CSPAN: Katherine Benton-Cohen- 'Lectures In History: The Progressive Era'

Source:CSPAN- Theodore Roosevelt: at least arguably the father of the Progressive Movement in America, campaigning for President, perhaps in 1912.

"We visit Georgetown University for a class with professor Katherine Benton-Cohen. She explains how politicians and reform groups in the early 20th century attempted to improve social and economic conditions through trust busting, interstate regulation, and Prohibition. We also hear about the policies and campaigns of Theodore Roosevelt, the period's most dominant political figure.

Source:CSPAN- Catherine Benton-Cohen: Professor of History, Georgetown University.

Full lecture here:CSPAN."  

From CSPAN

Just on a personal note first, which is actually very important, because it's why I'm writing this piece: I was watching this lecture on CSPAN last Wednesday night (what can I say: I'm a political history junky, who watches CSPAN) from Georgetown University History Professor Catherine Benton-Cohen and she was talking about the Progressive Era from a hundred plus years ago. And she made some very interesting points that I want to talk about in this piece about Progressive (the real Progressives, as I call them) and progressivism (the real progressivism, as I call it) that I'm going to get into in this piece. 

Professor Cohen talking about people she would call Reformers (the people I call the Progressives) versus Revolutionaries. (People I call Socialists) When you're talking and thinking about these two political factions, you're talking basically talking about the Theodore Roosevelt's of the world and his Progressive Republicans and Progressive Party. Versus the Eugene Debs (Look him up, if you're not familiar and you're interested in Socialists and socialism)  Eugene Debs was a Socialist activist early in the 20th Century, who was also an antiwar activist and pacifist who ran for President multiple times for the Socialist Party back then. 

Professor Cohen was arguing that the Progressives led by Teddy Roosevelt and others (the Reformers) were trying to fix and improve the economic system in America so it could work for more people. Whereas the Socialists led by Gene Debs and others (the Revolutionaries) wanted to tear down the American capitalist system, start over, and create something else, like a socialist state. 

One way and perhaps even a humorous and perhaps insulting way (if you're a Revolutionary) to look at the Reformer vs Revolutionary debate, is to think about a mechanic versus a rioter. The mechanic simply wants to fix what's the wrong with the car or whatever he's working on (or the person could be a she) if he can and perhaps even make the car better. The rioter says the car is no good and therefor needs to be destroyed and be replaced by a completely different car. 

Well, there was a split in the Progressive Era or movement 100 years ago better Reformers and Revolutionaries with the Revolutionaries led by Debbs and others believing that progressivism doesn't go far enough and what the country needs instead is a socialist movement that eventually leads to America becoming a socialist state. Something that Socialists in and outside of the Democratic Party are still fighting for 100 years later. With the Reformers led by TR and others saying that what works well in America, works very well and what we need to do instead is create an America that works for more people, but within the American capitalist system of property rights, private enterprise, and opportunity. 

I've been arguing for the last three ever years ever since I started this blog that Progressives and Socialists aren't the same people with just two different labels. And that progressivism and socialism isn't the same political philosophy isn't the same political philosophy with two different names. That there are real differences in both even if share similar goals. Like a country with no poverty and bigotry. (To use as examples) And in the near future I will write a piece about how Progressives and Socialists are very different and I hope you'll enjoy that as well. 

You can also see this post on WordPress.

Frank Talk: Frank Colletta- Episode 1: What Does It Mean To Be a Progressive?

Source:Frank Talk- Franklin Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt: two of our Progressive President's.

Source:The New Democrat

"Welcome to Frank Talk episode 1. Join me as we explore the Four Pillars of Progressive Thought and what it means to be a progressive-minded individual. Special thanks to Think Progress for their article entitled: "What it Means to Be a Progressive", written by John Halpin. His work was integral to the creation of this educational video. Thanks is also given to the American Values Project for their work on, "Progressive Thinking: A Synthesis of Progressive Values and Beliefs and Positions".

