the label "conservative" remains in vogue. with Repugs while Dems wary of the word liberal:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/12/politics/politico/main3486785.shtml

..........But while Democrats are emboldened, they remain wary of the term "liberal."

Republicans, by contrast, as unpopular in the polls as they have been for at least 15 years.

Nonetheless, the label "conservative" remains in vogue.

At a recent Republican debate, Rudy Giuliani referred to himself as a "conservative" four times in roughly the same time span - a minute or so - it took Clinton to reject the word "liberal" and embrace "progressive."

In seven Republican debates this year the word "conservative" was used 100 times.

In the seven Democratic debates the word "liberal" was used four times - not once by a candidate.

"Conservative is identified with a sensibility," Stanford University linguist Geoffrey Nunberg said. "The rejection of the Bush-Cheney policy is very clear. But I don't think the public identifies it with conservatism.

They have conserved nothing.

They have done an excellent job of framing liberal as a dirty word while the liberals have always had the attitude of you have your views and I will have mine, live and let live attitude.

Prior to the 1930s a liberal was someone who favored individual freedom as far as social issues go as well as a laissez-faire attitude in terms of economic issues. The liberal of the early 20th century, in short, favored a hands-off approach to regulation of the markets. The progressives of the era favored anti-trust laws, trust-busting, and regulation of the markets to ensure against unfair competition and other abuses.

When somebody advocates classical liberal economic policy, they're making reference to the original definition of the word liberal as far as economics go. People were free to do whatever they pleased, liberated to do whatever they pleased as far as business goes from an individual standpoint.

Today, the term liberal has had its definition twisted completely around from what it originally meant. It's basically synonymous with the word progressive now.

killed Jesus (threatening the old order) ...

burned books ...

refused to break from England in 1776 ...

refused to evolve in 1860 ...

tried their damnedest to keep the blacks from being allowed to vote ...

tried their damnedest to keep women from being allowed to vote ...

tried their damnedest to keep the name Elvis Presley from becoming known ...

tried their damnedest to keep women at home, not in the workplace ...

tried their damnedest to keep rock and roll from intruding into their lives ...

tried their damnedest to keep people from actually having an equal say in matters of civil rights ...

tried their damnedest to keep women from serving in the military ...

tried their damnedest to keep rap from intruding into their lives ...

so ... which is the one that the majority of people side with?

I just tell them "call me anything you want, just don't call me late for supper"

like to refer to the conservatives as "neonuts"....drives them absolutely batshit during argumentative conversation.