Modern American Liberalism: A Framework

Below is a framework worked out by G and Vanity relating to the modern phenomena of American Liberalism, which is called or charicatured as many different things. It draws substantial insight into how a society and government should work from socialist reformers, democratic theorists, progressives, and has been informed and refined in response to conservative critiques and information gained from studying the functions of the European super-States.

This is meant to be a narrowly conceptual framework, and thus will not go into the details of policies, which of course are not agreed-upon by ModAmLibs to a degree where they could be characterized. Rather, the philosophical and ideological bases are presented here for easy reference and criticism. Later we can explore some of the underlying assumptions behind this framework, such as the assumption that human beings and their characters are generally dynamic and malleable, as opposed to fixed, static, and resistant to change, as conservatives have traditionally held.

ModAmLiberalism
I. Human dignity and autonomy
a. All human beings of any color, creed, lifestyle, etc. are
ultimately "ends" in any system of governance.
b. Fairness of opportunity is more important than "leveling" or pure equality.
c. Safety Net (a bare minimum of food, healthcare, education and housing for everyone, most especially for children)

II. Open Society / Govt. Rationality
a. Government must justify coercion with rational explanations / justifications.
b. Justifications must be non-sectarian, neutral as among belief systems
c. Transparency of "public" actions (by Government or large
corporations that may as well be part of the "system" of governance
due to their power, authority, and favored status)

III. Scientific Rationalism
a. The idea that science's assumption of fallibility comports more
with the above goals than sectarian government does.
b. Self-analysis, self-criticism, metacognition as being necessary for
a working and accountable system of Democratic self-government. Hence a commitment to a very high level of freedom of speech and association, and of course THOUGHT.