I thought Republicans stood for limited government?
No, conservatives claim to value small government.  In this sense, 'limited' government has a particular meaning - the opposite of absolute government.  A monarchy or a totalitarian dictatorship is an example of absolute government, where power is not limited. Limited governments are usually marked by a strong and rigorous system of checks and balances, and where power is separated and conferred by the democratic consent of the people.

You are putting me on, right?
No. Liberals have always stood for upholding democracy, limiting powerful and empowering the people. From the start of this nation to suffrage, the labor movement, and civil rights, just to name a few, liberals have always sided with the people at the low end of the totem pole and sought to eliminate entrenched authoritarian powers. It is a great tradition that we liberals are proud of.

I don't understand how 'small government' conservatism and limited government are incompatible.
In some cases small government and limited government go hand in hand.  What conservatives typically mean by small government is that they want things run outside our system of checks and balances. Liberals fight to uphold our constitutional principles of limited,separated and balanced power.

Won't competition from the free market act as a check and balance in and of itself?
Sometimes, but not always.  We learned in the progressive labor movement with child labor, sweatshops, and 80 hour work weeks that stronger limitations were needed to ensure middle and lower class citizens have an opportunity to live a good life.

So liberals are anti-business and don't believe in the free market!
No, liberals do believe in the free market, especially for small businesses and entrepreneurs where competition is the most fierce.  More importantly, liberals believe that everyone should be able to take advantage of the opportunities capitalism affords, instead of being taken advantage of.

Is that why liberals want to redistribute wealth, like socialists?
No, liberals fully support people working hard and becoming successful and wealthy. What liberals want to avoid is the creation of a permanent elitist aristocracy. These types of social structures tend to limit the opportunities of others, by entrenching themselves and consolidating economic and political power. This goes against the notion of balance and limited,separated powers in our American constitution. That's part of the reason why liberals advocate progressive taxation, reasonable regulation, and ensuring economic, political and social opportunities for lower and middle class citizens - not to take away wealth - but as a  balance so that those who are not wealthy have the opportunity to live a good life despite that.

Aristocracies? Class Warfare! Class Warfare!
Well, what can I say? That might be a fair criticism.  Liberals are typically pro-equality and anti-elitist. But let me reiterate that there is nothing wrong with wealth or even classes of people being wealthy.  What liberals are concerned about is wealth becoming a source of political power outside the realm of checks and balances specified in our constitution.  Lobbyists, special interests, and corporate donations to politicians are examples of how insiders and elitists gain power.  When these political structures become entrenched and permanent, or go unchecked, it is breeding ground for corruption, conflicts of interest, and authoritarianism instead of the constitutional, democratic consent of the people.  Liberals work hard to uphold our American constitution and fight against these powerful elitists.

Wait a minute - anti-elitist? No.No.No, you got it all wrong!  Its the liberals who are elitists - Look at Michael Moore and Barbara Streisand!
Liberals tend to be 'big tent' type of people, willing to accept any and all - even the overbearing and obnoxious Hollywood types.  While they are certainly elite in our pop culture, the main focus for liberals is on ensuring the integrity of our political and financial institutions and preventing elitists from dominating in those arenas.  Pop Icons have relatively little influence over politics, the economy or social policy.  Elites in other spheres do, but are rarely seen on prime time TV even though their influence is much more detrimental if unchecked.

So liberals have no concern for pop culture and the social decay it has seen - for all the garbage on TV and radio - the smut and swearing and violence?
No, liberals, like all people, want to raise their children in a good society with a healthy culture.  We just don't think that censorship is a proper role for the government. Again the theme here is limitations: censorship is a responsibility that is too big, too uncheakable, and freedom of speech is too important. The best way to improve the culture we live in is to turn off the shows we don't like, and live good and moral lives ourselves instead of depending on government or someone else telling us how to live. If there is a way to improve the culture through social policy it is indirectly, by improving our educational system and economy - things that liberals fully support.

