Campaign for America's Future, a liberal blog, has an interesting article up that outlines what the author holds to be ten myths that conservatives believe about progressives. Are they really myths?
1. Liberals hate America. Yes, this is mostly a myth. There is a segment of the left that is virulently anti-American, but it is a minority. Calling all liberals anti-American is just a smear.
2. Liberals want to leave us defenseless. This is a myth because of the emphasis on what liberals want. It is true that liberals often advocate policies that conservatives think would weaken the U.S. But like conservatives, most liberals believe their policy positions are best for the nation.
3. Liberals hate the free market. Whether or not this is a myth depends on your definition of the free market. If you think government regulation of every facet of the economy, public & private partnerships, massive government spending on stimulus & bailouts, blind support for unions, higher taxes on investors & the most productive elements of the economy, and support for every socialistic program short of outright socialism is love for the free market, then liberals love the free market. Otherwise, not so much. This is not a myth, at worst it's an oversimplification.
4. Liberals hate our troops. Like point #1, this is definitely a myth except for a small minority of the left that really does hate America & the troops.
5. Liberals are a bunch of elitists who hate decent working- and middle-class Americans. Many liberals are indeed elitists -- as are many conservatives. But whether elitist or not, I do not believe they hate working and middle-class Americans.
6. Liberals are against "family values." As with the free market, this depends on your definition of family values. I'm ok with calling it a myth.
7. Liberals want to raise our taxes. I'm sorry, but this is most definitely not a myth. Liberals certainly do want to raise taxes, and most do not appear to understand simple economics, such as the fact that higher taxes on businesses result in higher cost to consumers -- in effect raising taxes on the consumers.
8. Liberals are Godless—and therefore, amoral. Obviously a myth. Belief in gods is not a requirement for morality, and many liberals are believers anyway.
9. Liberals don't believe in personal responsibility. This is a myth only if asserted that starkly. I don't think it's a myth that many liberals tend believe less in personal responsibility than conservatives.
10. Liberals are wimps. This is myth as a blanket statement. Whether or not it is true depends entirely on the context in which it is used. When applied to liberal positions on foreign policy and some other issues, it can contain an element of truth.
