Bringing Back "Progressive Values"I just felt inspired when I read this on a U.S. State Department history page:
In response to the excesses of 19th-century capitalism and political corruption, a reform movement arose called "progressivism," which gave American politics and thought its special character from approximately 1890 until the American entry into World War I in 1917. The Progressives had diverse objectives. In general, however, they saw themselves as engaged in a democratic crusade against the abuses of urban political bosses and the corrupt "robber barons" of big business. Their goals were greater democracy and social justice, honest government, more effective regulation of business, and a revived commitment to public service. They believed that expanding the scope of government would ensure the progress of U.S. society and the welfare of its citizens.Those reformers of the early 1900s were about a hundred years ahead of us, but they were advocating many of the same vital principles that our country so desperately needs right now. After multiple decades of Democrats struggling to find our identity as a party (and paying a hard price for it in the process), it's time that we start talking about values. Progressive values. In many ways America is still living in the 1980s "Reagan Revolution." Our tax structure, spending patterns, and irresponsible governance has continued on the same dark path which began in the late 70s. I've been reading Crashing the Gate, in which Markos Moulitsas Zuniga and Jerome Armstrong do an excellent job of laying out how exactly the Republican ascendancy to dominance began.
I honestly believe that we have an incredible opportunity to change the political atmosphere of the country in the next few years. We have the chance to elect a strong progressive majority in this next cycle. The political climate in 2006 looks like it may very well transfer over into 2008, if/when the bad news from Iraq continues. Let's use this chance to shift the attitude of the country and restore the progressive values which were defined by idealism more than a century ago.