Conservative: "[A]n adherent or advocate of political conservatism ... one who adheres to traditional methods or views ... a cautious or discreet person."

Liberal: "[O]ne who is open-minded or not strict in the observance of orthodox, traditional, or established forms or ways ... an advocate or adherent of liberalism especially in individual rights."

Reactionary: "[R]elating to, marked by, or favoring reaction (tendency toward a former and usually outmoded political or social order or policy) especially ultraconservative in politics."

Radical: "[M]arked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional ... EXTREME ... tending or disposed to make extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions ... of, relating to, or constituting a political group associated with views, practices, and policies of extreme change ... advocating extreme measures to retain or restore a political state of affairs.

Historically, all of the American "Founding Fathers," all of the philosophers who influenced them and Adam Smith were liberals. Liberals led the fight against the British Crown, while conservatives - calling themselves Tories - remained loyal to King George III. Liberals like Jefferson, Madison, Adams and Franklin defined the logical and philosophical underpinnings of the new nation in documents like the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.

In short, liberals "invented" the USA, capitalism - nearly every positive social, political and economic advancement. Liberals ended slavery and fought racism. Liberals strictly limited child labor and demanded dignity and fairness for working people. Liberals fought against establishment of an official state religion. This is no shock, since by definition liberals remain open-minded, forward thinking, and adaptable.

Liberals achieved all this and more over strong opposition from conservatives. Again, no surprise because by definition conservatives cling to the past, fear change, and reject most innovation as threats to tradition. At least until liberals prove the changes improve life and the innovations become "new traditions." Then real conservatives defend that status quo against further improvements. However, what about those reactionaries who call themselves "conservative"?

The American Conservative Union calls itself "the nation's oldest conservative lobbying organization." Are they "conservative?" Not really. Here is their self-announced agenda (see: http://www.conservative.org/about/default.asp)

"Over the years, ACU has been on the cutting edge of major public policy battles. Among ACU's significant efforts, past and present, are fighting to keep OSHA off the back of small businesses, opposing the Panama Canal giveaway, opposing the SALT treaties, supporting aid to freedom fighters in Marxist countries, promoting the confirmation of conservative Justices to the Supreme Court, battling against higher taxes, and advocating the need for near-term deployment of strategic defenses."

Right wing reactionaries like the ACU ignore facts they find inconvenient. For example, the US didn't "give back" the Panama Canal, it always belonged to Panama. One might say the ACU is against safety, diplomacy, and arms control. For the violent overthrow of other nations through support for terrorists. In favor of extremist judges who legislate from the bench. For runaway deficits by demanding low revenues along with profligate spending on unnecessary boondoggle weapons which could never work - such as SDI / "Star Wars."

Note: many Republicans are liberals and moderates, even though many say and think they're conservatives. They aren't - except maybe on one issue like anti-abortion or pro-guns. Most people who call themselves conservatives are not right wingers. However, some who think they're conservative - those who often call themselves "movement conservatives" are almost off the scale on the far right. They just lack the self awareness to understand this.

Not all change is good and some who support change for change's sake stumble into easily avoidable errors. Conservatives can offer wise counsel and restrain the tendency to make pointless mistakes. All well and good. It goes deeper than that for the most extreme elements - those so far to the right they cannot be called conservatives.

Right wing reactionaries exist in a netherworld where faith (or more often prejudice) trump facts and logic. They agitate for a "return" to mythical idyllic times which never were. Their agenda seeks to turn back the clock to "good ol' days." Consider how bad those "good ol' days" really were.

We're not going back to when women and African Americans were not even second class citizens. We're not going back to when bosses exploited their employees without paying a minimum wage or overtime. We won't return to when rivers caught fire because unregulated corporations dumped untreated waste into drinking water.

Almost all Americans support the liberal innovations which ended those bad ol' days forever. Those extreme right-wingers who don't suffer from delusion. There are equally out-of-whack extreme left-wingers, but no one in the USA lets any of them anywhere near the levers of power.

When faced with facts which refute their assumptions, sane people adjust their views to accommodate the new information. When ideologues and fanatics encounter information that contradicts their stubbornly held doctrines, they twist the information or reject it completely and cling to their dogmatic beliefs. By many measures, right- and left-wing radicals suffer from mental illness.

Extreme left-wingers fare no better in their battle against reality. Look at the sorry example of one Ralph Nader who insists on several wholly illogical and counter-factual imperatives as he labors to undo his life's work. Still, his lack of general support indicates almost no Americans support his strain of fanaticism.

Neither flavor of fanatic - extreme right or left - deserves to make decisions for others. Unfortunately, $millions of PR funds and countless hours of indoctrination took their toll in 2000 as more than 50 million Americans voted for a radical right wing reactionary masquerading as a "compassionate conservative."

As the great genius and philosopher of freedom John Stuart Mill wrote: "Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives." (see: http://www.wisdomquotes.com/000859.html).

To which I add, "Most right wingers are not only stupid and primitive, they're afraid to evolve at all." This because right wingers reject even the concept of evolution itself. One last definition.

Evolution: "[A] process of continuous change from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex, or better state ... a process of gradual and relatively peaceful social, political, and economic advance."

If you're against evolution, you might be a right winger. Seek help immediately. Politically sane people should throw the ruling right wing elite out of power and help them get the therapy they require.