It took me a long time to develop a clear political perspective on the 20th Century.
I think big government Republican Teddy Roosevelt got the Progressive ball rolling in 1901.
Except for six years under Calvin Coolidge, Ronald Reagan's first term, and the 1994-96 Newt Gingrich insurrection, that ball has crushed everything in its path for the last 120 years!
“I think big government Republican Teddy Roosevelt got the Progressive ball rolling in 1901.”
He did. And in 1912 Teddy even ran for President on the Progressive Party ticket.
Progressivism was strong in the GOP around 1900. The drive for an income tax and to create the Federal Reserve both began under Teddy and Taft.
When Teddy’s cousin FDR became President a lot of former Republican progressives joined his administration.