Why do Conservatives call Liberals "leftists" but Liberals don't call Conservatives "rightists"?

Us Liberals/Progressives/Democrats whatever the right wing wants to call us is based on being LEFT. The right wing and their right wing groups are completely entangled with the RIGHT. It's the way this country's citizens have always seen these two groups.

Webster's Dictionary states:

LIBERAL; 1. generous 2. loves reform. 3. tolerant 4. progressive (Left)

CONSERVATIVE; 1. intolerant, 2. hates reform or any change (Right)

Actually, there is a word that's used to describe those who stand on the far right side of the political spectrum: reactionary. It was used from the 1950s but kind of disappeared in the 1990s after the Republican Party latched onto the "Moral Majority" and the religious right.

"Reactionary" is a good, descriptive word for members of the GOP and the TPers. It describes a person who reacts to what others around them are doing rather that someone who is pro-active, future oriented and optimistic. It implies someone who doesn't do much but sit and wait for something to change so he can react against whatever it is. Reactionaries are people content with the status quo (the way things are) and who don't want things to change.

The only people who won't admit liberal falls to the left of center are liberals.

Near as I can tell, the top answer just made up those definitions.

Actual definitions from Websters:

Conservative: believing in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society : relating to or supporting political conservatism

Liberal : believing that government should be active in supporting social and political change : relating to or supporting political liberalism

The left/right nomenclature comes from the seating arrangement in the French Parliament but has come to represent two sides of the political spectrum. Leftists like to be called liberal because it's flattering, but they aren't liberal in any sense of the word (at least according to Classical Liberalism). Conservatives can be called rightists, we at least honest as to where we stand politically.

Finally, it might be helpful to see the 1828 Webster's definition of the word, to get an idea of how the word has changed over the years

Leftists is easier to pronounce. Calling a leftist a liberal can sometimes be wrong because a liberal believes in liberty and many leftists want to take rights and liberties away.

Ex. Obamacare, welfare, regulations, environmentalist religion involved in public policy...

Many conservatives also identify as classical liberals and resent the direction that modern liberalism has taken. Calling them "leftists" distinguishes them from the term "liberal" in the classical permissive, laissez faire, or negative liberty sense.

Because "Liberal" is an honorable term that the leftists running the Democratic party don't deserve.

Liberals cant stand the fact that conservatives are right

They would rather brand all who dont fall in line with them as ignorant and stupid, when it is they who project their own failings upon others

And they (liberals) also have issues with personal hygiene, but thats for another thread

Good luck, my friend

They often choose much more colorful names for us. They prefer it that way. Respectfully disagreeing with someone or a group isn't really their "thing."

Obviously we conservatives don't know what we are talking about. We could never be "rightists".