RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Politics and Current Events Please define "Liberal" and "Conservative"

But what about someone who trusts the Government to meet basic social needs (some cap on health care costs, social security) and trusts the Government me meet security and military needs?

Take my own views, for example. I believe the Government needs to set some sort of cap on prescription drug costs across the board, because while I do believe the companies have a right to make a profit, I also believe everyone has a right to affordable drugs. On the other hand, I believe that the military does have to go out to some trouble spots in the world and fix them, because we cannot allow nations to harbor and support terrorists. I also do not believe that these types of actions create new terrorists. I believe that the terrorists would exists regardless of any one nation's actions to combat them, because some people are just plain evil, and no amount of reasoning will ever get through to them.

So what am I? Do I fall into a classification of Liberal? Do I fall into a classification of Conservative? There is no doubt in my mind that the terms have become distorted in modern use, so I am searching for a true meaning to them, not the one that the politicians and the media imply. It's clear that they imply Liberal to be weak and Conservative to be backwards in thinking. We all know that is not the case.

Again, I ask that we keep this discussion away from political flaming. Feel free to use your own beliefs to help better define these terms. That's really the only way I know how to relate to them myself.