OK, my response below, but first - on line dictionary:
A liberal, is a liberal is a liberal!:
thefreedictionary.com
lib·er·al (lbr-l, lbrl)
adj.
1.
a. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
d. Liberal Of, designating, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism, especially in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States.
2.
a. Tending to give freely; generous: a liberal benefactor.
b. Generous in amount; ample: a liberal serving of potatoes.
3. Not strict or literal; loose or approximate: a liberal translation.
4. Of, relating to, or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum: a liberal education.
5.
a. Archaic Permissible or appropriate for a person of free birth; befitting a lady or gentleman.
b. Obsolete Morally unrestrained; licentious.
n.
1. A person with liberal ideas or opinions.
2. Liberal A member of a Liberal political party.
<<First, you seem to be saying that to be a "best, sophisticated thinker", one must be educated. This simply isn't true. I have two bachelor's degrees myself, am married to a Ph.D. (in Biology) and I have a number of friends with graduate degrees. I understand and appreciate the value and benefits of an education. But just because one is an academic and intellectual doesn't mean that they have any common sense whatsoever. This goes for politicians, pundits and reporters. Didn't you ever read The Best and the Brightest? Today's crop of Ivy League-trained intellectuals seems to have a particular closed-minded insularity and arrogance. See Misters Bernanke, Geithner, and Summers as examples. >>
How did we humans think about things 300 years ago?; 3,000 years ago, 30,000 years ago, 150,000 years ago. We have only been living with any reasonable amount of civilized behavior e.g. freedom for women, no racism (still involved in descrimination of gays, etc--in the last few decades.
Why? We all know why, we evolved as a species through education!
<<Second, you mention Rachel Maddow but no one else from MSNBC. Do you ever watch Chris Matthews? Do you ever watch Keith Olbermann? Have you ever seen Olbermann award a "Worst person in the World"? He's a raving lunatic, angry and hysterical and much in need of a straight jacket and some Thorazine alongside of Mr. Beck. He is NOT a "best" thinker or in any way a "sophisticated" thinker although he did used to be mildly entertaining back in the day on Sportscenter.>>
Every single person on MSNBC tells the truth to the best of the ability of a human being. YOU talk abotu Olberman being a raving lunetic.
What Olberman says is usually very sophisticated thiking and both his logic and facts are correct. Mathrews and Lawreence O'Donnell have years of experience on the hill. They know of which they speak.
I know becasue I know the same facts. FOX tells lies and is so stupid I cannot watch if for more than a feew minutes. They are like a bunch of silly kids.
You really think Beck, Palin, and Hannity are saying anything worthwhile???
<<Third, you mention Jefferson and Madison as liberals. They certainly were liberals, although in the classical sense. Your modern liberalism and its underlying, implicit statism bears little resemblance to classical liberalism. I am certain that if they were to see our government now, Jefferson and Madison would be disgusted by its infringements on personal liberty and other excesses.
Reilly>>
Jefferson and Madison liberals were not one bit diffeerent than todays liberal. |