From Frank Talk

Source:Wikipedia

"Progressivism is the support for or advocacy for improvement of society by reform. As a philosophy it's based on the idea of progress which asserts that advancement in science, technology, economic development and social technology, economic development and social organization are vital to the improvement of the human condition."

I like Frank Colletta's line about: "within every heart of a Conservative, you find hopes for a progressive tomorrow." Which has always been one of the points about Progressive and progressivism, that it's not partisan and in some cases it's not ideological even. And people need to understand that if they really want to know what it means to be a Progressive and what progressivism is actually about, especially with the Far-Left who are really Socialists and in some cases even Communists, who try to adopt Progressive and progressivism for themselves, because they're afraid to be labeled as Socialists or Communists depending on how far to the left that actually are.

As far as Frank Colletta saying that progressivism is about fairness and equality: sure, but most mainstream political philosophies whether they're right or left believe in some level of fairness ( or as I prefer justice ) and equality. Progressives, don't have the monopoly on justice and equality.

The First Pillar: Freedom and Opportunity

Again, most mainstream political philosophies believe in some level of freedom and opportunity. Where Progressives would differ from Conservative-Libertarians ( let's say ) on the Right and Socialists as well on the Left, is that Progressives believe that government has a role in seeing that everyone had the ability and opportunity to live in freedom in America. Not just people who are born to wealth in America or people from a certain racial or ethnic background. Which is where Progressives would differ from Conservatives when it comes to freedom.

But Progressives differ from Socialists as well, because Socialists believe that opportunity doesn't go far enough, because they believe that some people won't take advantage of those opportunities and come up short. Or some people will do so well and have so much freedom over others and that to Socialists is somehow unfair. Progressives, don't believe in total economic equality in the sense that everyone has the same basic income and standard of living, but that everyone has the opportunity to achieve real freedom in America.

My short, but simple definition of a Progressive in a political sense: is someone who believes in progress through government action. Progressive, is not another word for Socialist ( democratic or otherwise ) and Progressive is not another word for hippie or hipster: someone who is in on all the latest social trends and proud of that. You don't have to to hip, cool, or awesome to be a Progressive: You just have to believe in progress and that government has a limited, but real role in achieving progress and that everyone's constitutional rights are protected and that everyone has a real shot at succeeding in America. That everyone is protected from predators and predatory behavior, foreign or domestic.

A Progressive is not someone who is necessarily in on all the latest social trends and backs them, or has a big government solution and tax increase to solve everyone's problems for them and take care of them. Or someone who believes that freedom is dangerous and selfish.

TYT Interviews: Cenk Uygur Interviewing Dave Spencer- 'Can Dave Spencer Save The Republican Party?'

Source:TYT Interviews- TYT's Cenk Uygur, interviewing Dave Spencer about the Nelson Rockefeller wing of the Republican Party.

Source:The Daily View

"Dave Spencer is a "Rockefeller Republican" in two senses: first, in that he believes the GOP should be more open to compromise, evidence-based and reasonable and second, because his great-great-grandfather was actually John D. Rockefeller."

From TYT Interviews

Cenk Uygur asked Dave Spencer the perfect question early in this interview which was why are you a Republican? With Dave Spencer answering it because he believed in fiscal conservatism and I guess what he would call social tolerance. Meaning you’re not pushing social issues generally other than supporting the right to privacy, free speech, our basic individual rights in the U.S. Constitution and you’re against racial and ethnic discrimination, as well as gender discrimination.

But you’re in politics because you want government to work well and to serve the people. Not to try to do too much and just do the basics well. That was Nelson Rockefeller’s Republican Party. Add George Romney and at least to a certain extent Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower as well, George H.W. Bush.

That GOP still exists even today and even in Congress with Senator Susan Collins, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Representative Charlie Dent and his center-right coalition in the House. And even though the Republican Party today is dominated by the Christian-Right and Christian-Nationalists, who believe their America is disappearing and politics to them is no longer so much about Democrats vs Republican, but European-American Protestants vs everyone else in America, including European-Americans who aren’t Protestant. Like Jews, Italians, the Irish, to use as examples.

