Yes, I used that word, ‘liberal.’ I identify as one after all. I have already made clear why I prefer that term to the one currently in vogue, ‘progressive.’ Now I lay out what, exactly, as a liberal I believe. This has all been out there before, but I feel the need to reiterate it.
I believe in democracy and the will of the people. We are nation governed by people and ruled by laws. That means when conservatives and Republicans win elections they inherently have my consent to govern on that basis and I will accordingly defend their right to do so. While I will forcefully oppose the elements of their agenda I consider bad, I will nonetheless support their right to enact it so long as it is consistent with the Constitution.
I believe regulated capitalism is the best economic system for prosperity and societal development and advancement. There must be regulations in place to curb its excesses, but, overall, it is better than any other system that has been put out there. When properly regulated, the invisible hand postulated by Adam Smith can, and will generally, be effective. It is not always pretty, and it is certainly not perfect, but many people will innovate based upon the perceived economic benefits to be reaped by accurately judging society’s wants and needs.
I do not believe corporations are inherently evil. They are mere pieces of papers; fictional constructs designed to limit the liability of investors to the size of their investment. That limited liability encourages investment. It helped promote significant economic growth here and in other nations. As with other elements of a capitalist economic system when its excesses are not curbed it can, and will, cause significant damage. That, however, is not an argument to eliminate the concept of limited liability, or capitalism for that matter. Instead it is merely a reason to pursue effective and reasonable regulations.