The word liberal at its heart literally means someone who supports market liberalism or laissez-faire economics. In the US the word liberal is used as shorthand for a neoliberal, which is someone who supports free market fundamentals while understanding that some form of social safety nets are necessary (but also optional). The common US liberal might say we need to care about the marginalized, but ultimately seems themselves as above being marginalized. Conservatives are the old school liberals who think social safety nets are never necessary or optional. So yeah a liberal in the context of today’s social-economic-political landscape isn’t much different than a conservative.
The word liberal at its heart literally means someone who supports market liberalism or laissez-faire economics. In the US the word liberal is used as shorthand for a neoliberal, which is someone who supports free market fundamentals while understanding that some form of social safety nets are necessary (but also optional). The common US liberal might say we need to care about the marginalized, but ultimately seems themselves as above being marginalized. Conservatives are the old school liberals who think social safety nets are never necessary or optional. So yeah a liberal in the context of today’s social-economic-political landscape isn’t much different than a conservative.