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What’s American Liberalism… Exactly?
For an interesting discussion about American Liberalism, I suggest going here. The post is based on this article at the New York Times, by Patricia Cohen. She writes that there is a discussion going on in American Liberal circles, about the essence of Liberalism, what policies Liberals favor. Should Liberals talk about morality in society? What about foreign policy? Should the US adopt an interventionist foreign policy, or more of an isolationist one?
2 Responses to “What’s American Liberalism… Exactly?”
The politicizing of morals is one of the worst among recent developments, along with politicizing religion. The process has cheapned both morality and religion, IMO.
Morals are just there, evident in the choices made and the policies supported. No one should need an arrow pointing out: “This is my moral. Remember that I am a moral person.”
What I think, of course, will have nothing to do with political strategies. The Liberals will do what they feel is best, and I wouldn’t blame them.
In my contrariness, though, I long to vote for a camdodate who makes no big deal about his religion and refuses to list his values and morals as such. He’ll just tell me what policies he supports.
A key point in answering this question to point out first and foremost that “American liberalism” is not the same as “European liberalism”, nor is it the same as the brand of liberalism that existed in the United States prior to Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal. Prior to that time, “liberalism” generally meant support for free markets and individual freedom.