I have read the Economist many times, although not in the last 5 years. And I would not call it "liberal" at all. I stopped because of the bias.
Did the other topics that the Economist "devoted pages and pages to" get as much uptake here as this one?
I think they're pretty neutral. Perhaps your own stance has shifted away from the center instead? Something to consider.
I disagree, I stopped because of things that the Economist really were not neutral about, entire arguments that they omitted, things that they decided to paint as one-sided, which were in reality anything but.
Maybe you think they're neutral because they confirm your existing biases? Something to consider.
I find it kind of sad that the US is so polarized that everything (like the Economist) that doesn't fit neatly into Democrat/left vs Republican/right is nonetheless forcibly pigeonholed into one of the two camps, with absurd results like you labeling the Economist -- historically a very liberal/libertarian publication -- some kind of right wing Trojan horse.