April 11, 2013 6:05 AM

Why am I a Liberal? It's simple; we're all in this together.

I believe in a relatively equal society, supported by institutions that limit extremes of wealth and poverty. I believe in democracy, civil liberties, and the rule of law. That makes me a liberal, and I’m proud of it.

― Paul Krugman

So much of liberalism in its classical sense is taken for granted in the west today and even disrespected. We take freedom for granted, and because of this we don’t understand how incredibly vulnerable it is.

― Niall Ferguson

In the wake of the past election, I’ve heard so many voices on the Right trumpet the “fact” that America embraces Conservative values. The problem with that theory- besides being willfully inaccurate- is that “Conservative values” have degraded from classical Conservatism to things like:

  • shredding the social safety net
  • embracing a health care system which bases access to care wholly on the contents of one’s wallet
  • endorsing rigging elections to ensure Republicans “win”
  • endorsing the doctrine of permanent war
  • subsidizing corporations and the 1% while penalizing those at the bottom of the economic food chain
  • creating a gun culture that’s turned America into a free-fire zone
  • embracing a racist, classist political philosophy based on fear-mongering and conspiracy theories

I could go on, but you get the point. I realize that many Americans have neither the time, energy, nor the inclination to pay attention to what’s being done (or in the case of Congress, NOT being done) in their names. Some folks aren’t interested, some have jobs and/or family commitments that take most of their energy, and some simply can’t be bothered. My response to those folks is that if you knew what was being done while you’re not paying attention, you’d likely be very disturbed.

We live in a culture in which a significant number of us get our news from a media outlet that sneers at the idea of journalistic objectivity. Fox News Channel’s clear and undeniable Right-wing slant belies their “Fair and Balanced” slogan. Their version of Far Right spin, combined with “gotcha journalism” directed at those who live left of the political center, plays to a viewing audience which can largely only be describe as tabula rasa. They won’t admit it, of course, but they’re largely waiting to be told what to think…and what they’re told to think is based largely on GOP talking points and propaganda.

I can hear the Right-wing response already: “MSNBC!! MSNBC!!”…and while I understand where they’re coming from, their premise is fundamentally flawed. While Fox News Channel is very often (and demonstrably) just plain wrong on the facts, most MSNBC talking heads are reasonable sorts (now that Ed Schultz is gone) who base their argument on research and provable facts. MSNBC isn’t perfect, but they actually check their facts, and the information they present is based on those facts, NOT on prejudice and talking points. I’m tired of Right-wing talking heads tossing about the phrase, “Liberal Media” while simultaneously ignoring the reality that they hardly inhabit the ivory tower of Objective Truth.

I’m a Liberal because I want to live in a world where people THINK instead of react. I want to live in a world where intellectual honesty is the yardstick we live by. I want to live in a world where we care for one another. Most Conservatives want to live in a dog-eat-dog, Randian, “I got mine, you can damned well get your own” world where they bear no responsibility for anyone but themselves. “I am my brother’s keeper” is not a phrase you generally hear departing the lips of those on the Right. Social justice is not a concept that should be considered outdated and worthy of scorn; it should be- and can still be- the recognition that the Golden Rule is a way to lift ALL of us.

I reject the idea of living in a country where a screaming minority of anti-intellectual, hyper-religious, science-denying ninnies carry the day. I want to live in a world where people can actually talk about and discuss ideas with each other without the conversation devolving into a screaming match.

More than anything, I want to live in a country that isn’t morphing into an idiocracy. When the stupid, the dogmatic, the zealous, and the anti-democratic are the voices increasingly heard in the media, it’s hard to truly feel optimistic about the future of our Republic. When the lowest common denominator are the ones setting the policies that impact all of us, we’re well and truly screwed.

THAT is why I’m a Liberal.

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on April 11, 2013 6:05 AM.

Everything you need to know about modern Conservatives in one sentence was the previous entry in this blog.

Lies, damned lies, and gun nuts is the next entry in this blog.

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