Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 24 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 9/27/18

Redefining Liberalism for Election '18

By       (Page 1 of 2 pages)   No comments
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Dan Matthews

Is it too late? Can any candidate who identifies as "liberal" escape from the negative connotation tied to this word? In America, we've been trained to associate liberalism with the Democratic party, and we all know how well the Democratic party did in the last election.

Since then, many liberals have sought to distance themselves from the Democratic party. There's the sense that Dems co-opted the term liberal to serve their own power and enrichment. That may not be completely true, but if there's a shred of truth to it, liberals are still up a creek by association with the Dems who lost so embarrassingly in '16.

Let's revisit the term liberalism :

-- Liberals reject power politics: International relations aren't about competing with other nations for power and resources -- nor are domestic relations.

-- Liberals believe that nations should keep each other in check: That is, the U.S. shouldn't break international laws or statutes because it's in our best interest, and U.S. leaders are subject to governance from other democratic nations.

-- Liberals believe all humans are bound together by basic ethical codes, regardless of nation and state lines.

-- Liberals believe you can measure a nation's power by how successful a nation is at helping its citizens succeed: If NATO, or other international agreements, haven't helped American citizens succeed, we should change them.

-- Liberals believe that non-governmental organizations can be just as successful as governments.

-- Liberals believe that institutions should benefit states -- not the other way around.

In any of the above statements, is there a hint of the amoral, anything goes, identity politics stereotype that conservatives use to lambast liberals? No. Liberals do believe in the rights of the individual, but they also believe states should enable individuals to achieve success.

Clearly, Republicans won the last election not just because of gerrymandering -- which did play a big role -- but also because many citizens didn't believe liberal Democrats have enabled them to succeed.

When Trump beat Hillary, it wasn't because anyone actually thought Trump was going to be a good president. It was because they thought Hillary and the rest of the DNC lackeys were throwing up a false front under the guise of liberalism. Beneath that front, many people believed -- and still believe -- that liberal Democrats are rigging the system against them. In other words, they don't believe that Hillary and the rest are actually liberals.

That's because if Democrats are actually liberals, they would fight with all their strength to ensure the success of all citizens, no matter how tough that battle is because of competing voices. There are always going to be competing voices. A good government's job is to square all the noise, work towards compromise, and bring the rights of all citizens full circle.

Back to the economic factor -- I can't understate the issue at hand: Democrats masquerading as liberals will not win elections if they don't understand the fact that most voters are still capitalists who want to have a chance at economic success. The original form of liberalism did not deny this.

Modern-day liberals might rail on something like Trump's solar tariff, but it actually hasn't hurt the industry. Other tariffs -- such as soybean tariffs -- could be harmful to the economy, but there are cases in which tariffs can be helpful. For a burgeoning industry like solar, in which tax incentives are continuing to drive investment from businesses, it helps to encourage American companies to do manufacturing work in America. If these companies do thrive by manufacturing here in America, it can help liberal causes.

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Must Read 2   Well Said 2   Valuable 2  
Rate It | View Ratings

Dan Matthews Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact EditorContact Editor
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

How the U.S. Manufactured the Obesity Epidemic

Without Regulation, We're Headed Toward a Surveillance Explosion

Marijuana, Alcohol, and Disinformation in America

Is Bernie Wrong about Universal Healthcare?

Today's Children Will Be in a Constant State of Emergency Tomorrow

Why Is This Drug Legal in America When Cannabis Isn't?

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend