I am an ex-liberal. I was not a liberal because I was stupid, or part of some vast left-wing conspiracy. My “conversion” is based entirely upon receiving new information, which was kept from me, and which I have found to be convincing. Free Rupublic engages in the kind of civil give-and-take of opinions which I value. It irks me greatly that I may have been a “useful idiot” to those who, having achieved power, now see fit to attempt to control and manipulate others. True liberals don’t like censorship, political correctness, the abuse of power, manipulation, or lies. So I guess that means I’m still a liberal, but a “Free Republic Liberal.”