program

37.appalachia regional development act

38.elementary and secondary education act

39.higher education act

40.older Americans act (medicare and medicaid)

41.law enforcement assistance act

42.immigration reform act

43.freedom of information act

44.clean water restoration act

45.coal mine health and safety act

46.Schip Health Care for 11 million children-clinton bill 1997
Bush vetoed reauthorization twice. Reauthorized in early 2009 under Obama and democratic senate

47.federal ethics code

48.civil service reform

49.creation of superfund (cleanup of toxic waste)

50.secretary of health joseph califano(fight tobacco health threat)

51.votings rights act extension

52.highway and mass transit funding bill

53.civil rights restoration act

54.head start expansion

55.Americans with disabilities act

56.major tax increase on the wealthy to fight
deficits created by Reagan

57.family medical leave act

58.attempted to extend/or improve health insurance coverage for millions of Americans

59.restoration of democracy to haiti

60.restoration of peace to bosnia

61.promotion of peace in south Africa

62.promotion of peace in northern Ireland

63.promotion of peace in Israel and Palestine

64.increases in minimum wage

65.promotion of spending on inner-city schools

66.opposition to abolition of safety net for the poor

67.protection of social security and medicare

68.promotion of justice for victims of racism

69.protection of children from cancer inducing tobacco industry

70.constantly frustrated efforts to enact thorough campaign finance

71.appointment of many minorities and women to cabinet positions

72.resolution of long-standing black farmers discrimination issues

73.leadership role in nato’s campaign to stop ethnic cleansing in kosovo.

74.major efforts to challenge the dangerous proliferation of assault weapons in America

75.ameri-corps

76. pay their way party—

1960 to 1980—National Income grew 418%--Debt grew 210%

1980 to 1992 National Income grew 102%--Debt grew 300%.

Democrats pay their way-Republicans party of spend and borrow-our kids pay Tomorrow

77. party for strong defense—carter increased defense spending by 50%--

Nixon-Ford cut Army troops by 41% and Reagan-Bush cut by 11%

78. Party of Integrity---Reagan had more(137) charged with crimes than cumulative total for all presidents of 20th century.

79. vacation with pay

80.trade union schools—forerunner to community colleges

81.worker retirement pensions

82.veterans administration

83.earned income tax credit—senator russell long bill

84. Fair Pay Bill passed 1-09

Great Gop achievements—
Eisenhower initiated Interstate Highway
Reagan signed Martin Luther King holiday
Nixon signed affirmative action law
Nixon initiated EPA
Nixon initiated OSHA


Ike was good--Ford was good--Bush I was good

Reagan + Bush II were bad for America And the world--Unrestricted Gambling=Disaster

Redistribution of Wealth & Income Upwards via 2500 Billion in Tax Cuts mostly for rich and increase by Spending and Borrowing.

2500B Tax Cuts and borrowed 5700 Billion to pay for them and major increases in spending(80% Reagan + 65% Bush II). Clinton + 24%.

Which party won every 20th Century War but one??

Which President created most jobs per month?
Which President increased Total Stock Market Value by more than thrice all predecessors combined
Which President never told the people a single lie on policy.
Which President got more of his Legislation passed under a Democratic Congress than all but one President .
Which President released more secured documents than total of all preceding presidents?
Which president implemented more anti-terrorism programs than any in history?

answer below

LORD WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Political Heretic]

30. I would, if it weren't a lie.

Calling Democrats "liberal" is laughable.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[clarence swinney]

32. LIBERALS CREATED SUCCESS FOR MIDDLE CLASS

SUBMIT IT TO MANY FORUMS AND PAPERS ETC

82 GREAT THINGS BY DEMOCRATS

ALL AMERICAN PARTY

Can anyone name ten for Republicans

Credit for this most of this information goes to my friend, a great mind, and his terrific site
(Rev.Ray Dubuque—www. Liberals like Christ.org)

