The Liberal Manifesto - Part 2

The Liberal Manifesto Part 2 : We are not Republicans

We are not Republicans because:

1. We believe that the government has an important and positive role to play in improving the lives of its citizens. The government needs to have pro-active concern for the poor, the disabled, the elderly and allocate the resources to address those concerns.

2. We believe that the market economy will not adequately deal with long term concerns such as health care, the environment or energy supplies.

3. We support a right of women to choose to terminate many unwanted pregnancies. We do not support efforts to artificially define a moment of the start of life or to interfere with medical research. In 2006 the President is wrong to oppose stem cell research. We believe that whatever wrong he may believe is occasioned by such research, the wrong of opposing the research is greater.

4. We believe that, except in extraordinary circumstances the federal budget should be balanced. Wars should be paid for from current taxes to the extent possible. We do not agree with current Republican aversion to paying for the Iraq war or the consequences of blind reduction in taxes.

5. We believe in a strong national defense for protecting our nation and our allies. We oppose the hubris of making the world conform to our standards.

6. We do not imagine the world to be in social stasis, but we welcome evolution of society and the creation of new values. We are willing to change our minds.