Aren't you just using this 'freedom of speech' talk and all this stuff as a cover for the fact that you liberals have no values or morals?
No, we liberals place a high value on personal responsibility, which is why we think that people should live their lives for themselves without having the government or others telling them what is right and wrong. We also value freedom and liberty, and place a high value on justice and fairness and equality.

If you liberals have so much values, why are you guys so anti-family?
We liberals work hard to make sure that families are viable.  That is why we support labor, the FMLA, progressive and fair tax policy, strengthening our education system and many other initiatives to help families in today's world. Given how conservatives typically oppose these efforts, we sometimes wonder why they are so anti-family.

But what about abortion - that is immoral and anti-family and you guys support it!
We support a woman's right to choose abortion.  But we also support a number of policies that we think will limit the number of abortions that are needed, like increased sex ed, fighting policies that make contraceptives difficult to acquire, improving economic conditions for the lower class, facilitating adoption, and taking a strong stance against rape, incest, and other sexual crimes.

But gay marriage will destroy families! It is immoral and you guys support it!
We will have to agree to disagree - most liberals don't understand how gay marriage will destroy other peoples marriages.  We believe that people should have the freedom to live the life that they want to, and shouldn't have to be told that they can't or what is right and wrong.

So there is no right or wrong, no absolutes, I'm okay, You're okay, and everything wishy washy new age goobly-gook?
No liberals just don't think that morality should be legislated. That doesn't mean that everybody can do what they want.  We differentiate between civil values and personal morality.  Civil values are those things which help society organize and conduct business in a safe and orderly way.  Examples include traffic and zoning laws, murder and other crimes, and big picture issues of freedom, liberty and justice. Personal morality is something that is up to each of us individually, and something that we all most take responsibility for on our own.

You liberals crack me up - all of your policies have failed and yet here you are.  Do you guys really believe in this stuff?
Yes we do.  And our policies haven't always failed.  Before the New Deal, there was a depression once every 20 to 30 years or so, and there hasn't been one since.  I would say that is a pretty good track record. We come up with our share of crackpot ideas that don't work, but we support progress and moving forward as society. We understand that not everything in government is perfect, which is why liberals are strong advocates for reform.

I'd be a liberal, except that you guys oppose war and don't know how to defend the country.
Liberals think that there was a specific and good reason why the power to declare war was given to the legislature and separated from the power to conduct war in the executive branch of government.  That's to help ensure that the rationale for war can be debated openly, publicly and transparently.  It acts as a way to make sure that diplomatic efforts can be exhausted before war is needed.  Furthermore, it ensures that the case for war meets a high demand of urgency,necessity and public approval. Everyone likes to say that war is a last resort, but liberals believe it and are saddened by efforts to circumvent diplomacy or other means of resolution before war is needed.

So do we need UN approval to defend ourselves?
No, but we think that we should act cooperatively when possible and only act unilaterally if absolutely needed. A strong internationalist policy  helps the U.S. to defend herself while reducing the burden of that defense; gives us a means to influence international policies to the benefit of our citizens and businesses, and helps achieve mutually acceptable resolutions to issues and crisis before intervention is needed.

Why do liberals hate America?
We don't.  We stand for the values that America was founded on. We work to defend the principles of good governance that our constitution embodies: limited, separated, balanced powers that are conferred by public and popular consent.

What is Conservatism and what is wrong with it?
I am glad you asked.  Read this.

I am wealthy business man from Atlanta, Ga, who has given thousands of dollars to Republican and Conservative causes. My brother is a middle class insurance salesman from Omaha, Ne and my sister is a lower class single mother working as a waitress in Yuma, Az.  We have voted Republican for a number of years, but you have convinced us otherwise, what do we do?
Fortunately, you and your family qualify for our recently initiated outreach program to red-staters.  You can start by going here and donating money.  Find your local democratic party  chapter, contribute and volunteer. Be active in your community and let your voice be heard.