An article in Tuesday’s Eagle noted this week’s conference of “progressives,” or the Voters Formerly Known as Liberals.
Conservatives rightly scoff at how liberals, after years of Limbaugh-led demonization of the word “liberal,” have run away from the term.
Think about it. Conservatives were demonized for years by Democrats for all kinds of perceived sins — but in their years in the political wilderness, they never abandoned the word “conservative.” Instead, they defended it, emphasizing their bedrock values and waiting for the country to come back around to them, which it did during the Reagan era.
Democratic lefties are making a big mistake. They should rehabilitate the word “liberal” and wear it proudly as a core part of their party’s tradition. Instead, they’re letting Republicans — on this and many other issues — frame the debate and the language used.
It’s one reason Democrats have been losing for so long.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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87 Comments
Randy,
Today’s so-called “conservatives” didn’t stand and defend the label – they took it over. “Conservatism” is yet another concept hijacked by far-right radicals who want to completely remake society into a cross between 1692 Massachusetts and 1955 “Leave it to Beaver” television.
They call themselves “conservatives,” but traditional conservatism does _not_ mean endless deficit spending, unnecessary wars of petty vengeance, and politicization of every level of every branch and department of the government.
The new, so-called “conservatives” hijacked “liberal” too. It’s no surprise that traditional liberals _and_ traditional conservatives have looked for words that haven’t been turned into a spew of insults by radical talk show hosts and commentators.
It could also be that the “liberal” abandoned actual classical Liberal ideals.
Free speech, leave me alone to do what I want, “Scoop” Jackson strong defense to protect me so I can do all the above.
But now the “liberal” is a raving Tyrannical Leftist Nanny. Put you in jail in Marin county CA. for smoking cigs (but promote marijuana) , The entire Leftist EU is a giant Leftist Gulag under 24 hr surveillance with cameras. They tell you under penalty of law what to eat and other coming drastic measures.
Think Bloomberg here…he never was a Repub. He was a registeded Leftist Democrat for years…the usual Uber left Upper West side New Yorker that changed to Repub solely to run for Mayor cause there were already a bunch of Dems running. Now he wants to pursue the same policy as “Red” Ken Livingston the communist mayor of London…start charging 30 dollars or so per day for cars to come to NYCity.
Where is the “liberation” in these policies. Both sides have gone nuts.
A person on the radio recently asked…which has gone madder, the Puritanical Right…or the Tyrannical Left.
I never abandoned the word. I always tell people I am a liberal except on those few issues on which I am conservative. Actually it was the CONSERVATIVES that changed the meanning of that word. Conservative used to mean Barry Goldwater- small government that didn’t regulate people’s private lives and kept a balanced budget. It used to mean a strong defense but non intervention in the affairs of other nations or “nation building”. Used to mean that the you enforce the laws you have (illegal immigration) and you don’t pass laws you have no intention of enforcing. Conservatisim has become a web of lies as it has been taken over by a group of religious neo facist and corporate thieves.
“Its one reason Democrats have been losing for so long.” What a short memory you have, Randy. The Democratic Party just last November defeated Republican incumbents in favor of electing Gwen Welshimer, Raj Goyle, Terry McLachlan in Sedgwick County, and Vince Wetta in Sumner. Though nonpartisan contests, a Democrat won the Wichita Mayoral race, and several Democrats were elected to the School Board. Governor Sebelius and AG Morrison were victorious in Sedgwick County as well as statewide, and neo-conservative Jim Ryun went down to Nancy Boyda. Without crowing about the new Democratic Congress, these were all significant victories in Kansas. Your statement quoted at the beginning of this posting is not accurate.
Your typical Liberal has nothing to do with the likes of the Liberals as mentioned by mrbill. The typical Conservative has little in common with the fundies who have hijacked the conservative movement.
Name changers may just be in order, so long as they reflect the true meaning of the word, and not the hijacked meanings being applied to old tried and true names.
I consider myself a Liberal, but have no time for the morons of the party who want total control. If that means changing my point of view to progressive, so be it. Hell, I was a Republican once, but changed and I’m still above ground, so it ain’t no biggy.
