Do any of them know what the word “liberal” actually means?

  • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    As I said

    outside of the “anyone right of Lenin is literally Hitler” lemmy bubble

    Bailey: Democrats are right-wing

    Motte: Democrats are liberals, and liberals are right wing

    Establishing that “liberal” = right wing allows for a motte they can retreat to whenever someone clues in that they’re trying to say Democrats are the opposite of what they actually are

    • archomrade [he/him]
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      6 months ago

      Far be it from me to point out you’re doing exactly the kind of disingenuous re-framing you’re accusing others of by excluding those to the left of you as fringe. Yes, American liberals are ‘left-leaning’ compared to conservatives (on exactly the same arbitrary binary scale that is being critiqued by the comparison), but they still share core elements of classical liberalism, particularly by the emphasis on protecting liberal institutions like private property and market-based mechanisms. This isn’t about muddying the waters—it’s about acknowledging the nuance in political ideologies. There’s real divide between those who support these liberal institutions and those who aim to dismantle them. It doesn’t matter if you think that perspective is fringe - the distinction being made is still there. We’re pointing to a genuine ideological distinction, not just retreating to safer rhetorical grounds.

      People making the liberal comparison aren’t trying to place you on a political binary, they’re trying to point to a distinction that you’re actively trying to erase or dismiss.

      • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        They’re pointing to a distinction that no one cares about (except the fringe - yes, fringe - Leftists who want to abolish private property) and using that as a platform to imply or outright say false things about American liberals.

        Very similar to the above example.

        Motte: I, a Leftist, am criticizing the liberal support of private property, that’s all

        Bailey: liberals also support fascism/colonialism/laissez-faire capitalism/insert Republican ideology here therefore Democrats support fascism/colonialism/laissez-faire capitalism/insert Republican ideology here