Republicans fought most of these plus WWII Draft

1. social security act

2. medicare

3. gi bill of rights

4.national industrial recovery act

5.national housing act

6.federal communications act

7.national labor relations act-wagner act of 1935

8.fair labor standards act (min wage & max hours laws)

9.public works adm-works progress adm

10.civilian conservation act

11.Tennessee valley (power) authority

12.rural electrification act

13.full employment act

14.permanent school lunch program

15. Truman ended segregation in armed forces

16.veterans emergency housing act

17.public health service act

18.marshall plan

19.peace corps

20.aid to dependent children program

21.small business investment act

22.establishment of arms control and disarmament agency

23.consumer drug protection laws

24.equal pay act

25.manpower development and retraining act

26.clean air act

27.mental health and mental retardation act

28.college and vocational education act

29.civil rights act

30.voting rights act

31.mass transportation act

32.omnibus poverty act (office of economic opportunity, vista, job corps and public assistance programs)

33.war on poverty

34.head start (for pre-school children)

35.land conservation fund

36.permanent food stamp program

37.appalachia regional development act

38.elementary and secondary education act

39.higher education act

40.older Americans act (medicare and medicaid)

41.law enforcement assistance act

42.immigration reform act

43.freedom of information act

44.clean water restoration act

45.coal mine health and safety act

46.Schip Health Care for 11 million children-clinton bill 1997
Bush vetoed reauthorization twice. Reauthorized in early 2009 under Obama and democratic senate

47.federal ethics code

48.civil service reform

49.creation of superfund (cleanup of toxic waste)

50.secretary of health joseph califano(fight tobacco health threat)

51.votings rights act extension

52.highway and mass transit funding bill

53.civil rights restoration act

54.head start expansion

55.Americans with disabilities act

56.major tax increase on the wealthy to fight
deficits created by Reagan

57.family medical leave act

58.attempted to extend/or improve health insurance coverage for millions of Americans

59.restoration of democracy to haiti

60.restoration of peace to bosnia

61.promotion of peace in south Africa

62.promotion of peace in northern Ireland

63.promotion of peace in Israel and Palestine

64.increases in minimum wage

65.promotion of spending on inner-city schools

66.opposition to abolition of safety net for the poor

67.protection of social security and medicare

68.promotion of justice for victims of racism

69.protection of children from cancer inducing tobacco industry

70.constantly frustrated efforts to enact thorough campaign finance

71.appointment of many minorities and women to cabinet positions

72.resolution of long-standing black farmers discrimination issues

73.leadership role in nato’s campaign to stop ethnic cleansing in kosovo.

74.major efforts to challenge the dangerous proliferation of assault weapons in America

75.ameri-corps

76. pay their way party—

1960 to 1980—National Income grew 418%--Debt grew 210%

1980 to 1992 National Income grew 102%--Debt grew 300%.

Democrats pay their way-Republicans party of spend and borrow-our kids pay Tomorrow

77. party for strong defense—carter increased defense spending by 50%--

Nixon-Ford cut Army troops by 41% and Reagan-Bush cut by 11%

78. Party of Integrity---Reagan had more(137) charged with crimes than cumulative total for all presidents of 20th century.

79. vacation with pay

80.trade union schools—forerunner to community colleges

81.worker retirement pensions

82.veterans administration

83.earned income tax credit—senator russell long bill

84. Fair Pay Bill passed 1-09

Great Gop achievements—
Eisenhower initiated Interstate Highway
Reagan signed Martin Luther King holiday
Nixon signed affirmative action law
Nixon initiated EPA
Nixon initiated OSHA


Ike was good--Ford was good--Bush I was good

Reagan + Bush II were bad for America And the world--Unrestricted Gambling=Disaster

Redistribution of Wealth & Income Upwards via 2500 Billion in Tax Cuts mostly for rich and increase by Spending and Borrowing.

Top 10% now own 71% of Total Wealth in America.

