Why I am Proud to be a Bleeding Heart Liberal

The latest gimmick for our ultra right-wing governments is to call themselves "centre-right". The centre of what I'm not sure, but you're hearing that everywhere. Rob Ford claims to be "centre-right". The conbots who haunt the comments sections of newspapers claim that Stephen Harper is "centre-right". The Tea Party and the Republicans. All "centre-right".

This is discussed on many political shows (U.S.) and in political columns, and they have drawn the conclusion, that the far-right has simply moved the centre. And it can never move any further to the left than Rush Limbaugh or Pat Buchanan.

But in doing that, they have altered history, because it means that Richard Nixon, who tried to get public healthcare passed, is left-wing and a socialist. Dwight D. Eisenhower is left-wing because he warned against the military-industrial complex. And even Ronald Reagan is left-wing because he made abortion in California legal when he was governor, and presided over one of the largest tax increases in American history. Although he's vindicated because he raised taxes on the working class, while lowering them for the ultra-rich.

Much like what we see today with Stephen Harper. He has increased taxes at source for the working class, now rapidly becoming the working poor, beginning with the HST and the payroll tax.

However, by drawing a new centre-line, the right-wing has encompassed all the greed and hatred, leaving us with the compassion, empathy and yes, bleeding hearts.

Because our hearts bleed for those who are still unemployed and underemployed, as a result of the corporate greed induced economic crisis.

And they bleed for former Nortel workers who lost their disability pensions, because we have a government that cares more for the corporation than the individual.

And they bleed for our veterans who were told it would have been better if they'd died in Afghanistan than just come home injured.

They bleed for seniors living far below the poverty line. Children who go to bed hungry when there is no need to go to bed hungry. The homeless.

They bleed for victims of war, oppression and Apartheid.

They bleed for future generations who will suffer the affects of climate change, while our government has failed to act, and instead reduced funding to fight it, by 60%. He has to find a way to pay for those massive tax cuts for the ultra-rich.

But I'm also glad to be a bleeding heart liberal today, because I feel like I am part of something very big. We've had decades of this right-wing attack on our souls, and people are starting to fight back.

They're fighting back against the attacks on Muslims, just for being Muslim. After all, have we learned nothing from the Holocaust?

They're fighting back against an attempt to bust the unions in favour of the corporations who don't want to pay a decent wage. A movement that I hope will spread into Canada.

And they're fighting back against children being viewed as collateral damage in war.

Yes it's a very good time to be a bleeding heart liberal, even if it means we get Richard Nixon in the bargain.