I for one have *never* run away from the title ‘liberal.’ In fact, when one looks at the definition of the word, even most of America’s ‘conservatives’ can be classified as liberals in the broadest sense.
The Title of Liberal was high-jacked by the power freaks in the Democratic Socialist movement. They now find themselves exposed for what they are and change their name to progressive thinking no one sees what they are. Cant do it people.
Hillary Clinton is the best example of this. A true blue far left liberal at heart, she has methodically worked very hard to position herself as a “centrist”.
Why? Because she knows her true liberal views and agenda, if they were worn on her sleeve and revealed to all, would never win any election.
Once she has the White House though, look out! Her true agenda will become apparent and her true colors will be revealed.
Just like a gold-diggin woman snatching her rich sugar Daddy, she’ll lie, cheat, and steal or do or say whatever it takes to get her man.
Once Hillary has us in her web, it will be too late to go back! We will all then be branded Liberal little Socialists!
You can blame it on Limbaugh if you want, but you would be wrong. The Libs did it to themselves. They became whiney anti-capitalist, anti-America, crazy enviromentalists.In LibWorld, it’s blame everyone but themselves.
Democritic Liberals should change their name to the “Blame and Apologist” party as they are always looking for something or someone to blame and some terrorist to apologize for. Just look at almost any post they make here at the WE Blog and they are pointing the finger.
-Blame Bush-Blame Cheney-Blame Republicans-Blame Religious Right-Blame Conservative Radio Hosts-Blame Morality-Blame People with a Conscience-Blame Dogs of Republicansetc.
-Apologists for Terrorists (blame America First Crowd)
-Apologists of Terrorists who blow up people with homicide bombs
-Apologists for Jihadists who blew up the WTC (Ron Paul followers too)
-Apologists for violations of civil rights (cough) for Enemy Combatants in Guantanamo
-Apologists for Child Molesters (the Vermont minded people)
-Apologists for losing two consecutive Presidential Elections(Kerry was inept, Gore was robbed by the Supreme Court crowd)
-Apologists for the people who choose to make a life long career to live off of welfare and ssn and then get paid cash for their on-the-sly jobs.
And the list goes on, but they can always use their good old standby no matter what the topic is, “Blame Bush.”
No copy catting now Libs. I made this list, come up with your own ideas. :D :D :D :D
I’m a liberal!
That is why I call the betas as we know them, Leftist! Because that is what they are. They aren’t liberals.
Liberal, liberal, liberal, liberal liberal, I like the sound of that!!!!!
PS, I’m also a Proud Bleeding Heart Liberal. I also like the sound of that!!!!!!
Joe! You are a chamber of commerce Republican! Your actions reveal that!
I think Randy is basically right (except for the “Democrats losing” part).
Liberals should rehabilitate the word.
The problem is that even before Limbaugh made liberal equal everything bad in the world, it had already become associated with “big government.”
Progressive doesn’t have that association, and in fact has the implication of looking ahead, going forward.
I agree that we should embrace the word “liberal”.
Along the same lines, I used to watch Bill Maher when he was on ABC (I refuse to pay for cable), and he would have young women on there who would denounce “feminists”, and it would piss me off. I am a feminist, I believe that I am as worthy as any man, and I appreciate all that women of my mother’s generation accomplished as “feminists” so that I could be independent of a man, and so those other young women who are so anti-feminist could go onto a panel and speak their minds (or show their ignorance).
“(I refuse to pay for cable),…”
Translation: “I’m too damned broke and it’s everybody elses fault but mine.”
Fleettwood–
I’m glad that brain-dead idiots like you can amuse yourself with 157 channels.
It keeps you off the street where you could pose problems to us who are living actual lives.
But as for your assertion that “I am too broke” to buy cable, I feel it is bad taste to talk about how much money I have or make.
However, I will tell you: you’re full of sh*t as usual.
A few people on this board know me in real life, and they can back me up that I’m gainfully employed and could easily afford the 20 bucks a month for cable or whatever it costs.
And I ran 6 miles yesterday too.
Have a good day.
Capn A
I’d like to know which liberals are abandoning the word? I’m not, I use it very proudly. Even the definition kicks butt. I don’t mind the word ‘progressive’, but I prefer liberal.
