Core principles

John Weidner is disappointed.  Just when he thought he'd stumbled on the essence of liberal thought, his hopes were dashed.

Oh goody, I thought. Finally I get to find out. The essence, the very essence of what the Dem Party stands for! Alas, it was not to be. Unless the "essence" of the party is being "anti-Republican," there's nothing in the article to give me a clue.

Let me help, John.  I think I can explain what the article failed to make clear.  There are three liberal core principles.  The first and most important one is the principle of "social justice".  By social justice liberals mean whatever they happen think it ought to mean as circumstances arise, and whatever that is, it's achieved through income redistribution.  In espousing social justice liberals hope to exert sufficient control over everybody's income to even things out in a way that will be fair.  They'll decide what's fair, and more than anything else, fair means people shouldn't have any more than they deserve.  Which brings us to the second core principle.

Closely linked to social justice is the principle of "sustainability".  By espousing sustainability liberals mean that there is only so much [fill in your scarcity of choice here] to go around.  Sustainability means we won't run out of it, so in order to maintain sustainability liberals have no choice but to control all other aspects of existence on top of controlling everybody's income.  Rationing. Everything.  Even people.  Those lucky enough to escape liberal regulation long enough to actually make it to the birth process must not be allowed to use more [fill in scarcity of choice again] than they deserve.  Liberals aren't really sure how much that is, but whatever it is John, you're already past your limit.

By controlling all aspects of life, liberals will ensure that earth's resources remain sufficient to sustain those left to enjoy them.  We'll live together in harmony, enjoying true freedom.  We'll be free from fear, free from hunger, free from responsibility, free from ever having to make a decision, and free from whatever else our liberal friends think we should be free of.  At its root it means making us free of whatever money we're able to scrape together as we strive to make a living. 

There they are.  Social Justice.  Sustainability.  Freedom.  The core principles of liberal philosophy, and if we can adhere to them, we're guaranteed a blissful existence.  Right.