What's the difference?  by Shirley Allen

You’ve heard it again and again. The Democrats lost the election because nobody knows what they stand for. They were against Bush, but what are they for? What is the real difference between liberals and conservatives in the twenty-first century? Do liberals have basic moral values?

The dictionary ( Webster’s  Collegiate , tenth edition) clearly defines the difference between liberals and conservatives:

Liberalism: A political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of man, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties.

Conservatism: a political philosophy based on tradition and social stability, stressing established institutions and prefering gradual development to abrupt change.

What do liberals stand for? Nearly every advance in America’s history has been initiated by liberals.and established over the objections of conservatives. Examples: the Declaration of Independence, child labor laws, collective bargaining, land grant colleges, the abolition of slavery, the Pure Food and Drug Act, the graduated income tax, Social Security, the Federal Reserve, the National Park Service, the Securities and Exchange Commission, rural electrification, guaranteed bank deposits, the United Nations, the Voting Rights Act, Medicare, and environmental protection laws.  

What are Democratic moral values? Here is my list. What’s yours?

1. The peaceful resolution of international conflict. (Global cooperation and the rule of international law)
2. Government by the people. (Fair elections, not determined by the fattest purse)
3. Individual liberty. (Privacy, equal rights, and freedom of speech)
4. Secular government. (Freedom of religion and separation of church and state)
5. Justice for all. (An independent judiciary, not in thrall to political parties)
6. Social responsibility. (A safety net, health care, fair wages) .
7. Public education. (Adequately funded schools open to all)
8. Regulation of commerce. (Protection of workers and consumers)
9. Care for the planet. (Protection of the environment).