What is your definition of "progressive"?

[littlejoe]

I ask, because I hear the term bandied about loosely, here.

For example, would a progressive mean someone who has the best interest of the people at heart?

Would that include a record on environmental issues unmatched by anyone in congress?

Would it include standing up to big business interests, when those interests clash with the greater good of society?

How about introducing true campaign finance reform?

What about a plan to make health care affordable for millions of Americans not previously covered?

Question: What is it about John Kerry, that causes many of you to believe that he is not a "progressive" candidate?

Rational thought is welcome

[OhioStateProgressive]

1. progressive

means socialist, or leaning for Social reforms

Insurance is by no means Progressive

Single payer health care, education

larger expansive government

etc

[no name no slogan]

2. Here's one

In the spirit of Robert LaFollette, the great Progressive leader of the 20th century: a Progressive also says a resounding NO to militarism and its destructive impact on the country and the world.

[OhioStateProgressive]

3. well

the "Progressives" of the early 20th century were mostly bad characters

i believe progressives today stand for far different things

[no name no slogan]

6. Yes and no.

The early 20th century progressives weren't all bad. For example I'm not a huge fan of Teddy Roosevelt but Bob LaFollette was right on the money, IMHO.

He spoke out against corporate greed, about workers rights, about greater access to the government for the common people. He was also anti-militaristic, which is a major reason he broke with Teddy over WWI.

LaFollette was also the found of the Progressive magazine (IIRC), which is still published monthly in Madison, WI. It has been a champion of progressive causes for 95 years now, and is a link back to the progressives of yesteryear.

[OhioStateProgressive]

7. yes

But prohibition, spiked chastity belts...WASP culture...all somewhat bad

you are correct, there were many great reforms

[lams712]

13. 20th Century were "Mostly Bad Characters"??????

What and WHO do you mean by that????

[R3dD0g]

15. The early 20th century progressives

strongly believed that the 'poor' should have their family sizes limited, by gov't fiat if necessary. Planned Parenthood wasn't started to give women more freedom over their own bodies, it was begun to limit the number of mouthes a poor family had to feed.

They were only trying to stem the growing poverty in the inner cities, but still, their progressiveness was punitive to personal liberty.

[Ysabel]

35. bullshit...

that is a lie - that was the agenda of a different group of people - and i'll just bet you're familiar with them - you are twisting things - what is your agenda...?

[Ysabel]

32. are you implying that...

you think lafollette was a "bad character"...?

edit - i meant to use your words...

[mb7588a]

4. Russ Feingold.

[MurikanDemocrat]

5. Progressive

Moving forward; advancing.

Proceeding in steps; continuing steadily by increments: progressive change.

Promoting or favoring progress toward better conditions or new policies, ideas, or methods: a progressive politician; progressive business leadership

[mgarretson]

11. that's what I was thinking too...

Hey Murikan,
That was my take on progressive too... I think it's the spirit that we can always do better by the world and it's people than we are now... Progressives realize and understand that and work for it to varying degrees.

-Mike

[MurikanDemocrat]

12. I just think it has to be defined in feneral terms and not specific issues

[sangh0]

21. That's my def. I find it funny that many who call themselves progressive

on DU seem obessesed with past votes, and are demanding fast radical changes in the political system in contradiction to both of the identifying characterstics of progressivism (ie. look to the future, and gradual evolving progress)

[Rich Hunt]

28. that's a dictionary definition

It's the same definition that the DLC cynically uses.

It is a movement in politics, with a definite history.

[corporatewhore]

8. NAFTA/WTO/GATT free trade encompasses everything a progressive should

be against
from slavery my god slavery arent we the 21st century
to the rape of land
to theprivatisation of public services like water
to rampant corporatism
to outsourcing
to the stripping of workers rights
to militarization/imperalism

[corporatewhore]

9. also when he handed bush the shredder to put the bill of rights in via

the PATRIOT ACT and when he trusted bush w/the lives of our troops in a bullshit oil war

[arewethereyet]

10. Kerry is not a progressive, hes a democrat

Kucinich is a progressive. its the difference between a socialist and a democrat.

[rdfi-defi]

18. be carefull there smart guy someone might call you on that and ask you to

define socialist. or ask you to define democracy ( "democrat" ). thoes are such loaded terms these days, without defanitions from you, i might think you were trying to soil the debate.

[littlejoe]

22. I find it hard to believe that anyone who looks at twenty years

worth of Kerry's voting record would not call the man a progressive.

[RetroLounge]

14. if you have to ask

you'll never understand

[littlejoe]

23. I strongly disagree. I have listened to many people on this

forum, and it seems that to many, "progressive" has a different connotation.

[Rich Hunt]

27. however

It has an indisputable historical connotation. It is an identifiable tradition in politics.

[lams712]

16. A prgressive, in my opinion, and in addition to the above...

....definitions, is one who looks at problems in the real world and looks for solutions from more of an outsider's perspective.

