Here’s good advice for conservatives, as this political campaign season is revving up:  Don’t use the euphemisms “liberal” or “progressive” to describe those on the left.  These descriptors immediately cede a perception advantage to your challenger.  The better, more accurate term is “leftist,” since those on the political left are typically not liberal in the true sense of the word, nor are they progressive.

Good examples of this come from the issue involving climate science.  Leftists have worked long and hard to shutdown reasonable debate on the question of the degree of human influence on climate change. Thus, leftists are certainly not being liberal regarding exchange of ideas.

In addition, leftist solutions to energy needs of nations is to fight supposed anthropogenic global warming with yesteryear’s sunbeam and sea-breeze catchers, rather than to get on board with modern, cutting-edge fracking and nuclear technologies.  Thus, leftists are not being progressive regarding advancement of society.

Unfortunately, leftist cannot even be counted on to liberate and develop people by championing true freedom, since leftists look to impose their views on others directly or through government control.   So, if conservatives are looking for an alternative moniker for leftists, perhaps "statists" fits the bill.

Meteorologist Anthony J. Sadar is author of In Global Warming We Trust: A Heretic’s Guide to Climate Science (Telescope Books).