What, exactly, is a 'liberal' in the United States?

In America a Liberal is a person who believes the government is the answer to all our problems, and the biggest problem is the rich. Liberals believe that it isn't fair that rich people are so successful, and the government needs to stop them. Liberals believe in fixing the economy by a redistribution of the wealth. Punish the people who have a successful business, and reward people who never accomplished a thing in their lives. Entitlements are a right of the common people to make us all equal.

A conservative believes that the government which governs least, governs best. They believe in free enterprise, and that the people who earned their money shouldn't be punished. Capitalism works best when the government's role is just to keep a level playing field for free enterprise to compete fairly. Conservatives want the government to provide for the national security, enforce the legal system, provide for the infrastructure (roads, buildings), and police force for protection. They don't believe that taxes should be used to "share the wealth" or "entitlements".

For a conservative the American Dream means, "Anyone can achieve".

For a liberal the American Dreams means, "Anyone can receive".

Liberalism is basically the same as socialism. Conservatism is basically the same as capitalism.

For many years, the Republican Party used the word 'liberal' to mean anyone they disagreed with or any idea they didn't like. It was a way of avoiding legitimate argument, of cutting off conversation. If someone said something you didn't agree with or held some belief you didn't agree with, you just dismissed him as a 'liberal', therefore nothing he'd said needed to be answered, to be taken seriously.

After 40 years or so, the L-word lost whatever meaning it once might have had. So in 2008 the Republicans raised the rhetorical ante. Now anyone who disagreed was 'socialist', or 'marxist', or 'communist', or 'fascist'. They throw these words around as if they all meant exactly the same thing. Which, to Republicans, they do.

'Liberal' used to mean open-minded, pluralistic, favoring change, progressive. Conservatives used to be opposed to change, trying to 'conserve' the status quo. But today it's the conservatives who want change--regressive change. Today 'liberal' means that you judge the success of our economy by the standard of living of working people. Since the 'Reagan Revolution' the Republicans have been totally preoccupied with concentrating wealth. Meaning that profits are more important than wages, that working people must learn to accept less so that profits can rise. REAL liberalism is the view opposite to theirs, but they see it as only obstructionist, only evil, perhaps stupid, people blocking their agenda.

A person with a low IQ who is against everything the US stands for.

Your idea of what a liberal is is inaccurate. Liberals want change whether its change for the better or not. The US has been successful in any way you want to measure it. It makes sense that changing from that probably isn't going to be better. Sure, the US isn't perfect but there's no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Wow I have only heard people say conservatives were idiots. Especially you living in England, a liberal country, how interesting. I smell troll. Isn't it around midnight there? You are a night owl!

Danny, the LEAST tolerant people you will meet in America are liberals! They will not abide anyone who doesn't cowtow to their views! just FYI, liberals tend to be pro-choice, so long as the choice is abortion, they are adamantly opposed to the death penalty, however! unless the accused attacked a protected group!

Nowadays, a liberal is anyone who is not a Republican.

The Republicans no longer really acknowledge the Democrats, they just call them LiberalDemocrats (you have to say it as one word so it isn't confused with "Liberal Democrat" - see the difference? :-p)

liberal is a euphemism for a totalitarian who wants to ram political correctness down people's throats.