Bill O’Lielly calls us ’secular progressives’. I think the push to call us something different is a farce created by the ones who like to use liberal as a dirty word.
Conservatives have changed their definition to fiscal conservative or social conservative.
Kindof funny considering that you can have a social liberal and fiscal conservative in the same person.
I think we can ALL agree, liberal means both fiscal and socially liberal.
And neocon…that’s a con con. lol.
Bill Maher hates the feminists because he likes to sexify the ladies. His fav place is Hugh Heffner’s mansion where the women are glorified harem whores…paid to look pretty and screw. That’s about the only thing I don’t like about Maher.
Heffner would do well to put his women out as ambassadors for good instead of pimping them like bimbos. Let them use their brains.
Joe, you cannot steal our word. No matter how you try, you aren’t a liberal.
“And I ran 6 miles yesterday too.”
I ran 7.
I don’t always vote for a Democrat. I have always been a progressive. You know, going forward. Radical Islam wants to go back to the 13th century, neoconservatives want to go back to the 17th, while I am looking at tomorrow and beyond. FDR had it right: a conservative is a man born with two legs who has never learned to walk forward.
You mean the same FDR that locked the Japanese in internment camps, and for all practical purposed took their jobs and their businesses
Yo mean the same FDR that tried to pack the US Supreme Court
You mean the FDR who”A Senate subcommittee concluded that FDR had committed perjury before a Naval Court of Inquiry about his investigation of a homosexual corruption ring at the Newport, RI, Naval Station”
That FDR?I see
“a conservative is a man born with two legs who has never learned to walk forward.”
A Lib is a man born with two hands and they are both reachingfor the gimme.
I am, and am proud to be, a:
Radical, left-wing, union-lovin’, tree-huggin’, church-goin’, yellowdog Demmycrat liberal.
I’d rather vote for Hillary than Obama, but I’d take either one. Both would be good. Then after eight years of Hill, we can have eight year of Omama.
Republican, et. right wing al.Gnash you teeth.
Hah!
you=your teeth
HAHAHA, just noticed the picture that went with this article.
SOUTHPARK HOW FITTING.
I can hear it now, Liberals are bad, mkay.
political_mom! What makes you think I’m not a liberal?
Liberalism: emphasizes individual rights and equality of opportunity. A liberal society is characterized by freedom of thought for individuals, limitations on power, the rule of law, the free exchange of ideas, a market economy, free private enterprise, and a transparent system of government in which the rights of all citizens are protected. In the 21st century, this usually means liberal democracy with open and fair elections, where all citizens have equal rights by law.
That is something I believe 100%
DO you?
Fleetttwood–
Good for you.
Maybe we can race.
You pick the distance, the time and the place.
Seven miles sounds like a good distance . . .
You guys that are running 6 and 7 miles Ever heard of a car?Geesh. You know I;m kidding,really in one way I am jealous that you are in that good of shape, in another way, I am glad i am not interested. I’ve seem some people run. Looks extremely painful.
I’ll run for you Fleet. I’m not too busy these days.
Jim Ryun
LJ–
Yeah, actually I hate working out.
I’ve hated it ever since I ran cross-country and track.
But it’s the best way to burn fat.
Those little portable radios with the headphones make it a lot less boring.
That reminds me, I DO SUBSCRIBE to satellite radio in my 2004 car we bought new with the leather seats, moon roof, and the power everything.
(You know, the one I got by selling food stamps I conned from the government by being a needy liberal according to Fleetttwood.)
haha! Good one!
I’ll race ya Capn. I got a POS Ford Taurus that’ll kick-yer-ass on a seven mile run (as long as I am driving, you are running, the course is mostly down hill and has few turns)
GAME ON !!!
This just in–
Michael Bloomburg DUMPS the Republican party and becomes independent.
Oops, another one bails on the party of morality and personal responsibility.
Sucks to be you . . .
Capn,Rumor mill is that he is positioning for a Ron Paul/Bloomberg ticket.
So how’s bout that race old man?
I’m amazed no one’s called Republican on his idiotic “list.”
Maybe he’s on ignore. That seems like the prudent thing to do.
Hmmmm…isn’t Fox News “conservative”?
