There. I said it.
For years, I denied that I was liberal. I hated the tag. I claimed to be agnostic when it came to politics. I said that I was registered Independent (true) and that I just looked for the best candidate. I also claimed to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal…my slippery slope, but also true.
Somehow, in recent years, it has dawned on me that I have either migrated left or simply found the right more and more distasteful. That bears some ‘splanation though, as I have many friends who are conservative (doesn’t everyone say that?) and I love them, and respect them. In fact, even while I am prepared to embrace the ‘liberal’ tag, I do still agree with some conservative precepts, some of which have to do with international policy and some with regards to domestic fiscal policy.
What has spurred me to look in the liberal mirror is a combination of things. Trumpism is certainly one of them, but more than that I find the fact that conservatives/Republicans’ interest in following Trump – even as he has faded from sight – to be disappointing. I don’t know what happened to the Republican party of Reagan, or even the Bushes! They seem to make every decision based on how to turn back the legacy of Barack Obama.
I have to admit that the Democrats are a noisy, disorganized lot who do a lot of whining and finger-pointing. Not sure I identify with them, but that’s different from just being liberal.
My confession comes from my realization that my belief in social structures to support poor people, globalization of economies and the world in general, protection of the environment, protection for gays, #blm, climate control, vaccination (duh)…all of those things that I believe in seem to make it clear that I am a liberal in this day and age. I don’t particularly care for labels, but I guess I am one.
So there. phew.
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