How are the terms CONSERVATISM and LIBERALISM currently understood in public discourse about politics?

They aren't understood; they are manipulated for political purposes. Currently, the Reps do it more...labeling liberalism as something so bad.

Today we have Republicans and Democrats. When this country was first getting started there were the Republicans and Whigs. Republican party platform was like today's Democratic platform. And the Whigs were more like today's Republicans. That's why when people will say, well Abraham Lincoln was a Republican, we can say yes he was but today he would be a Democrat. Everything changes and polarizes especially in politics. Conservatives claim to be the religious, godly, and compassionate ones but their policies do not reflect that. Liberals are called godless heathens, yet their policies reflect compassion and caring. For example, Liberals care about the environment and believe the scientists when they say, "Hey guys, you better snap to it and do something." While conservatives say it's just a political scam, nothing is wrong, the scientists are stupid liars, we don't have to change anything about the way we live and waste. Taking a page from their book and what their book expects them to live up to, all I have to say is "Shepherds of the earth" MY A**!

Each group thinks the other has spent too much time in deep center field with the sun beating on them frying their brains and rendering their opinions null and void.

I seem to remember Bush saying he was a compassionate conservative. His administration has spent more money than any in U.S. history. Is this conservative? Conservative used to mean smaller government and less intrusive. Fiscal responsibility and morals. How's that been working lately? Liberal means any and everything evil under the sun. It's all Clinton's fault...whatever the question is.

well... there is the "technical definition"... which is almost never used correctly by either side...

then there is the common usage definition... or the way most people seem to use it... but the only problem with that is, is that there doesn't seem to be any consistency with the usage of these terms... besides a general negative connotation...

Today they're just empty words used to keep people at odds with each other, for the purpose of control.

I tell people this all time...'conservative' and 'liberal' are generic labels for the lazy-minded. Look up 'neoliberalism' Bush is a neoliberal authoritarian.

Clearly these terms are confusing to all.

On a bi-partisan site, especially, because dems claim liberal and reps claim conservative.

Probably all wrong.

Who Cares?

politics change with the names as do definitions.