About 12:30 today I heard a panel talking and the word ‘bullshit’ was used as well as ‘wet dream’.
Now that’s conservative!
“I’m amazed no one’s called Republican on his idiotic “list.”"
There is too much truth in it. If I was a you people, I’d ignore it also.
Joe Williams, I don’t think you are at all in favor of “a market economy, free private enterprise, and a transparent system of government in which the rights of all citizens are protected”
In the past and present you have been in favor of these things:
- subsidies to businesses- TIF financing- government-supplied entertainment venues- public schools and federal control of them through NCLB
None of these things are compatible with the things you profess to be in favor of.
That’s why you are a Chamber of Commerce Republican. They believe in the same things you do.
Ignore this if you want. Or tell us how you reconcile your professed beliefs with the many government programs you are in favor of.
Progressive equals- progressively bigger and more intrusive government….hmmm….sounds like Bush might be one of you.
“Bloomberg, 65, who had left the Democratic Party to join the GOP so he could run for mayor in 2001,…”
Bloomberg = Flake
Nope, Fleet, Republank is still on ignore for his admitted nic switching and nic stealing trolling.
He is officially a “walk on by” poster.
“He is officially a “walk on by” poster.”
If someone was pounding me in the head with the truth I refused to see, I’d walk on by, too.
BTW, thanks for getting the song stuck in my brain, again.
“If someone was pounding me in the head with the truth I refused to see, I’d walk on by, too.”
and this from fleetie? hehehehehehehehehehehehehehheeh!
Physician, heal thyself!
And I’m a liberal republican! Now that’s a concept that can be difficult to wrap the mind around. :)
Thanks for trying to stand up for me Capn, but Fleet comes up with the most inane comments, I really don’t pay attention. It doesn’t matter if I can’t afford it, or if I think it’s a monumental waste of money, that was not the point of the post. I am a feminist, and a liberal, among other things, and my point is it bothers me that people don’t see that the benefits they have in this day and age came about due to liberals and feminists willing to buck the system and make huge changes!
Republican List of CorruptionUpdated 6/07/07
Italia Federici (President, Council of Republicans for Environmental Advocacy): Guilty. Pled guilty in Federal investigation for tax evasion and obstructing a Senate investigation in exchange for cooperating in continuing Congressional and Bush Administration corruption investigation involving former convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Rick Jim Gibbons (Republican Governor, NV): Under investigation. Under Federal investigation for influence peddling for recieving gifts in exchange for federal government contracts.
Rick Renzi (Republican Representative, AZ): Under investigation. Under Federal investigation for involvement in land swap deal. After the investigation of Renzi was initiated by Paul Charlton, the US Attorney for Arizona, Charlton was added to the list of attorney’s to be dismissed in what would become the justice department’s US attorney’s controversy. Previous to the investigation Charton had been on the “retain” list.
John Doolittle (Republican Representative, CA): Under investigation. Under Federal investigation for possible illegal activities in connection with Lobbyist Jack Abramoff and illegal compensation of his wife Julie Doolittle. The investigation is directed at the activities of Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions Inc., a fund-raising company run by Mrs.Doolittle (see below).
Julie Doolittle (Republican Consultant): Under investigation. Under Federal investigation for possible unlawful compensation and possible illegal activities connected with convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Mrs. Doolittle’s firm, Dominion Financial Solutions Inc., in which Mrs. Doolittle is the only employee, recieved compensation and commissions in return for event planning for Abramoff, book-keeping services for lobbying firm connected to Abramoff and over $180,000 in commissions since late 2001.
Robert Regola (Republican State Senator, PA): Indicted. Indicted on three counts of perjury, allowing possession of a firearm by a minor, recklessly endangering another person and false swearing in the suicide death of a teenage neighbor in which his weapon was used.
J. Steven Griles (former Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Interior, Coal Lobbyist): Guilty. Plead guilty to felony obstruction of justice for making false statements in relation to Abramoff lobbying scandal.
Tom Anderson (former Republican state representative, Alaska): Indicted. Indicted for allegedly illegally recieving $13,000 through his consulting business. Trial scheduled for April of 2007.
