Why do americans refer to democrats as "liberals" ?

Question

In Australia the Liberal Party are the conservatives - though not as "right wing" as US Republicans.

The Australian Labor Party - "ALP" - are like an aussie version of the democrats - but they lean more to the left.

Answer 1

Because they consider the democratic party to be liberal and the republican party is conservative.  

Answer 2

It's more complicated than that, though it's also easy to see how an Aussie would think it's so. Both parties have both liberal and conservative wings, but the liberal wing of the Democratic party are proud of it, and they usually drive the party agenda. The liberal Republicans find it more expedient to hide under the mantle of conservatism, so the labels are something of a Moliere farce, but longer and messier.

Answer 3

I am Australian also, and understand your question - even thought about it myself!

When the Republicans talk about "Liberal policies" I can't help thinking Liberal party IS conservative! It's like the US does everything the wrong way around. Both parties here seem to be a bit more "centred" as opposed to the right/left wing politics of the US.

But I do find the whole thing interesting.

Answer 4

The Republicans have used the word 'liberal' for years to mean anything they don't like or anyone they disagree with.  They have control of a large segment of the media and they convince their listeners that Hitler was a liberal, Stalin was a liberal, etc.  

Newt Gingrich, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives (the most powerful Republican in the federal government at the time) called president Clinton 'the most liberal president in American history'.  And you would expect much better from Mr. Gingrich, who had a PhD in history.  What he really meant was that he REALLY didn't like Clinton and didn't agree with him.

Because the word has been so misused since Reagan was president, its lost most of its original meaning.  So in this election you don't hear it used much.  Instead Republicans say Hillary and Obama and other Democrats are -socialists-, or -communists-.  

The whole purpose of such histrionic rhetoric is to obscure the issues rather than talk about them intelligently, to confuse people rather than educate them.  And you can see how well it works by reading the political questions here. "Why isn't Obama in prison?"  "Why did Obama eat his children?"  "How did Obama get away with 30 years of drug use?" etc.

Answer 5

Liberals in this country would be considered center or right-wing in other countries.  I have had this discussion with European friends who have questioned our labels.  In other countries there are parties that are further left than almost all liberals in this country. Democrats are also not necessarily liberals. There are conservative and moderate Democrats.  

Answer 6

It's that guy...you forgot "Why is Obama an evil closet Muslim that wants to destroy America?".

Answer 7

There is no reason to use 'liberal' in its economic sense because just about everyone in America is liberal that way except for maybe Nader.

Answer 8

That is a term the "Liberals" took for themselves and in no way is it accurate in the classical sense..

Answer 9

It has to do with physics.  You see, Australia is in the southern hemisphere and the US is in the north.  So, your liberals are our conservatives and our conservatives are your liberals.  It's the same reason you drive on the wrong side of the road.  Think about it.  And the mammals in Australia are all messed up too -- laying eggs like our birds.

Once the magnetic poles switch, the people of the US will start talking funny like you do now -- naming all your women Sheila.  Stuff like that.   And then you'll give your women proper names like Sissy and the guys names like Buba -- Good American Names.  

Answer 10

not really the same at all.  but, anyone who supports obama has to be a libtard.

Answer 11

Because our Socialists and Marxists used the term to disguise what they are, since they could never make head way under their real identity. Once they trashed that name for all time, they abandoned it and now call themselves, "Progressives". It is the old bait and switch here. Since we only have two political parties that have any power, they have to hide among the most leftist one available. That is the democrat party.  

Answer 12

The Labor and Socialist Parties have little to no representation in our government....but they do in other countries. I would personally vote for the Green Party or the Peace and Justice Party (or whatever it's called).

I still support the 2-party system: a candidate should get at least half the country's support to become president.....I just think the parties we have now should be replaced.

Then again, the only substitutes for the Republicans would be the *shudder* Libertarians or Constitutionalists.

Answer 13

Because In America the Dems are very open to trying new ideas that coast a ton of dollars and usually go nowhere. They are also for extensive freedoms and rights of criminals and bad people. If it is dumb and useless, it is usually a Left Wing liberal that thought of it.

Answer 14

Because Yahoo keeps replacing other words with asterisks.

Answer 15

Democrats are misguided but well intentioned.  They tend to apply reasoning to their decisions albeit frequently erroneous.  Same can be said for republicans.  They are RATIONAL.  

Liberals are foaming at the mouth communists.  They hate America, avoid rational thought and typically are wrong on everything.  They hate our troops, they hate our president, they hate our political process, they hate private business ownership, they hate independent thought.

I have lots of friends who are democrats, and we enjoy spirited conversation, liberals are incapable of "conversation" because they have yet to figure out what ears are for....