While it is undeniable that modern liberalism has played and will continue to play a pivotal role in the American political arena, it is extraordinarily hard to determine just what exactly this will be. Should it continue in the mold of uncompromising interventionism, then its contributions to fiscal policy are sure to be problematic, to say the least. If it were to return to its centrist form of the 1990s, which has been dubbed the "Third Way", then the results are all but sure to be very different. Only one thing is for sure: modern liberalism's core social principles are here to stay, and the same is true of its nonconformist nature on national security policy.
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Article comments
1 - Tommy Mack
Joe, please. Thomas Jefferson had nothing to do with drafting the Constitution.
Tommy
2 - handyguy
The pragmatism of 'liberal' presidents like Clinton and Obama covers quite a lot of policy ground. Clinton's centrists were very deeply involved in the finance and auto bailouts, the stimulus program, the healthcare bill [which was not nearly as far left as the Clinton proposals of the 90s].
[And in fact the 'interventionist' TARP was pushed through by a Republican president, treasury secretary and Fed chairman.]
There has been a backlash against some Obama policies from activists on the left [as there was to some of Clinton's policies] -- including government bailout of banks and auto companies, at the expense of middle class Americans who have lost their jobs.
So trying to define liberalism is a challenge. Still, I'm not sure Joe understands liberalism as well as he does conservatism.
But there are some principles: strong safety net for the poor; commitment to progressive taxation; skepticism of big Pentagon spending; civil rights for ethnic minorities, women, gays.
I wouldn't confuse the rhetoric of realpolitik with a change in the definition of liberalism. Politicians say what they think they gotta say to get reelected.
3 - zingzing
it were written by english gents, what were dead. then it were plagiarized by other dead men who once were english, but lately had become american, because they decided that was so. then it were interpreted by idiots. then it were raped and turned into the strumpet we see today, a floozy bent to whichever angle one wishes to thrust into it from. truly, it has become whatever you wish it to be, either full of hate, if'n yer likin' the hatefuck, or full of justice, if'n you find justice in it, like the proper whore it always were.
yar. an ignoble history we see before us. get me my flagon, for i wish to drown me sorrows. yar, yar. let's fight about something. it's all the will carry me away from the awfuls i can bear witness no longer. it itches i smell satan's sulfuric stench in its ink.
4 - Cannonshop
#2 I can't add to, or argue with this...though I'd be delighted to try. it's a very good expression of the positive perspective on big-"L" Liberals in the modern context. One can not believe in any philosophy, nor endorse it with any sincerity, if one does not believe that philosophy to be good and right.