Bernard Kerik (NYPD Commissioner, Bush homeland security chief nominee, formerly the Interim Minister of Interior of Iraq): Guilty. Pled guilty to two ethics violations accepting $165,000 in renovations to his Bronx apartment from a contractor with suspected mob ties and an illegal loan. Under investigation for tax fraud, conspiracy to eavesdrop and mortgage fraud.
Lewis aka “Scooter” Libby (V-P Chief of Staff): Guilty. Resigned. Found Guilty on four charges of obstruction of justice, 2 counts of perjury, and one count of lying to federal investigators in Plame leak investigation. Faces up to 30 years in prison.
Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari (aka Michael Mixon) (Republican businessman, GOP Donor, White House Advisor, activist): Indicted. Attempted to send over 150 thousand dollars to the Middle East to purchase equipment for terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. Also facing charges of money laundering.
Kyle “Dusty” Foggo (Republican Former CIA official): Indicted . 11 counts of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. Connected to bribery of convicted Congressman Duke Cunningham. (See below)
Brent Wilkes (Republican businessman, Defence Contractor): Indicted. 25 counts of conspiracy, bribery, money laundering and bribes to convicted Congressman Duke Cunningham in return for government contracts.
Much, much more – here:
http://stumpspeak.blogspot.com/2006/10/republican-list-of-corruption.html
I agree with you Steven. It’s perceptive of you to notice that when government is powerful and spends a lot of money, people (of all parties, I might add) will be tempted to grab a share of it, through means both legal and illegal.
I share with you the hope for a smaller government, one that does so little that there are few opportunites for corruption. Thank you for your post.
Looks like we’ve found another name for the Liberals.From now on, we’ll call them “Collectors of Injustice”.What say you?
“Virginia Tech shooter Seung Hui Cho is being called a “Collector of Injustice” by federal officials.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms believe Cho fit this criminal profile in which someone sees himself as a victim of the injustice of others. Others are always responsible for any misfortune the person encounters.”
How about “convicted”, “indicted”, or “under investigation” as possible new names for conservatives. See above.
“How about “convicted”, “indicted”, or “under investigation”
Indicted and under investigation don’t count.
TDT–
I also refuse to pay for cable and I also was told that I was a broke loser by Fleetttwood.
Fleetie–
Still waiting for you to name the time and the place, big boy.
Seven miles is the distance.
Writing checks your mouth can’t cash, eh?
“Former Orleans Parish School Board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms pled guilty to accepting $140,000 in bribes from a local businessman…”
Any guesses on who the “local businessman” is?? Give up?
“Cold Cash” Jeffersons’s brother
Anyone that is in politics as a ‘profession’ is a criminal
Brian,
I might take that personally :)
Almost all of the programs that liberals have tried to institute over the past 40+ years have been failures so it makes sense that they would try to rebrand themselves.
Yes we should be proud to call ourselves liberals. If it was not for liberals, blacks would still be doing the work in the south while the slave owners got the checks, America’s first welfare system. If it wasn’t for liberals, women would not have the right to vote. If it wasn’t for liberals, black children could not go to a school that they live across from. If it wasn’t for liberals blacks in the south would not be able to eat at the same restaurants, sleep in the same hotels, ride in the back of the bus, not be admitted to the same hospitals as whites.I saw two comments that crack me up. The first one was “Hillary Clinton is the best example of this. A true blue far left liberal at heart, she has methodically worked very hard to position herself as a “centrist. Why? Because she knows her true liberal views and agenda, if they were worn on her sleeve and revealed to all, would never win any election.” Richard Nixon told Bob Dole when he was running for the GOP nomination, run as far as you can to the right in the primary and as soon as u get the nomination sprint to the center. You don’t like Hill stealing your philosophy?The second bagging on FDR. WOW, what did he do? Helped us out of the depression and lead us to a REAL VICTORY in WWII. Now that’s MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
One other thing, for all you bible thumping, family values, do what I say not what I do “christian” conservatives, Hillary Clinton has had ONE spouse. She managed to keep her family together through some of the most humiliating events anyone has had to go through publicly. Unlike YOUR candidates, leaders and talking heads. Reagan, two wives, Gingrich on his third, Giuliani his third? had open affair with an employee, McCain second wife, Limbaugh, third wife and got caught taking Viagra on a vacation with the boys and without the wife. How come all you “good christian” conservatives wont give Hillary credit for keeping her family together when it would have been easier to act like a republican and get a divorce? THAT’S PROTECTING FAMILIES AND HAVING FAMILY VALUES!!
