UPDATE 2 ..More Good News OG Bill .....

[spatne]

Not quite.

Generally speaking:

Liberals do not oppose all military action. For example, most liberals I know supported military action in Afghanistan. Every liberal I know opposed the Iraq war because it was (amongst other things) pre-emptive. Yes, liberals are green, and we do loves us some ACLU.

Liberals are not, by definition, capital-S socialists, but some socialist principles are shared by liberals. We believe that health care is a basic right. We believe in a progressive tax structure. We believe in a living wage. Liberals also believe that the government has a duty to help people who really need it. Liberals are populists who fight for the working class (this last one is what disqulaifies too many Democrats.)

In addition, liberals are:

for balanced budgets
for secular government
for affirmative action.
for significant corporate regulation.
pro-choice.
pro-sex education in public school.
pro-science.
against the death penalty
supportive of full equality for the gay community.
overall social libritarians

...and that's just off the top of my head.

Any other crazy lefties want to add to the list? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[MiltonFriedman]

Liberals are "overall social libertarians" ??? Are you kidding ?

Liberals are:

FOR political interference with the self interest of individuals within whatever political state they are from

AGAINST economic freedom of choice

FOR significant government interference with and limitation of personal choices and expression.

It is no wonder so many liberals supported HR4411. They may not have pushed it, like the religious right, but they did not give a rat's ass for personal choice.

[spatne]

MF,

I like the fact that the politics and legislation forums are distinct, so I don't want to pick a fight with you.

But I never said anything about liberals being economic libritarians. Also, I'm not sure where you get the idea that liberals are against "freedom of expression." Unless you and I have very different ideas of what that means (and we might) you couldn't be more wrong.

[Berge20]

...and they shut down the politics forum because people couldnt have rational discussions that did not involve personal attacks, continual inappropriate comments/links, etc.

I don't mind discourse, but I am unable to allow that type of thing going on here if it goes into too much negativity. Feel free to continue this one (I'm tempted to insert my 2 cents) just keep it clean

[spatne]

Hmm...Pelosi talks a good game, but I've been unimpressed.

Anyway, I've given this more thought. And while I do think that liberals are your best bet, I also think that this is one of those issues where personal feelings towards gambling will likely trump political ideology often enough to make things unpredictable.

[Emperor]

It depends on the definition of Liberal you are using.

Libertarians LONG considered themselves "Liberal." However in recent years they have had to spend a ton of time distinguishing themselves from the liberal democrats of today

[stormy455]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyway, I've given this more thought. And while I do think that liberals are your best bet, I also think that this is one of those issues where personal feelings towards gambling will likely trump political ideology often enough to make things unpredictable.

[/ QUOTE ]Now that I'll agree with. I also think that the Republicans have a harder time voting against this bill (even if they believe that this is no place for government intervention) because they don't want to alienate the social conservative portion of their base. The Democrats are a little freer to vote their conscience on the issue, though I'm sure it depends on their district.

[spatne]

[ QUOTE ]
the liberal demonrats of today

[/ QUOTE ]

This must be that intelligent discource that Berge was talking about. Way to elevate.

[Berge20]

Yes, exactly what I was referring to....

[Emperor]

My Apologies. I was trying to use the appropriate word in the corresponding context. Had I been commenting on a positive aspect of the Democratic Party, I would have used the word "democrat" instead.

"1. Demonrat

Proper name for what many people call a member of the U.S. Democratic party, who believes in being soft on crime, soft on national defense and terrorism, and extra rights for minorities and women. They basically also believe in communism, socialism, penalizing the productive thru progressive and high taxes, stealing from the earners and producers, and giving free money to the lazy and the non-producers. They have also basically brainwashed the public, for no working person in their right mind would vote for this crap.

Al Gore is a liberal demonrat."

taken from www.urbandictionary.com