And backing Republicans who share their cultural values which is more important to them than what is the best defense policy, the national debt, budget deficit, the best way to grow the economy, to use as examples.

I don’t know Dave Spencer personally, but what I get from this interview is that Dave Spencer is still a Republican and wants to reform the Republican Party, instead of become a Democrat or try to form some new center-right third party, is that the Republican Party has a history of being a party about ideas and policy instead of cultural values and trying to divide the country based on these so-called Cultural-War issues. And saying they’re the real Americans and everyone else are the Un-Americans.

Based on the presidential campaign that Donald Trump ran in 2016, he should’ve gotten clobbered because only one racial group supported him strongly. But he was running against a boring Democrat in Hillary Clinton who struggled just to get her voters to the polls and thanks to low Democratic turnout Donald Trump is President and not Hillary Clinton.

But long-term unless Democrats just give up on voting, the Republican Party is going to have to become a party about ideas and policy that is a big tent party, if they want to stay in business not get clobbered in Congress, lose the White House and have no shot at winning either back with the current makeup of their party.

Dave Spencer’s Rockefeller Progressive Center-Right coalition in the Party, as well as Conservative-Libertarians, is how the Republican Party gets back to the GOP and become a strong popular governing party again.

Crash Course: John Green- 'Progressive Presidents: U.S. History'

Source:Crash Course- The American Progressive President's from Crash Course.

Source:The Daily View

"In which John Green teaches you about the Progressive Presidents, who are not a super-group of former presidents who create complicated, symphonic, rock soundscapes that transport you into a fantasy fugue state. Although that would be awesome. The presidents most associated with the Progressive Era are Theodore Roosevelt, William Taft, and Woodrow Wilson. During the times these guys held office, trusts were busted, national parks were founded, social programs were enacted, and tariffs were lowered. It wasn't all positive though, as their collective tenure also saw Latin America invaded A LOT, a split in the Republican party that resulted in a Bull Moose, all kinds of other international intervention, and the end of the Progressive Era saw the United States involved in World War. If all this isn't enough to entice, I will point out that two people get shot in this video. Violence sells, they say."

From Crash Course

Once again talking about Progressives and progressivism and once again I feel the need to define progressivism and separate it from Liberals and liberalism and Socialists and socialism, regardless of whatever socialist faction you’re talking about.

Progressives are people who believe in progress through government action. That is basic, simplest, and best definition of it. Progressives are the least ideological of all the political factions and the most practical. You have Progressives on the Center-Left like Teddy Roosevelt and Progressives on the Center-Right like Newt Gingrich. Unlike let's say Socialists way over on the Left ( to be kind ) who believe that government should try to do practically everything for everybody. Even if they believe private enterprise and capitalism should still exist and aren’t Marxists. Like Senator Bernie Sanders today.

Or people like Libertarians who believe that government should do practically nothing and only the most mainstream of Libertarians today believe that government should even be policing the streets, protecting the borders, defending the country, and even managing the currency. But Libertarians like former Representative Ron Paul, believe that government should at least be doing these things.

You have Progressives who believe in a strong but limited public social safety net, workers rights, equal rights for all Americans, but who are also strong anti-Communists and are against authoritarianism of all forms including socialist dictatorships. And believe in a strong national defense and social security. Even limiting deficit spending especially when the economy is strong like President Lyndon Johnson.

So, Progressives aren’t the people you see today who want tax hikes on everyone and all sorts of new government programs for the people, while slashing the defense budget and trying to censor everyone they disagree with and labeling all of those people as bigots.

The Progressive President’s in American history at least in the 20th Century and in the 21st Century so far, are President Theodore Roosevelt, President Woodrow Wilson, President Franklin Roosevelt, President Harry Truman, President Lyndon Johnson, and President Barack Obama. You could even argue that President Dwight Eisenhower and President Richard Nixon, we're Progressives but coming from the Right, especially when it came to economic and foreign policy.

