I use the term 'liberal' in the old-fashioned sense meaning free as from restraint or check; not strict or rigorous; open-minded; and not bound by authoritarianism or orthodoxy. I use liberal in the sense of claiming my freedoms and rights that my liberal government has given me and in the abundant choices that America's capitalist free-market economy offers to everyone.

In the early 1970's, the Democratic Party was highjacked by far-left extremists who wanted to incorporate socialist policies into our government. They also highjacked the term 'liberal' in their primary policy of enlarging government so that Uncle Sam may become everyone's 'all-in-all' and the object of worship for its citizens.

Today, 'liberal' is used by the Democrats to denote a policy of big government taking care of its citizens from the cradle to the grave. It also means higher taxes, more government regulation, a total welfare state, and an enlarlged power base for political leftist 'progressives.'

The left-wing Democrats control Congress today and they are itching for further control in the legislative branch. They also yearn to take charge of the executive branch in 2008 and will do anything illegal, immoral, or unethical to make President George W. Bush and his administration look bad.

The Democrats have been hammering Bush on the war in Iraq big-time since its inception in March 2003. This has went on in spite of the fact that the war in Iraq is a totally legal war in terms of the steps taken to start it.

That's right. It's a Legal War. First, the United Nations issued 17 resolutions against Saddam Hussein, the now-deceased evil dictator of Iraq. Saddam let his people starve and go without other necessities while he and his inner circle got fatter.

Second, Bush went to the UN Security Council to make his case for a preemptive strike against Iraq. Their vote was a GO.

Third, Bush asked for a vote on a preemptive strike against Iraq from Congress and they gave it. You'd think the Democrats were literally forced against their wishes to vote for war with Saddam's forces, But they weren't.

Just a couple of days ago, the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the Democrat from Utah, declared unequivocately that the war in Iraq 'is lost.' Imagine how great this sounds to the insurgency in Iraq and the outside terrorists, like al-Qaeda. His anti-American statement only encourages the enemies of the U.S.

Reid and Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker and Democrat from California, acted together to send a bill to Mr. Bush stating that they would fund the troops in Iraq only if a date is set to allow our troops to exit.

Excuse me, but Congress never refused to fund the troops in Vietnam. We have one commander-in-chief, not 538. The president and his generals decide strategy in Iraq, not Congress.

If Reid and Pelosi cannot see this truth, it is because they are grinding their teeth to obtain more political power and to take it from the Republicans. Reid and Pelosi are too haughty to cooperate with the president and to finalize a bill which would adequately fund our troops in Iraq so they may have the equipment, uniforms, weapons, ammo, food, protection and other necessities that they need to fight and to win the war in Iraq. But they finally gave in to the president this week.

The Democrats' agenda is a social democracy in America. This is the same thing as a welfare state, which is the type of government that Sweden and Norway have. A social democracy is one step away from fascism. Think about it. Big government. Big Brother. I will take care of you. I will protect you from outside enemies. I will protect you from inside enemies. I will protect you from yourself.

BOOM! 1984.

The far-left socialists have highjacked the Democratic Party and the term 'liberal.' The Democratic Party trutly belongs to great politicians such as John F. Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Joe Lieberman, and Zell Miller.

True liberalism stands for freedom, individual liberty, a proper education, smaller government, no social classes, reason over passions, promotion of self rather than groups or organizations, freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and a constitution like the one written in 1776 by our forefathers.

Today's way-out leftists have moved away from the true meaning and concept of 'liberalism' and are heading for pure socialism, which is a step away from Communism and despotism.

The Democrats must be stopped. And this can be done by electing good politicians who believe in our Constitution. We as individuals can also do our parts to disseminate the truth and to let our elected officials know what we expect of them. We must write them, telephone them, and e-mail them.

Let's Rock and Roll, fellow citizens.