“But if by a ‘Liberal’ they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people—their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties—someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a ‘Liberal,’ then I’m proud to say I’m a ‘Liberal.’”—John F. Kennedy

In response to the demonization of the “L word” that has occurred over the past 20 years, we present Proud To Be Liberal, a defiant celebration of the past, present, and future of liberalism. An all-star collection of writers, activists, scholars, cartoonists, and bloggers—Steve Almond, Eric Alterman, Margaret Cho, Joe Conason, Blanche Wiesen Cook, Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo, Danny Goldberg, George Lakoff, Maud Newton, Neal Pollack, Anna Quindlen, Ted Rall, Robert Reich, Danny Schecter, Bill Scher of Liberal Oasis, Sam Seder, Jen Sorensen of Slowpoke Comics, Tom Tomorrow, and Eric Zorn—share the spotlight with legendary figures Hubert Humphrey, John F. Kennedy, John Maynard Keynes, and Bertrand Russell to show that not only were all of America’s greatest achievements of the twentieth century the result of liberal policies, but that this country’s future can only be secured by a reinvigoration of liberalism.

With over three-quarters brand new material, Proud To Be Liberal is a call to arms for liberals who want to take their country back. Bold, exciting, humorous, and diverse, this one-of-a-kind collection is an important step on the road to making America liberal again.

Co-editors Elizabeth Clementson and Robert Lasner are the publishers of Ig Publishing.