President Theodore Roosevelt, gave us the regulatory state to protect workers and consumer from predators, but not to run private business thorough government.

President Woodrow Wilson, gave us the progressive income tax and the Federal Reserve. As well as defeat authoritarianism in Europe during World War I.

President Franklin Roosevelt, gave us the New Deal which is the creation of the American safety net, as well as defeating Nazi Germany during World War II.

President Harry Truman, put the finishing touches ( so to speak ) on Germany and Japan during World War II. As long as create the national security state which went a long way in defeating Communist Russia during the Cold War. He also fought for but was unsuccessful in passing his Fair Deal agenda in Congress which would’ve been an expansion of the New Deal.

President Lyndon Johnson, gave us the Great Society which was an expansion of the New Deal with more public assistance to try to combat poverty in America. He also gave us the civil rights laws of the 1960s that gave African-Americans and really all Americans, the right under statue not to be discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, gender, or religion. As well as the right to vote for all American including African-Americans.

President Barack Obama, gave us the Affordable Care Act, which means all Americans are eligible for health insurance and that people who are too wealthy for Medicaid, but can’t afford private health insurance, are eligible for subsidies to help them pay for health insurance. As well as an expansion of the regulatory state with how Wall Street does business in response to the economic crash of 2008.

Progressives aren’t interested in creating a national government so big that state and local government’s become practically irrelevant because so much power is centralized with the national government and government becomes so big that people no longer have to make personal and economic decisions for themselves. And even be able to speak or think for themselves.

Progressives aren’t Communists but instead are anti-Communists. They just want everybody to be able to succeed in society and believe that government has a limited role in seeing that everyone can be successful. Which is what these Progressive President’s believed in.

Liberty Counsel: Newt Gingrich Q&A- 'Why Do You Admire Theodore Roosevelt?'

Source: Liberty Counsel- Newt Gingrch, talking about his Theodore Roosevelt Progressive politics, back in 2012.

Source:The Daily View

"Open Q&A Session with Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich at the Aloma Church in Winter Park FL. Hosted by Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel on Saturday January 28, 2012."

From Liberty Counsel

A lot of members of the Tea Party, sound like Libertarians on economic policy, even if they are Big Government Republicans when it comes to social policy and would like to outlaw a lot of personal activities including what people do in their own homes and privacy. Former Representative Michele Bachmann, former Governor Sarah Palin, Governor Scott Walker come to mind, Phyllis Schlafly from back in the day.

Newt Gingrich even though he has many things in common with the populist blue-collar wing of the Tea Party that now backs Donald Trump 100%, he's not a Big Government Republican when it comes to either economic or social policy. He doesn’t want government taxing and regulating private business’s to the point where they’re essentially public utilities that are owned by shareholders.

But Newt is not a Libertarian either or even a Conservative-Libertarian. He believes in a big strong national defense and strong law enforcement, as well as low taxation and regulation. But he does believe in limited regulation not to run business’s, but to protect consumers and workers from predators.

Theodore Roosevelt was a Progressive Republican and so is Newt Gingrich. Where they differ on the issues, is anyone’s guess. They both believe in a strong America both economically, but also militarily and believe America can be positive force working with our allies around the world. And they both believe that government has a limited role in helping people achieve success for themselves.

Neither one of them are Liberal and certainly in Teddy Roosevelt’s case, not a Conservative. But both believe in using a limited government to help build a better America by empowering people to take control of their own lives. And seeing that America is as strong and safe as possible. This is why they’re both Progressives and both Republicans.

James Michl: The O'Reilly Factor- Glenn Beck: Talking To Bill O'Reilly About Newt Gingrich

Source: James Michl- Bill O'Reilly, giving Glenn Beck, The O'Reilly Finger, talking about Newt Gingrich. LOL

Source:The New Democrat 

"Glenn Beck on the Factor Newt G. Progressive"

From James Michl

I just have a flat disagreement with Glenn Beck on what a Progressive is and also find myself on this weird planet if not universe, where I'm agreeing with Bill O'Reilly on anything. I wasn't sure I could agree with Bill O'Reilly about current weather in Miami or how many states are part of the United States, because Bill is wrong about so many things.

