In this case I was referring to economic liberalism, the believe in private property, free markets, etc., not what Americans believe it means. This includes democrats and republicans [1], they are both economically liberal. I forgot Americans are under the impression that liberal means left-wing / democrat or something. The differences you point out are within this ideology, so like which industry do and don't we subsidize and regulate, etc. it has less meaning for people who aren't liberals.

[1] see the overlap between the economic policies of Reagan and Bill Clinton