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<< I've seen liberals do their fair share of attempts to limit free speech and press, or has the entire PC movement escaped you? >>
Those aren't really liberals though. They are commies. No self-respecting liberal would ever support things like hate crime laws. at least in my opinion.
<< When the state controls your finances, it soon finds it must control your life. Socialism ALWAYS leads to a loss of individual freedoms. You want "free" medical care? The state gets to dictate what you may or may not do with your own body. I could go on and explain all the other freedoms the socialist state will find it must limit, but why thread crap? 🙂 >>
And out pops the libertarian 😉 I don't really want to engage you on the philosophical merits of libertarianism vs. liberalism because this is more of a research thread. Plus my philosopher of choice (rawls) could beat the pants off your philosopher of choice (I assume rand) on any forum from here to timbuktu 😉 However, if it is possible for someone to be socially liberal and fiscally conservative, then surely it must be possible for someone to be socially conservative and fiscally liberal. I would call this person a commie. You may call them whatever you like, but they are certainly different from liberals. >>
Not according to the popular use of the word in the US today. Many of those identifying themselves as "liberal" or "left" in the US have very socialistic/commie leanings.
As for Rawls, wealth redistribution is the most ridiculous concept ever. Anyone advocating wealth redistribution couldn't come anywhere near Rand's pants, much less beat them off. By the way, wealth redistribution is a loss of freedom and amounts to nothing less than state sponsored slavery. You do not gain freedom for one, by taking freedom away from another.