Okay, you all saw it.
Fleettwood will not accept my challenge–meaning he is a liar and he lies when he implies that I am.
No wonder you stick up for Republican, Fleetie.
Birds of a feather and all that . . .
Fleettwood,
Why the f*#k would you classify Cho as a liberal? What does his alleged political persuasion have to do with his insanity? The things you post as a “conservative” scare me far more than what Cho did. Not to minimize the gravity of his crime or the status of his victims, but there were only 30 some odd of them…Your idiotic sentiments and your desire to see them enacted could potentially affect millions…You’re a far bigger threat, IMHO, than even the most crazed lone gunman.
Liberals . . .“On everything from stem cell research to global warming to Plan B contraception, the president has worked to turn Washington, DC into an evidence-free zone. Facts have been subordinated to opinions and beliefs. I think we’ve had enough. There is no conflict between faith and science.”. . . candidate “Hog Futures” Hillary Clinton, notorious for promoting lies and distortions about useless, unethical, needless embryonic stem cell research, the Plan B abortifacient (proven totally ineffective at reducing unwanted pregnancies and abortions), and Al Gore’s scary movies, as well as for her corruption and cronyism, such as when her relatives sold White House pardons, getting booed even by leftists again this year at the Take Back America conference for her comments on Iraq
“Hillary Clinton is the best example of this. A true blue far left liberal at heart, she has methodically worked very hard to position herself as a “centrist”.
Why? Because she knows her true liberal views and agenda, if they were worn on her sleeve and revealed to all, would never win any election.
Once she has the White House though, look out! Her true agenda will become apparent and her true colors will be revealed. ”
We can only hope she is really a liberal. But I suspect otherwise. I know Obama is a liberal and that is why I suport him.
“Once Hillary has us in her web, it will be too late to go back! We will all then be branded Liberal little Socialists!”
Maybe not little but the rest of that sounds good to me.
And I’m a liberal republican! Now that’s a concept that can be difficult to wrap the mind around. :)
That is like saying “I am a Nazi Jew” or a “black Klansman” or a “polish italian”. Liberal and Republican do NOT belong in the same sentence. Maybe 40 years ago but not now. They have purged all the liberals out of that party. Lowell Wiecker, Lincoln Chaffee- all gone and now they are after the moderates like Lindsay Graham.
“The second bagging on FDR. WOW, what did he do? Helped us out of the depression and lead us to a REAL VICTORY in WWII. Now that’s MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! ”
Probably one of the best Presidents we have had ever. Even the right wing nutcases have not been able to dump the New Deal and Social Security- hard as they try.
“Limbaugh, third wife and got caught taking Viagra on a vacation with the boys and without the wife.”
He masturbates too!
Parkay, you do realize Plan B is not the abortion drug right?
Even if you did, I doubt you’d care. You like to lie on a regular basis.
Do you just hate everyone? Do you have all these desires that cause you a great deal of guilt? Is that your problem?
Liberals–for the last seventy years we’ve been right about everything: social policy, foreign policy, economic policy. The Republicans know this, and as a result, dress up their draconian and self-serving policies in the rhetoric of, yes, LIBERAL priorities: “Clear Skies Initiative,” “No Child Left Behind,” etc.
Here’s a nice post that compares the performance of Democratic versus Republican Administration over the last forty years, across several metrics:
http://www.sideshow.connectfree.co.uk/JustForTheRecord.htm
And here’s the concluding summary:
“We looked at the forty years of Kennedy through Clinton. Consider the following:
1) Economic growth averaged 2.94% under Republican Presidents and 3.92% under Democratic Presidents. See this post.
2) Inflation averaged 4.96% under Republicans and 4.26% under Democrats. See this post.
3) Unemployment averaged 6.75% under Republicans and 5.1% under Democrats. See this post.
4) Total federal spending rose at an average rate of 7.57% under Republican Presidents and at an average rate of 6.96% under Democratic Presidents. See this post.
