Liberalism has changed

"I'm not really a conservative, I'm a JFK liberal. But 'liberalism' has changed since 1960"

 

I thought about it, and here's what I wrote back.  See what you think of how I've classified those people on the general Left.

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That is true of me and of more than a few others I know.  There are now at least four groups that fall under the general "liberalism" banner-

1- actual old JFK Liberals who treasure freedom, free speech, tolerance, mutual respect, open discourse and readiness to listen and try to find common ground (now a real minority)

2- somewhat more "woke" Liberals who are less tolerant, less open to discussion and debate, and with a lot of belief in growing government and generally unlikely to vote any way other than Democrat (a lot of these)

3- the "progressives", who are very passionate, focus much more on the negatives of today and the past than the positives, want to totally dominate an ever expanding government, are quite intolerant, very opinionated, and not about to listen to anyone who isn't with them all the way, and kind of accept that sometimes the ends justify the means (ever more of these)

4- the flat out in-your-face Leftists, who despise the country, hate/despise anyone who doesn't toe their line, think that violence against the "bad people" (anyone they don't like) is permissable, maybe sometimes obligatory, want total control of everything, and believe at least in what they think socialism is, if not outright communism.  And the ends absolutely justify any and all means.  (a minority, but a powerful one, sometimes the tail that wags the dog)

 

Del