It's time to stop letting the right wing demonize the word "liberal"

One of the things that fascinates me is how many people seem to see "liberal" as a dirty word.

I can't say I blame them. For the last 35 years, the right has been hammering away at the word, doing its best to equate "liberal" with "libertine" in people's minds, and completely ignoring the fact that there are shades of difference in those left of center on the spectrum.

One of the tactics squawk radio hosts and media whores like Fat Man, Little Boy and Loofah Guy have used for years is basically saying that liberal, socialist and communist are all pretty much the same.

Mike, who are Fat Man, Little Boy and Loofah Guy?

Three great heroes of right-wing media who never let facts get in the way of their arguments. Throw in Rabid Annie and you've got the foursome from Hell.

On the other side, there really aren't that many people except on the lunatic fringe who try to equate conservative with fascist and Nazi.

Well then, what have liberals done for America?

First and foremost, even though they were Republicans at the time, they fought to end slavery.

They fought for women to have the right to vote, and for a whole myriad of workplace rights from child labor to minimum wage to workplace safety.

They busted trusts and created the inheritance tax that at least limited the creation of a permanent American oligarchy.

Up to that point, most of the progressives were in the Republican Party.

They created Social Security and Medicare, and they led the fight for civil rights and against the war in Vietnam.


They stood for food and drug safety and for consumer protection, and they battled for women's rights in the workplace and for reproductive freedom.

If you look at each of those issues, in almost every one of them, whether they were Republicans or Democrats at the time, conservatives were opposed.

They don't believe in the minimum wage and they have hated Social Security and Medicare ever since they were created.

Look at one of their current leaders, Sarah Palin, who says Medicare should be changed to a system of vouchers for people to buy their own health care.

I have never been ashamed to consider myself a liberal, although I think in some areas I would go beyond where liberals go and consider myself a European-style Social Democrat.

Here's what that means, according to the definition by the Socialist International, which supports social democratic and moderate socialist parties:

Social Democracy affirms three basic principles.

First, freedom — not only individual liberties, but also freedom from discrimination and freedom from dependence on either the owners of the means of production or the holders of abusive political power.

Second, equality and social justice — not only before the law but also economic and socio-cultural equality as well, and equal opportunities for all including those with physical, mental, or social disabilities.

Third, solidarity — unity and a sense of compassion for the victims of injustice and inequality. That mostly adds up to two things -- we're all in this together and we are our brother's keeper.

I don't disagree with any of it.

The greatest president of the 20th century, Franklin D. Roosevelt, spoke in his 1944 State of the Union address of what needed to be done in the years after World War II ended. Part of his speech was devoted to what he called a Second Bill of Rights.

Sadly, Roosevelt died before he had a chance to fight for these rights, which were hardly radical.

If you look at them, what you'll see is simply what it should mean to be an American for those willing to work hard.

-- The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the Nation;

-- The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

-- The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

-- The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

-- The right of every family to a decent home;

-- The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

-- The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

-- The right to a good education.

If you look closely at those eight points, they're certainly not "class warfare," which is what the rich scream every time someone tries to do something for the poor.

They're just saying that people have a right to work to support themselves and their families, and that if they work hard, they shouldn't have to beg for scraps from the tables of the rich.

Conservatives have demonized liberals back to 1980, when Mr. Moral Majority, the Rev. Jerry Falwell, said it was impossible to be a liberal and a good Christian.

The war on liberals was off and running.

***

My daughter Pauline has become a true veteran in the Foreign Service.

This summer she started her fifth tour, her second in this hemisphere. She and our three grandchildren will be spending at least the next three years in Guatemala City. Madison will be 8 years old in nine days, Lexington will be 5 in November and Albanie will be 2 at the end of October.

Maddie was born in Beijing, Lex in Seattle during Pauline's tour in Surabaya and Albanie in Jamaica. Of the two born on foreign shores, Albanie is the lucky one because Jamaica has birthright citizenship.

I remember each one of them at such an early stage. Madison slept on my chest for half an hour in Beijing when she was just 10 days old. Lex was about a month old when I saw him and Albanie was less than that when we did Thanksgiving in Jamaica in 2014.

This tour is actually a major change in their lives. The size of their family is doubling -- from four to eight.

Johnathan Roy and his three sons -- Malachi, Simon and Coen -- are now part of their lives. I haven't met his sons yet, but I have been extremely impressed by Johnathan and his feelings for Pauline.

This is a great picture, and I can't identify everyone in it. But Johnathan is holding Albanie (upper left) and Pauline, Maddie and Lex are on the right.

We're planning to visit them in Guatemala for Christmas.

Should be wonderful.