5) Total non-defense federal spending rose at an average rate of 10.08% under Republicans and at an average rate of 8.34% under Democrats. See this post.
6) During the forty-year period studied, the National Debt grew by $3.8 trillion under budgets submitted by Republican Presidents and by $720 billion under budgets submitted by Democratic Presidents. Stated differently, the average annual deficit under Republicans was $190 billion; and, while under Democrats, it was $36 billion. See this post.
7) During the period studied, under Republican Presidents the number of federal government non-defense employees rose by 310,000, while the number of such employees rose by 59,000 under Democrats. See this post.
Those facts make it difficult to argue that Republican Presidents have done a better job than Democratic Presidents in managing the economy. Indeed, if someone will suggest a measure of economic performance in which Republican Presidents have done better than Democratic Presidents, we will be happy to look into the issue. Surely there must be some measure of economic performance that favors the Republicans; however, we have been unable to locate it.”
It’s no wonder conservatives spent so much time and money on the effort to rebrand liberals. Their fiscal, social, and foreign policy record is one of unrelieved failure and underperformance. “Conservatives” don’t exist. What DO exist are Republicans who worship at the altar of monetary and corporate power.
“Indicted and under investigation don’t count.”
Fair enough, we can call them “criminals” or “criminals in waiting” – makes ya proud of the Grand Old Party of corruption doesn’t it?
Liberals have always been Progressives, The Republicans have always been Regressives.
Indeed. The impolite (but accurate) word for them is ‘reactionaries.’
Lighten up on Parkay. He thinks we heterosexuals should get paid srewing breaks at work because empolyers give sodomite breaks!
Bush vetoes stem cell research bill, can not allow the morally bankrupt policy of using the fertilized cells for science, when the can be destroyed for nothing instead.
Hilliary Clinton is no liberal. She’s a political weather vane.
Where it blows, she goes!
Aren’t you confusing Hillary with Bill?
Wow!
Nice snag, CF.
A few of those stats may fall within or close to the range of normal fluctuation (like inflation) but most clearly do not–
spending and economic growth were MUCH better under Democratic than Repuke presidencies.
Am cutting and pasting right now . . .
Okay, it turns out the research is five years old, which means that the Republican data is EVEN WORSE because we’ve endured five more years of Worst President Ever.
I may have to spend an hour or two updating this . . .
Joe W.–
Gotta agree with you on that one, dude.
Hillary is the only Democratic candidate that can LOSE to a Republican.
Let’s take a quiz:
Today, she blamed on the mess in Iraq on
1. President DumbAss and his merry band of Sh*tHeads
2. The Vichy Democrats who enabled said pResident by gutlessly voting to give him the authority to go to war
3. The Iraqi Government which has no authority because the President DumbAss won’t give them any authority, except to say “thank you, sir, may I have another” while he’s spitting in their face.
Answer: number 3, of course . . .
“We can only hope she is really a liberal. But I suspect otherwise. I know Obama is a liberal and that is why I suport him.”
Your only hope is correct. She’s a flamer, that should make you insane happy. Obama, so far, is pretending he is something other than he is. He should keep it up. As long as he fools the people….
Answer: number 3, of course . . .
Capn– I love you dearly. The Bush surge will cause problems with the enemy. Give it a chance. 3 months should do it.
And in three months, another three months should do it. And in another three months, another three months should do it. Hope in Dear Leader springs eternal in the Wingnut reptile brain.
As Atrios wrote this evening, “the fact that the surge is not working demonstrates the need for it to continue.”
More to the point, given the latest casualty figures, I don’t know how much more “success” the Iraqi people will be able to stand.
The surge has only been solid for a few days. Stay strong, you could end up up on the winning side.
“Solid for a few days?” Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
So this is your “solid” surge? 142 Iraqi folks killed on Tuesday?
http://juancole.com/
Personally, fleetwood, I’m beginning to wonder whether you aren’t smart enough to be intellectually dishonest.
nixon now looks like a choir boy compared to the crooks occupying the WH now. it is really disgusting how they keep committing mroe and more crime. Worse is how the congress is not saying anything and letting them get away with it.
I hate all repukes