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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GST who wrote (147932)	10/15/2004 12:34:05 PM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Liberals believe in a free market and free trade, but they differ in the degree of limited government intervention in the economy. In general, government responsibility for health, education and fighting poverty fits into the policies of most liberal parties. But they all, even American liberals, tend to believe in a smaller role for the state than would be supported by most social democrats, let alone socialists or communists. Liberals believe generally in a neutral government, in the way that it is not for the state to determine how individuals can pursue happiness. This self determination gives way to an open mind in ethical questions. Most liberal parties support the 'pro choice' movement and advocate the emancipation of women and homosexuals. Equality for the law is crucial in liberal policies, Racism is incompatible with liberalism. All liberal parties are secular, but they differ on anti-clericalism. Liberal parties in Latin countries tend to be very anti-clerical. Strongly divided are liberals on a stance in political economy that argues for government regulation and partial intervention in economy. The degree of this intervention is often hotly debated, and there are greater extremes in rhetoric than in practice. Liberals agree on the idea that the society has very limited interests in the private behavior of its citizens in the areas of private sexual relations, free speech, personal conscience or religious beliefs, and political association. Assurance of personal liberties and freedom, particularly to individual expression, is paramount in this form of liberalism. As John Rawls put it, "The state has no right to determine a particular conception of the good life". The left wing of liberalism, especially in the United States - considers fundamental that the society has a responsibility to guarantee equal opportunity for each of its citizens. In general liberals do not believe that the government should directly control industrial production through state owned enterprises, which places it in opposition to parties such as the Social Democrats of Germany, or the UK Labor Party. en.wikipedia.org

To: GST who wrote (147932)	10/15/2004 12:36:56 PM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

I am, however, glad to see that I am mistaken, and that most liberals and Democrats oppose partial birth abortion, although opposition is still greater among conservatives and moderates. I mistakenly infered from the strong support of abortion rights generally among liberals: Ideology and political partisanship are also strong factors. Sixty-three percent of Democrats and 69 percent of liberals support legal abortion; 55 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of conservatives oppose it. Independents and moderates are more apt to support it. Most Oppose Partial Birth Abortions With control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, it's expected the Republicans will move to ban "partial-birth" abortions, also known as dilation and extraction abortions. Congress has twice before passed such measures, both vetoed by then-President Clinton. President Bush has said he would sign the bill. The 69 percent in this poll who say partial-birth abortions shouldn't be legal takes in majorities across demographic groups, including 60 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of liberals. abcnews.go.com

To: GST who wrote (147932)	10/15/2004 12:58:51 PM
From: Neocon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

As for taxes, while it is true that there are times when liberals might favor a tax break, it is generally true that they want to create more government programs, which means increasing taxes, at least on the wealthy. Indeed, a central tenet of 20th century liberalism is the progressivity of the tax code, both to equalize fortunes through tax policy, and to provide revenue for programs. Furthermore, there is a tendency to be hostile to inherited wealth, and therefore to severely tax inheritances. Indeed, it was James Farley, an advisor to FDR, who originated the phrase "Tax, tax, spend, spend, elect, elect.", which became the basis for the phrase "tax and spend liberal".......