The "L" Word

I get criticized now and then for being a “Liberal”. For some reason, among many on the right, that word has become a pejorative. I’m really more of a moderate, but my hard stance against Trumpism has me labeled with the dreaded “L” word.

I don’t have anything against traditional conservatives; in fact, I have some of that ideology running through me, but the Republican Party under Donald Trump has gone so far off the rails it is unrecognizable from the GOP of Eisenhower, Reagan, or even the Bushes. Fiscal conservatism used to be their rallying cry, yet spending has increased exponentially while the deficit has grown to record levels.

The new GOP kowtows to dictators while alienating our allies. “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” has been replaced with Putin is “probably” involved in poisoning, but “it’s not in our country”.

What does it mean to be a “Liberal”?

Evidently, caring for the environment and advocating for steps to lessen climate change is a big part of it. I want clean air, clean water, and a world that is not inundated with catastrophic storms and flooding. Is that such a bad thing? Our president, the “stable genius” doesn’t believe that man-made climate change is real. This is in direct opposition to the overwhelming majority of actual experts in climatology.

Advocating for common sense gun laws is another “Liberal” hallmark. It seems that our need for guns is so great that we can’t wait a few days for a background check. One must go through a more arduous process to legally drive a car than to own a gun. To be clear, most of us “Liberal” folks aren’t for taking your guns. Hell, many of us own them. We are advocating for common sense reform that might, just might, keep guns out of the hands of someone who might do harm. Murders will always happen, but if we can keep one semi-automatic rifle out of the hands of a would-be killer it might save some lives. What’s the harm in pursuing such legislation?

Healthcare. Those of us who favor access to affordable healthcare for all are not just “Liberals”. We are also Socialists! Egad!! Socialism gets a bad rap because, well, the Nazis were Socialists and Socialism is often equated with Communism. The truth is that many freedom loving democracies have some socialist - type economic models with regard to access to higher education and healthcare. Oddly enough, the citizens of these countries are among the happiest in the world (see Scandinavian countries). There must be something about not stressing over healthcare and college costs that leads to a feeling of well-being.

That being said, I will let you in on a dirty little secret. Socialism has been alive and well in the U.S. for years. You work and pay taxes, right? Income taxes, sales taxes, personal property taxes, real estate taxes etc. The more you earn and the more you own, the more taxes you pay (in theory – rich people find ways around that). Here’s the rub. If you call the fire department or police department in an emergency, they don’t ask what your tax bill was. They will help the low-earning renter just the same as they will help the high-earning property owner. As the high-earner, you paid more taxes – maybe the other guy paid none – but he still has the right to access the same services as you. He can even send his kids to the same public school as your kids. Socialism!!

The bottom line? Why shouldn’t a country with our resources offer access to affordable healthcare for everyone? Why should someone go into debt to treat illnesses and diseases? Why should a pre-existing condition exempt one from coverage? The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare for the unsophisticated) isn’t perfect, but instead of tearing it down, let’s make it better.

“It’s the economy, stupid”. There are many facets to the economy, but let me just sum up the “Liberal” position by saying that the GOP Tax Plan is of minimal (and temporary) benefit to the middle class – the class that needed tax relief the most, while enriching corporations and the wealthy and adding $1.4 trillion to the deficit. The tax cuts were just a version of Supply-Side Economics (or Trickle Down), a bogus economic theory that believes the economy will be stimulated by putting more money in the hands of rich people and corporations. People like to point to the economic recovery under Ronald Reagan as a sign of success of Supply-Side. Actually, the recovery was due to an unprecedented increase in federal spending which brought record deficits. What is actually happening now (as predicted by leading economists) is that many corporations are simply reinvesting their savings into stock buy-backs which inflates the value of the corporation, and benefits the stockholders rather than the employees.

Immigration might be the biggest of the hot-button issues right now because of the separation of families at the border along with the Republican mantra that “Liberals” want open borders. Donald Trump has been at his finest in fomenting frenzied fear when discussing immigration. He decries the “Liberals” as soft on immigration and soft on crime while characterizing Mexicans as rapists and murderers. In actuality, the vast majority of immigrants are fleeing horrible conditions in their native lands to seek economic opportunity and safety in the U.S.  What we are seeing is a humanitarian crisis handled in a most un-humanitarian way. I agree we should not have open borders, but can we find a way to deal with this without separating children from their families? Can we provide a safe haven for those seeking respite from harsh treatment? Are we so cold and inhuman that compassion for others has left us? The “Liberals” just want to help people. Would compassionate policies be such a detriment to our country and Constitution? Those are Christian values, and last I checked, the Evangelical Christians were the basis of the Religious Right. It would seem “Liberals” and Conservatives should be on the same page when it comes to the ideals of lending a helping hand to our fellow man.

Abortion issues received attention recently with the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Pro-choice factions saw this as potentially the beginning of the end of Roe v. Wade. My own take is that Kavanaugh’s nomination had more to do with his prior writings on the legality of indicting a sitting President. Regardless, the right would have you believe that those who are pro-choice are baby killers. My personal opinion is that abortion should not be used as a means of birth control, but rather a woman should have the right to choose in cases of incest, rape, or serious health concerns. Of course, that stance, which would allow some abortions, aligns me with that pariah of the right – Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood can reduce the number of women seeking abortions by providing education and contraceptive services, but very few who scream, “Baby Killer” like to look at the long view of a well-funded Planned Parenthood and the many necessary services they provide.

Those of us labeled as “Liberal” or who identify as “Liberal” are not bad people. We favor a kinder and gentler United States with equal opportunity for all Americans – in jobs, healthcare, and education – and equal treatment regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, or ethnicity. We care for our environment and care for each other. We support the rule of law and decry corruption in our government. We believe in the Constitution, but recognize that it must be viewed in the context of the time when it was written. Circumstances exist now that the framers never could have envisioned. Changing times call for changing interpretations. We support individual freedoms and the men and women who fought to secure those freedoms. We love our troops and love our flag, but support the right to protest when groups face discrimination or unfair treatment. We are critical thinkers capable of sifting through the onslaught of 24-hour news to see the truth as reported by reliable media outlets. We come from all walks of life and the opinions we have on issues are shared by a majority of American citizens. Why then, must we fight so hard to obtain a majority in the government? That’s a subject for another day.