I don't shy from the word, though Dan put it best - the right has successfully demonized the meaning of the word.
A few months back James Carville gave a wonderful speech and someone from the crowd asked him the same question Dale put forth. Carville went on about the dangers of pinning people down by labels but then added if being a liberal meant health care for everyone, equality for everyone, clean water and air and strong environmental laws for everyone, equality under the law for everyone, then he was liberal.