But O'Reilly is right about Newt Gingrich at least in the sense that what was a Progressive in the early 20th Century about being someone who is about progress and using government to help create that progress and what's supposed to pass as a Progressive today (like the Cleveland Browns trying to pass as an NFL franchise) , are two completely different things.

According to Glenn Beck a Progressive and a Socialist, are the same thing. Hell, why not add Communist and say being a Communist is the same thing as being a Progressive. Even though most of the Communist ideology is regressive with how authoritarian it is and all the rights and freedom that people would lose if Communists were to some how come into power even though democratic means.

Theodore Roosevelt, Progressive. Bernie Sanders, Socialist. The Progressive doesn't want a government dominated society where most if not all of our social benefits and economic security, is provided by government and financed through our taxes. The Democratic Socialist at least, doesn't want government completely in charge of society. But our individual freedom and personal income, would be much more limited if Democratic Socialists were to ever come to power.

Newt Gingrich is obviously not a Libertarian, or a Nationalist, has some things in common with the Christian-Right, but doesn't roll with them on all their policies. Not a Conservative-Libertarian either, but he's a Progressive in a conservative sense. Someone who believes in using government to create progress, but through conservative free market principles.

For example: instead of just having people on public assistance just stay there and give them some money, Newt would say that those people should be looking for and getting work, as well as education so they can get themselves a good job and no longer need public assistance at all. As a condition of receiving that taxpayer funded public assistance. With is very different from a Libertarian who says that government shouldn't be involved in public welfare at all. And a Socialist saying that government should guarantee a basic income for everyone with no conditions.

For perhaps the first time in my life I find myself in agreement with Bill O'Reilly on anything. I don't even drink alcohol, let alone use illegal narcotics but it feels like I'm on some high and seeing things that shouldn't be there. Like Donald Trump being President of the United States. Wait, that actually did happen.

But O'Reilly's idea of a Progressive is inline with Teddy Roosevelt's, as well as mine. That progressivism is about progress. That the first eight letters in the word progressive is actually progress. And that being a Socialist is about socialization and using government to solve most if not all the problems in the country. With Glenn Beck believing that Progressive is another word for Socialist. Someone who believes in big government. Even though a Socialist is lot more ideological than a Progressive would actually ever be.

Andrew Kaczynski: Newt Gingrich- 'I'm a Theodore Roosevelt Republican'

Source: Andrew Kaczynski- Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich: being interviewed on CSPAN, in 2008.

Source:The Daily View

"Newt Gingrich, in footage from 2000-2009, talks about being a Theodore Roosevelt Republican. Follow me on Twitter for more great political videos."

From Andrew Kaczynski

This video is about the 2012 Republican presidential primaries when Newt Gingrich was doing well in December, 2011 and January, 2012 and even won South Carolina in January. And was a real threat to defeating the so-called Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney for the presidential nomination. Mitt only won 1-3 of the first three primaries which was New Hampshire which of course is in his backyard and represents his own progressive Northeastern brand of Republicanism. Which is ironic since the Romney Campaign went out of their way to label Newt Gingrich as a Progressive, because Mitt Romney up until he decided to run again for president in 2007 and then again in 2011, was essentially a Progressive Republican himself.

I would label Newt Gingrich’s politics as a Conservative Right-Progressive, who believes in using government to achieve progressive goals through conservative principles. Using government to reduce things like poverty, but through conservative policies. Things like requiring work and education for people who are on public assistance. So they can improve themselves while they’re on Welfare or Unemployment Insurance, living in Public Housing, so they no longer need those public benefits and can become self-sufficient. Conservatives wants fewer people in poverty and on public assistance as well, but instead of saying we’re just going to eliminate those programs, Newt’s approach was to instead using those programs effectively so people would no longer need them because now they can get themselves a good job.

