Liberal generally means permissive -- both economically and socially. Liberals favor individual rights. The progressive movement of the early 1900s dealt with the promotion of social and public health programs, direct democracy referendums, and eventually environmentalism. The liberal-progressive movement is a merging of permissive social and economic policies with public spending on social programs. It's a coalition platform.

Liberal is a good word,for without liberals there would be no progress,or a coalition of new ideas.

It's a semantic thing. Liberals are wordsmiths. They do not wish to be called pro-abortion as that tells the truth in that they are willing to kill a baby in the name of promiscuity. They call themselves *progressive* even though every thing they advocate is regressive to America, just because it sounds good. They claim to be "inclusive" even though they try in very sinister ways to silence any viewpoint with which they disagree. It takes a very underhanded approach to try and undermine liberty and destroy capitalism and democracy in America. They will stoop to any level to do so.

Historically the term liberal was associated with increasing the rule of individual wealth or property over that of the hereditary nobility. In the U.S. the founding fathers of our new nation achieved a great victory for liberalism. They did not tend to believe in democracy but in the right of wealth to control the government. (see below) JAMES MADISON (1751-1836), was one of the founding fathers of the American revolution, and the fourth President of the United States of America. He was also one of the prime movers at the Constitutional Convention. At the time of the U.S. Constitutional Convention, in 1787, most state governments had property requirements for voting and Madison spoke in favor of requiring one for voting in federal elections. Madison; as well as most members of the Constitutional Convention, believed that the only people who should have a legal authority, (the franchise) to influence the government, (vote for a representative) were property owners. However; members of the convention could not agree on exactly what property requirements should be required, and decided to rely on the states voting requirements to protect their political power. Madison accepted this but worried about the future. The following Madison quote is from James Madison's personal records of the Constitutional Convention. "Viewing the subject on its merits alone, the freeholders, [property owners without debt], of the Country would be the safest depositories of Republican liberty. In future times a great majority of the people will not only be without landed, but any other sort of property." [ MADISON August 7th. In Convention ] I_Voter THE RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION OF 1787 The Madison quote is located in Volume II at p. 202 - 204 You must do a search for the quotes in -[ MADISON August 7th. In Convention ] WARNING: This can take some time and effort. (Farrand's Records Library of Congress) http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwfr.html

To answer your question, I will share one of my favorite quotes on the subject, which happens to be the headline on my blog: “If by a liberal they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the People — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a Liberal, then I'm proud to say I'm a Liberal.” ~ John F. Kennedy, September 14, 1960 I find it amazing how words spoken almost 50 years ago still resonate true today... Oh, and no, I do not think "Liberal" is a bad word although others tend to sometimes use it as an insult which I do not believe it is.

I don’t know that “liberal” is a bad word per se, but I think the main reason they call themselves “progressives” is because progress is *definitely* a good thing, and they want to portray their political opponents—namely, conservatives—as being anti-progress.

Liberal is a good word. Liberal is rooted in "Liber" which means "Freedom." Freedom is a good word, and a good state of being. Conservative is a neutral word, unless it opposes (true) liberalism, in which case it's bad.

It is observed that a Statist (Liberal) is dissatisfied with the condition of his own existance. He condemns his fellow man, surroundings, and society itself for denying him the fulfillment, success, and adulation he believes he deserves. He is angry, resentful, petulant, and jealous. He is incapable of honest self-assessment and rejects the honest assessment by others of himself, thereby evading responsibility for his own miserable condition. The Statist (Liberal) searches for significance and even glory in a utopian fiction of his mind's making, the earthly attainment of which, he believes, is frustrated by those who do not share it. Therefore, he must destroy the civil society (Conservative sound founding principles of America), piece by piece. Qouted from Liberty and Tyranny by Mark R. Levin.

It is observed that a Statist (Liberal) is dissatisfied with the condition of his own existance. He condemns his fellow man, surroundings, and society itself for denying him the fulfillment, success, and adulation he believes he deserves. He is angry, resentful, petulant, and jealous. He is incapable of honest self-assessment and rejects the honest assessment by others of himself, thereby evading responsibility for his own miserable condition. The Statist (Liberal) searches for significance and even glory in a utopian fiction of his mind's making, the earthly attainment of which, he believes, is frustrated by those who do not share it. Therefore, he must destroy the civil society (Conservative sound founding principles of America), piece by piece. Qouted from Liberty and Tyranny by Mark R. Levin.

It is observed that a Statist (Liberal) is dissatisfied with the condition of his own existance. He condemns his fellow man, surroundings, and society itself for denying him the fulfillment, success, and adulation he believes he deserves. He is angry, resentful, petulant, and jealous. He is incapable of honest self-assessment and rejects the honest assessment by others of himself, thereby evading responsibility for his own miserable condition. The Statist (Liberal) searches for significance and even glory in a utopian fiction of his mind's making, the earthly attainment of which, he believes, is frustrated by those who do not share it. Therefore, he must destroy the civil society (Conservative sound founding principles of America), piece by piece. Qouted from Liberty and Tyranny by Mark R. Levin.