what does it mean?

i was just wondering what exactly liberal meant.  the republicans use it like it is a bad word (and claim obama is the most liberal senator in the senate) so i thought i'd look it up.  

Definitions of liberal on the Web:

~broad: showing or characterized by broad-mindedness; "a broad political stance"; "generous and broad sympathies"; "a liberal newspaper"; "tolerant ...

~having political or social views favoring reform and progress

~tolerant of change; not bound by authoritarianism, orthodoxy, or tradition

~a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties

~big: given or giving freely; "was a big tipper"; "the bounteous goodness of God"; "bountiful compliments"; "a freehanded host"; "a handsome allowance"; "Saturday's child is loving and giving"; "a liberal backer of the arts"; "a munificent gift"; "her fond and openhanded grandfather"

~free: not literal; "a loose interpretation of what she had been told"; "a free translation of the poem"

~a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating markets

~Liberalism refers to a broad array of related ideas and theories of government that consider individual liberty to be the most important political goal. Liberalism has its roots in the Middle Ages and Age of Enlightenment.

~One with liberal views, supporting individual liberty  

~A supporter of any of the particular liberal parties; One opposing the views of a social conservative and favoring socially responsible taxes. ...

~In the US political spectrum, “liberals” are said to be slightly left-of-center or somewhat left-of-center. ...

~people who generally like to reform current conditions. Liberals are often referred to as the left wing.

~Associated with freedom and/or generosity. Thus in England to be liberal (or to be a liberal) is to favor free markets, including free trade. ...

~Traditionally, the word liberal means to be open to new ideas and tolerant of others. To be liberal politically, is to emphasize political and ...

~Political view that supports gradual change and government spending to assist lower classes in society.

~Giving or generous, or broad minded, tolerant of other ideals, nontraditional.

~A term that includes such meanings as open-mindedness, a desire to favor reforms and a tolerance toward non-traditionalist views.

1. Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry. 2. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded. 

DOESN'T THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD!

Now let's look at the other side of the coin.  Can you guess what it says?!

Definitions of conservative on the Web:

~resistant to change

~having social or political views favoring conservatism

~cautious: avoiding excess; "a conservative estimate"

~button-down: unimaginatively conventional; "a colorful character in the buttoned-down, dull-grey world of business"- Newsweek

~a person who is reluctant to accept changes and new ideas

~Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour tradition and gradual change, where tradition refers to religious, cultural, or nationally defined beliefs and customs. The term is derived from the Latin, com servare, to preserve; "to protect from loss or harm". ...

~A person who favors maintenance of the status quo or reversion to some earlier status.

~Any shade of political opinion from moderately right-of-center to firmly right-of-center. Of the two major parties in the United States, the ...

~people who generally like to uphold current conditions and oppose changes. Conservatives are often referred to as the right wing.

~referring to an investment philosophy that accepts below-average investment returns in order to avoid significant risks.

~Generally, an adherence to long-standing, traditional values and maintaining a caution for any excess.

~In biological usage – this refers to characters or organisms that demonstrate relatively little external anatomical change over time.

~Traditionally, conservative means to favor things as they are and to be cautious. To be conservative politically is to respect traditional ...

~The political view that things should stay the way things are. Belief in little or no socialized spending.

~Within Christianity, this is one wing of the religion, composed of Fundamentalists, other Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Charismatics, and members of most independent churches. The term contrasts with mainline and liberal Christians.

~Conservatives emphasize traditional values, and they are often referred to as right-wing. The Republican party is generally considered to be the conservative major party. However, some Republicans can hold some liberal values. ...

~adjective: a. tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions b. traditional values or views

~fixed income and preferred stocks are considered conservative

~At the core of political conservatism is the resistance to change and a tolerance for inequality.

~In politics, tending to follow established tradition and styles, and therefore to be cautious and slower to change.

~(A) Tending to preserve; preservative; inclined ot keep up existing institutions and customs; opposed to radical changes or innovation; moderate, cautious. (N) One whose principles, methods, and habits are moderate and cautious; one who avoids extremes. an advocate of political caution.


Ok, so how can a conservative republican (sarah palin is as far right as you can get) be about change.  The whole definition is opposed to change!  They by definition do not want to have anything to do with change, unless the change means being less tolerant.  I just blew my mind.