A person may be a "liberal", but they are more for working within the system. A progressive is more apt to challenge the system to bring about change.

[WilliamPitt]

17. Someone interested in progress

Winning elections is a pretty good start.

[maxanne]

20. by that definition

we could call George Bush progressive. :eyes:

[WilliamPitt]

24. Except he's not interested in progress and he lost the election

so I guess not.

[maxanne]

30. he's interested in progress

the progress of his empire, the fortunes of his friends, and the progress of the PNAC agenda.

As for winning - well the election hasn't been won yet.

It's disappointing that someone who writes for a living couldn't give us a better definition of the term "progressive."

[WilliamPitt]

31. It's a shame you can't post a reply to me, ever, in any thread,

without saying something snide.

*snide reply coming in 3...2...1...*

[maxanne]

36. not true

I used to be one of the adoring multitude.

[eridani]

19. "Affordable" my ass.

Translation "If we dump enough extra public money into for-profit insurance companies' coffers, will they pretty please insure a few more of us?"

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. Dennis K is a progressive

Look over his platform and his record to understand what that means.

[Rich Hunt]

26. 'progressive' has a VERY SPECIFIC political connotation

Many, many people have worked their butts off for progressive causes for decades, and I don't like to see the term co-opted and distorted.

'Progressive' politics have a history in this country. It is irresponsible for those actively involved in politics to deny that history - whether deliberately or unwittingly.

Now, even the DLC is using the term - quite deliberately, I think.

http://progressiveliving.org/progressivism.htm

Progressivism is a political movement that represents the interests of ordinary people in their roles as taxpayers, consumers, employees, citizens, and parents. To coin a phrase, progressivism champions government "of the people, by the people, for the people."

Ordinary people. Progressivism is a movement of, by and for -ordinary- people. Not people who just have some of the 'correct' stances on issues but who also want to get into all the right cocktail parties. It is about accountability to ordinary citizens. As such, it is critical of powerful interests and favors the interests of ordinary people over corporations.

It is not just about certain issues - it is fundamentally anti-elite and reform-minded. That is the thread that connects the progressivism of the past with that in the present.

Progressives are typically portrayed as being "far left", and yet this characterization is in many ways misleading. This impression arises largely because the elitist mass media simplistically portrays American politics as being a one-dimensional split between "liberals" and "conservatives". In fact, American politics are far more complex, and can't be properly understood unless we add (at least) one more dimension: elitism vs. populism.

The progressive agenda of today includes many more things than are in John Kerry's platform. In fact, John Kerry has moved away from liberal stances in recent years.

Progressivism is a very clear movement both inside and outside of the Democratic Party. Most Democrats are not part of this progressive tendency.

There is a Progressive Caucus in the Congress:

http://bernie.house.gov/pc/

Here are their names:

http://bernie.house.gov/pc/members.asp

Dennis Kucinich
Barbara Lee
Lynn Woolsey
Peter DeFazio
Jesse Jackson, Jr
Major Owens
Bernie Sanders
Hilda Solis
Neil Abercrombie
Tammy Baldwin
Xavier Becerra
Corrine Brown
Sherrod Brown
Michael Capuano
Julia Carson
William "Lacy" Clay
John Conyers
Danny Davis
Rosa DeLauro
Lane Evans
Eni Faleomavaega
Sam Farr
Chaka Fattah
Bob Filner
Barney Frank
Raul Grijalva
Luis Gutierrez
Maurice Hinchey
Sheila Jackson-Lee
Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Marcy Kaptur
Tom Lantos
John Lewis
Jim McDermott
James P. McGovern
George Miller
Jerry Nadler
Eleanor Holmes Norton
John Olver
Ed Pastor
Donald Payne
Nancy Pelosi
Bobby Rush
Jan Schakowsky
Jose Serrano
Pete Stark
Bennie Thompson
John Tierney
Tom Udall
Nydia Velazquez
Maxine Waters
Diane Watson
Mel Watt
Henry Waxman


Read the statement of purpose:

http://bernie.house.gov/pc/about/purpose.pdf

[Rich Hunt]

29. see also

http://www.progressivemajority.org

http://www.progressivemajority.org/values/economics.asp

We need to create rules for the global economy that work for working people, including:

Workers' rights and environmental protections — and the mechanisms to enforce them — in all trade accords.
Debt relief for impoverished nations.
Sustainable green growth with a renewed emphasis on full employment and decent work while making the necessary transition to a sustainable economy.
New initiatives to hold corporations accountable, shut down sweatshops and turn export-processing zones into showcases of decent work, not back alleys of exploitation.
Developing an America that leads in the struggle against disease and poverty, while creating the example of a just democracy for all.

And:

http://www.rollingthundertour.org/

[redqueen]

33. Thanks for your posts, dymaxia

:thumbsup:

[Ysabel]

34. thanks...

from me too... :)