Where did all of the progressives go?

PGA Weblog ^

[ProgressingAmerica]

In understanding why progressivism and liberalism are not the same thing and even moreso, why progressivism hates liberalism, there are two inescapable facts:

1) During the progressive era, progressives were everywhere.

2) Today, progressives are everywhere.

Well, what's in the middle? For some reason, no matter where I go there is an extreme resistance on the part of conservatives to admit (out loud or even perhaps even to themselves) that progressives re-labeled themselves as liberal and are now wearing camoflage. Why is this? I don't know. Every now and then you see someone attempt to dig it out and they do get it right, but those are far and few between.

We know where the progressives are during the 1900s, they're in the White House they're controlling many parts of the senate and they're setting up the beginnings of the bureaucratic state. We know where the progressives are during the 1910s, we see several destructive Constitutional amendments, and things kind of (we are told by historians) come to a closing right at the end of 1919 going into 1920. Well wait just a minute! No no, stop right here. Examine this. Starting in 1920 where did all the progressives go?

Yes, they got routed politically in the 1920 election and through the remainder of Calvin Coolidge's presidency the progressives got smoked really bad. But did the progressives disappear? No. Progressivism doesn't die. So where did it go? Where did all of the progressives go?

Well the short answer is, the progressives came back as strong as possible during the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. That's easy, everybody knows that. Except for one problem. Nobody knows it. Let me explain. Is FDR a liberal president or a progressive president? You have to pick, and there's a 50% chance you'll get the answer incorrect.

The answer is that FDR was never ever a liberal president. He was always a progressive. Calling these people "liberal" is the great historical lie. "The Big Lie". But the amount of people who are wedded to this lie is astounding. It is a bi-partisan lock.

So FDR was a liberal. THEN WHERE DID ALL OF THE PROGRESSIVES GO??? See, that's the question that destroys it all. Where. Did. All. The. Progressives. Go? No conservative believes that the progressives just magically went away, did they go "poof"? Did they go to mars? Are they butterflies, did they flutter away up to Greenland? No. They were here all along, they stayed right here, peddling their poisonous wares until the time was right. Like cockroaches in the night. But yet, far too many ignore this. After the 1930's, the progressives came roaring right back again a few decades later in the 1960's. But that's another topic in itself as well.

Where did all of the progressives go? Right here, here is where they went. In his speech on July 02, 1932, accepting the nomination for President of the United States, FDR said:

Let us feel that in everything we do there still lives with us, if not the body, the great indomitable, unquenchable, progressive soul of our Commander-in-Chief, Woodrow Wilson.

So progressive FDR waves high and proud to their history as fellow progressives, then he says this:

Yes, the people of this country want a genuine choice this year, not a choice between two names for the same reactionary doctrine. Ours must be a party of liberal thought, of planned action, of enlightened international outlook, and of the greatest good to the greatest number of our citizens.

There it is. With that, progressivism had successfully been re-named. Our party must be the liberal party he says.

Where did all of the progressives go? Mark the day.

On July 02, 1932, that's the day every progressive died. That's their birthday. July 02, 1932. This sentence is not a contradiction.

Where did all of the progressives go? Look for the camoflauge. This camoflauge is brought to you by the letters "L". "I". and "B".

Some day, I don't suspect it will be within my lifetime, but some day. Some day, conservatives are going to have to go to war to reclaim this word. "Liberalism". They stole it, they don't deserve it, and they certainly didn't do a thing to earn it. Within whatever the final defeat of progressivism entails, this word must be restored away from them. And this word will be a benchmark. Long before progressivism's final defeat, the mask must be ripped off for all time. No enemy is truely defeated who still possesses their camoflage or other tools of war.

[Bratch]

The Progressive Movement and the Transformation of American Politics

Progressivism was the reform movement that ran from the late 19th century through the first decades of the 20th century, during which leading intellectuals and social reformers in the United States sought to address the economic, political, and cultural questions that had arisen in the context of the rapid changes brought with the Industrial Revolution and the growth of modern capitalism in America. The Progressives believed that these changes marked the end of the old order and required the creation of a new order appropriate for the new industrial age.

[ProgressingAmerica]

"ABSOLUTELY right! I searched for the word "communist" in the article and didn't find it which made me immediately know the author is an uneducated boob"

America's first progressive communist president was this guy, do I have that about right? History records that he was also the founder of the 1912 Progressive Party Communist Party.

"I will be simple to ask him (and by this I am asking him) why he chose to not use the word Communist in this article that he wrote and posted in its entirety here."

Thanks Weirdad for offering me the chance to answer the question. I think I would get in serious trouble if I called Theodore Roosevelt a communist. That puts me in a box. I might even go so far as to say I'm in distress. It cannot be denied that America's first Progressive president was Theodore Roosevelt. He was so proud of it, so proud of his progressivism, for anybody who's read the original source texts of his speeches or listened to them without the filter of deceitful historians. It's a historical reality that it would be irresponsible to ignore. At least, I'm not going to commit such historical irresponsibility. So how should I proceed?

I'll be happy to do it, but I think I'll get in huge trouble for it.

We need to figure this out.

[nicollo]

deceitful historians.

Some, but for the most part they're all a bunch of leftist progressive themselves.

[ProgressingAmerica]

The end result is kind of the same.

Having done this now for over a decade and recorded so many audiobooks, I have no doubts in my mind as to why no conservatives have ever tried to do this. You’ve been on my ping list long enough, you know I’m not overly TR-focused. But I have to address it at times.

He founded the Progressive Party. I can’t change that historical fact. He was the first Progressive President, that’s out of my power to alter.

But I’m not going to be irresponsible either. Too many roads lead to this point. It must be addressed.

I really don’t know what to do.(Other than what I’ve already done)

[Hardastarboard]

Too bad we can’t get Democrats to try that policy.

[nicollo]

Oh, I didn’t say he wasn’t a progressive — my point is that his legacy has been unduly propped up by progressive historians.

Let’s just say the dude was complicated and deceitful (yes) enough to satisfy a variety of historical perspectives. I do not find him to be an admirable character, and I know the historical record well enough to say that that assessment is backed up by those of contemporaries and intimates.

Whatever his positive contributions (uh.... war mongering? anti-constitutionalism? presidential puffery? the FDA? horse dung?), he left a singularly pernicious legacy on American politics that we have not escaped.

[heavy metal]

they mutated into communists...

[nicollo]

And your efforts are incredible and matter.

The best compliment I ever received for my work was from a very prominent historian/ professor who told me,

“You’re part of the historical record now. Nobody can change that.”

[Dick Bachert]

https://i.imgur.com/oFzKMxC.jpeg

[JimRed]

Where have all the progressives gone? gone to commies every one;
when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?