It’s no secret that liberty is the focus of the political philosophy of the American founders. This political philosophy was once simply called “liberalism.” Today, it must be called “classical liberalism” to distinguish it from the illiberalism of leftists who advocate for government overreach in every area of life yet are allowed to get away with calling themselves “liberals.” The old liberalism has been co-opted by radical “progressivism,” a movement that emerged at the beginning of the 20th century and has since taken over the political left.
The term “liberal” comes from the Latin “liber” meaning “free.” There is not universal
