17 Nov 2018 What Does It Mean To Be Progressive?

What Does It Mean To Be Progressive?

Progressive is a label that is given to many millennials or people on the far left of the Democratic Party.  However, what does that mean?  

Social justice is a concept that is given to them.  I don’t believe people who would be defined as conservative have any less convictions on social justice.  Progressives seem to want government to be the solution to problems be it health care or funding for college.  Here is where conservatives generally disagree.  They want smaller government and people to take care of themselves. Now I have to be clear.  I use the term conservative and not Republicans. The Republican Party in Washington DC is so far removed their conservative roots I don’t know what to call them.  Yes there are “radicals” in the party who are as far right as progressives are left.

Progressives get negative press for their “in your face” way of getting their point across.  They have no problem with confronting a Republican in a restaurant or at home and berating them.  This does nothing to support their cause.  In fact, I think it hurts as most have a line they feel that taking ones political views may go too far.  Now, the right wing has just as many “agitators” as the Charlottesville rally last year showed.  

I feel most progressives are how Winston Churchill defined young people, “if you are not a liberal when you are 20 you have no heart; if you are not a conservative at 40 you have no brain.”   I do not fully support his view, as it is ok to have liberal views the older you are. I believe that most people evolve in their thinking as they get older and have more experience.   

Progressives are very energetic in the political realm.  It will be interesting to see how they shape the Democratic Party in the next two years.