What are liberals?

When did liberals become synonymous with restriction of rights?  Didn't they used to want to liberate the people?  Aren't liberals the ones who fought for black and women's suffrage?  Aren't conservatives the ones who are supposed to be oppressing the people?

Was it the progressive movement?  Did liberals run out of things to fight for and now need to abolish rights they don't think are working out?  Why do they need bigger government to control everything they can think of?  Shouldn't they shrink government to LIBERATE the people from its control?

I need to discuss this.  I have been watching too much Fox News since Obama took office.

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You both talk as though you believe liberals, and conservatives, act as they claim.

Liberals say they are progressive and moving forwards, but they have a deluded idiotic outlook on the world and even though they may believe they know what's best, they don't.

Conservatives are no better, instead of defending the values and traditions they set out to they make a mockery of them and only serve to embaress those who have a legitimate intellectual understanding of them.