Left or Liberal? | 5 Minute Video

Tell the average American you’re a liberal and they’ll assume you’re on the political left. Yet, leftists and liberals hold very different positions on key issues. In this video, Dennis Prager explains how the tenets of liberalism like a belief in capitalism and free speech have more in common with conservatism than with the identity politics and racial resentment preached by the left.

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[jacktaylor]

One of your finest 5 minute videos. No just the presentation (and presenter ;) ), and the writing, but the visual accompaniment is excellent. Well said all.

[AprilsEternal]

I love Dennis Prager. It is so refreshing to hear the truth.

[TheRadioAteMyTV]

The title of the video should be "How liberals went extinct and the Leftists who made it happen".

[deckert]

I've been saying this for years and shouting, "Stop calling them liberals!"

[Scott_Bates]

I dearly miss classical liberals. We disagreed on SO many things, but we could have ACTUAL conversations.

[henryhabra]

Everything you described as a “Liberal” would now be considered “Right Wing Extremism” by the Left.
The term “liberal” has lost all meaning.

[Celeste-new]

Thank you! Perfectly stated. Ever since the "Left" took over the Democratic Party I've become an Independent and call myself an "Old School Liberal" to make myself clear that I want nothing the "Left" offers. I now have positive conversations with Republicans and other Conservatives, find we agree on many things, and am willing to compromise if it means bringing sanity back to our country.

[richardc]

Excellent video Dennis. Thank you for teaching us so much.

[austria-hungary]

American Leftism -> Capitalism with a pink face

Eastern European leftism -> Real socialism

[freedomwriter]

Technically, the proper term for this kind of liberalism is "classical liberalism".

[stevenkinzie]

I am a liberal. I voted Trump in 2024–first time ever not voting Democrat. I joined the Democrat party in 2004 and left it in 2024…for literally the exact same reasons.

[sandyatkins]

Great video. I now understand why as a conservative (not Republican) I could often find common ground with many Liberals until around the year 2000. Liberalism in the West has been highjacked by the Left. This also explains why the MSM constantly trumpet that Western Conservativism is actually now Fascism.

[jsn]

And that definition of "liberal" is a new one. "Liberal" used to mean what "libertarian" means today.

[ericmadsen]

So what Dennis is saying is, Liberals and Conservatives politically are almost the same but with a few policy differences.

[Raycheetah]

FDR was no classical Liberal; he was well on the path toward Socialism and Progressivism, no matter what pretty words he would use in his speeches! =>[.]<=

[FreedomAndLiberty]

I'm so glad Prager U made this. I've talked myself to death calling conservatives out on this topic. Now I can just give them the link to this post and let them educate themselves.

[BayWulf]

I’ve long considered myself a Constitutional Conservative with Classic Liberal Tendencies. The “Classic” part of that is a relatively new distinction.
Many acquaintances have argued that my stance is contradictory and that I can’t be both but it becomes obvious after a short while that their version of “Liberal” is the co-opted definition presented by the Left … which many accepted or adopted over the decades.
I know many people who were Liberals (Classic) who have slowly, over time, accepted Leftist ideology and stances into their outlook due to peer pressure that states that in order to be a “Liberal” they had to logically accept premise A or B or A and B because it just seemed or “felt” reasonable.

[tomfullery]

I had always considered myself "liberal", but I had to stop using the term so as not to be associated with far-left extremists. But I didn't have to work hard to distance myself. If I had the smallest difference in opinion, they'd just label me a "right winger".

[dimitriosfreedom]

In Australia the main centre right party is called the Liberal party which is supposed to be for smaller government, lower taxes, fewer regulations, pro small business, secure borders etc. unfortunately during the covid pandemic all those ideals were thrown out the window by former Liberal Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

[starrieyedGirl]

I'm glad someone is saying what I've been saying for 31 out of 41 years of my life