A puzzle in US politics: ideological identification as 'liberal' declines, yet support for liberal policies remains strong. This analysis investigates why.

• Examines the decline of self-identification with liberalism despite continued policy alignment and partisanship shifts.

• Explores how specific symbols become associated with liberal ideology over time.

• Shows changing correlations between attitudes toward liberals and other groups.

• Uncovers evolving links between liberal identification and policy preferences.