Specifically American Question

[nrshida]

I have endeavoured to abide by the forum rules; pertinantly Rule 14, and interpreting the meaning of politics to especially mean the debate between parties having power. I'm not interested in that and I give my word this is not some elaborate troll or my usual sarcastic observation but a genuine question:

What do Amercians mean by the term 'liberal'?

Usually when I endeavour on a new study programme, definitions are readily available and specific. I am not able to find an accurate / objective definition for this term, apprently being highly-charged, in this domain a uniquely a US-dialect and also in a dynamic state making previous definitions someone inapplicable.

Can someone give me a simple answer? Preferably before Monday morning in Texas when the Dale-God-Entity strikes me down with a locked thread leaving only a pair of empty, smoking Reeboks. 

[Eagler]

In America it has become to mean anything not conservative

And sadly anything conservative is despised by the liberal side and vise versa

They are the extremes they try to push the  majority of us in the middle into to separate us

Eagler

[nrshida]

Thank you that seems to clarify some other terms.

I was a bit confused because it seems libertarianism and liberalism probably stemmed from the same root but they appear to be in opposition. Now. 

I am now watching Fox Business news. 

[Nefarious]

I was a bit confused because it seems libertarianism and liberalism probably stemmed from the same root but they appear to be in opposition. Now. 

Classical Liberalism is more in line with Libertarianism than modern day Liberalism.

Somewhere along the way, the terms Conservative and Liberal have been muddled into a linear left/right spectrum.

I try to avoid using the terms, and much prefer the Authoritarian - Libertarian spectrum.

https://www.politicalcompass.org/test

[Spikes]

I have endeavoured to abide by the forum rules; pertinantly Rule 14, and interpreting the meaning of politics to especially mean the debate between parties having power. I'm not interested in that and I give my word this is not some elaborate troll or my usual sarcastic observation but a genuine question:

What do Amercians mean by the term 'liberal'?

Usually when I endeavour on a new study programme, definitions are readily available and specific. I am not able to find an accurate / objective definition for this term, apprently being highly-charged, in this domain a uniquely a US-dialect and also in a dynamic state making previous definitions someone inapplicable.

Can someone give me a simple answer? Preferably before Monday morning in Texas when the Dale-God-Entity strikes me down with a locked thread leaving only a pair of empty, smoking Reeboks. 

Why not just google it?

[JimmyD3]

I don't think you can define either one, until you define what True individual freedom means, as it relates to the 2 philosophy's.

[rabbidrabbit]

Liberal these days is most commonly associated with someone who wants change towards a direction.  That direction is Authoritarianism these days.  A Conservative is someone who thinks those changes are not good.   

Back 50 years ago Liberals wanted some changes that would be more closely associated with Libertarianism but in reality the two names are not necessarily reflective of political intents.  They simply cross paths on occasion but have no direct correlation.

[nrshida]

Why not just google it?

I wanted an Americo-centric definition 

Classical Liberalism is more in line with Libertarianism than modern day Liberalism.

Somewhere along the way, the terms Conservative and Liberal have been muddled into a linear left/right spectrum.

Yes that is not well-documented or clarified. Could it be the spectrum is more an area on a plane that a position along a line? Or is it a Möbius strip 

Thanks so-far. Already helping.

[Eagler]

One side will say the other has drifted out into its extreme but truth is both have moved out from center to both their extremes with most normal folks trying to be tolerant of those extremes as they are trying to be portrayed as the normal

Eagler

[Spikes]

I wanted an Americo-centric definition 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism_in_the_United_States

That was hard.

[Nefarious]

Could it be the spectrum is more an area on a plane that a position along a line?

Yes, absolutely... take the test.

https://www.politicalcompass.org/test

[rabbidrabbit]

One side will say the other has drifted out into its extreme but truth is both have moved out from center to both their extremes with most normal folks trying to be tolerant of those extremes as they are trying to be portrayed as the normal

Eagler

How has your average Conservative moved to the extremes?

[nrshida]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism_in_the_United_States

That was hard.

I never thought to append '_in_the_United_States' to the end of the ordinary Wikipedia page  Actually there was a link there under 'modern liberalism' but I didn't read it thoroughly because it wasn't what I was looking for. Thanks for the help and sorry to put you to all that trouble 

[MiloMorai]

How has your average Conservative moved to the extremes?

The RINOs aren't those like Cheney but those that kowtow to #45.like yourself.

[nopoop]

I dont consider #45 extreme at all.