2500B Tax Cuts and borrowed 5700 Billion to pay for them and major increases in spending(80% Reagan + 65% Bush II). Clinton + 24%.

Which party won every 20th Century War but one??

Which President created most jobs per month?

Which President increased Total Stock Market Value by more than thrice all predecessors combined

Which President never told the people a single lie on policy.

Which President got more of his Legislation passed under a Democratic Congress than all but one President .

Which President released more secured documents than total of all preceding presidents?

Which president implemented more anti-terrorism programs than any in history?

answer below

LORD WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON

In smears please use numbers not guesses.

Prove me wrong.

OK Amigo! Si Senor!
[e-mail]

[lk9550]

33. Yep

^Agree with you completely.

[Ken Burch]

39. Clarence, we get it that you like the guy, but "LORD William Jefferson Clinton"?

:eyes:

[gwashington2650]

34. Hell Yes!

Up yours, stupid CONS!

[Glory89fan]

35. Hell yeah! Proud liberal here.

And up yours cons!

[lifeliberty345]

36. I'm a Liberal since '72

I'm re-electing President Obama. I'm not electing Sarah "I hate Retards!" Palin.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[carnie_sf]

40. If it weren't for Liberals

We'd still be a British Colony

[Pistarkle]

41. Hell Yes!

I hate the thought of having to compromise on the tax cuts just as much as you do, but no compromise is only in your corner when YOU have the upper hand. Right now the Republicans HAVE the upper hand – more than enough “no” votes in the Senate to keep tax cuts for the wealthy in ANY compromise. If Democratic candidates campaigned on tax cuts for the wealthy during the 2010 Campaign as the President suggested, perhaps 90% rather than 40% of eligible voters would have voted in the midterms and the Democrats would have the upper hand regarding the tax cut controversy, but that’s past history.

Because of the midterm results, Republicans will be in charge of the House and the 60 vote filibuster-proof Senate on the side of Democrats will be out the door come January 1st. At least now a compromise will benefit the middle class, the poor, and the unemployed and small businesses with the extension of unemployment benefits, tax cuts for the middle class, payroll tax cuts, and incentives for small businesses to create jobs. It’s not the best of both worlds, but it’s better than nothing at all. After January 1st when the Republicans are in charge of the House, you can be guaranteed that those benefits will be ‘gone with the wind’.

WE criticized the President and Democrats when we didn’t get the public option but WE didn’t fight for it. We let the Tea Party and health insurance industry do ALL of the squawking and we didn’t start raising Cain until after the fact. WE must deliver the upper hand. WE must speak out in ONE voice. WE must shame the Republicans into ending those tax cuts THROUGHOUT the next two years. WE must hold local rallies. WE must fight for our rights in local AND national newspapers, internet, radio and media outlets. WE must email, fax and call Republican Congressional offices EVERY DAY. We must let Tea Party-backed Republicans know that if they continue to fight for the wealthy and ignore the middle class, the poor and the unemployed, WE WILL vote them out in 2012 and WE must mean it!

[LongIslandGuy]

42. If it weren't for liberals...

We'd still be slicing our own bread! Think about THAT!

[progpatriot76]

43. Yes "Liberal" is Negative because we let it get that way!

For far too long we as voters have simply accepted the status
quo with regard to our candidates.  Essentially, we have
voted with great ignorance.  One snapshot of this is the
continued corruption here is Detroit.  The Democrats tell the
voters what they want to hear and simply use that rhetoric as
a stepping stool to the office where they simply kick back,
relax and focus on how to rape the voters and taxpayers. This
is a scar against the Democratic party that is deep and
lasting.  

This must stop and it takes the voters to crawl out of their
box of ignorance and contempt for the right; and educate
themselves about what needs to be fixed in this great country
of ours and question the leadership when they do  not perform.
 Stop voting based on past hatred and STOP MAKING EXCUSES! the
past has no meaning; it is gone.  Lets look forward with true
hope, intelligence and prosperity that is the foundation of
our country and our party. Peace.