Reply #155: Exactly. And by restoring the definition of conservatism, we move the argument back to the left.

[yardwork]

The U.S. has moved further and further to the right in my lifetime. Why? Partly because we've allowed the Republicans to move from merely conservative to extreme reactionary right-wing, bordering on fascism. But they still call themselves "conservatives," and millions of Americans still believe them.

If George W. Bush is only "conservative," then Obama must be very liberal, right? And so Obama's stances are "extreme," according to "moderates." The problem with that entire argument is that George W. Bush is not "conservative." He's a neo-liberal extremist nut.

We've allowed the Republicans to completely redefine the term "conservative" and as a result they can get away with murder (literally) while still claiming to be moderate conservatives.

No. Let's put the definitions back.

Obama is conservative on most issues, as are almost all Democrats. The Republican Party is not conservative now. It is extremist radical right-wing.

We have almost zero true progressives in Congress. Even Dennis Kucinich was anti-choice until a few years ago. We don't have a single elected official on the national level championing gay rights, universal health care, or unions. Not one.