Newt’s politics are conservative and believes in things like low taxes, low regulation, strong national defense, strong long enforcement, fiscal responsibility and not running high deficits and debt, but he also believes in limited regulations and needing at least some taxation so we can fund the things that government should do. Including an effective safety net for people who truly need it, but use it to help people become self-sufficient and no longer need public assistance at all. Instead of saying that government should do practically nothing other than national defense, homeland security, law enforcement, foreign affairs. Which is more of a libertarian approach to government.

Andrew Kaczynski: Brian Lamb- Interviewing Newt Gingrich in 1999: 'Theodore Roosevelt-Robert La Follette Tradition'

Source:Andrew Kaczynski- Newt Gingrich, being interviewed by C-SPAN's Brian Lamb, in 1999.

Source:The Daily View

"Newt Gingrich, speaking to CSPAN's Brian Lamb in 1999 on his time as Speaker, when asked about his ethics violations investigation of other politicians coming back to haunt him, says he comes out of the "Theodore Roosevelt-LaFollette Progressive tradition of reform."

From Andrew Kaczynski

This might sound at least borderline crazy at least for hyper-partisans, on the Right who see Democrats as immoral criminals and terrorists, who all deserve to be locked up and hyper-partisans on the Left, who see all Republicans as nothing but ignorant fundamentalist neanderthal bigots, but there is such a thing as Progressive Republicans and reform republicanism, which is what Newt Gingrich has always represented in his 20 years in the House of Representatives and his post-Congressional and political activist career.

Again, progressivism is not socialism and is not even liberalism. And its the least ideological of all the political ideologies in America that it barely qualifies as an ideology. The definition of s Progressive in a political sense is someone who believes in progress and making things better and using a limited government to help create that progress. So a Progressive on the Right like a Newt Gingrich, is going to be different than a Progressive on the Left. Someone like a Teddy Roosevelt or a Sherrod Brown today is currently a U.S. Senator from Ohio.

Progressives right or left, are different from Conservatives, because Conservatives believe in conserving the status quo when it comes to government. And that current society and the way of life is already great and doesn’t need improvement. Progressives always believe things and society can be better. That things and life aren’t always good or bad, but they can always be improved. That progress can always be made.

So someone like a Newt Gingrich can be a defense hawk and believe in a strong national defense and law enforcement strong enough to protect the innocent from predators, believe in fiscal responsibility and that government shouldn’t run high deficits and debt, that taxes and regulations should be low for everybody. But that there should also be a safety net for people who truly need help in society, but to use that safety net to help improve people’s lives. Not just give  them cash in the short-term, but help them improve their lives so they no longer need public assistance in the future. Newt is one of architects of Welfare Reform that became known as Welfare to Work in the mid 1990s. If he was a hard-core Conservative-Libertarian, he wouldn’t believe that there should even be a government Welfare program or public assistance at all.

Being a Progressive is not about being pro-big government or anti-government all together. Or being for a big strong national defense, or almost no national defense at all. Or someone who believes in freedom, or believes in statism. Being a Progressive is about believing in progress and believing that government can serve a useful purpose in making things better for everyone in society. But progressivism is not very ideological at all in how that progress is achieved.

GBTV: Glenn Beck- 'On Newt Gingrich, Teddy Roosevelt & Other Progressives'

Source: GBTV- Glenn Beck, talking about Progressives.

Source:The Daily View

"Glenn Beck on Newt Gingrich, Teddy Roosevelt and other Progressives."

From GBTV

I agree with Glenn Beck on one thing with his little rant here. Newt Gingrich, is a Progressive but on the Right when it comes to progressivism. Newt believes in using government through conservative what’s called free market principles to solve problems that Progressives, Liberals, Socialists, and others on the Left believe should be solved. So by that definition House Speaker Paul Ryan would qualify as a Progressive. Republican Senator Tim Scott and perhaps Senator Marco Rubio, would qualify as Progressives as well. AEI President Arthur Brooks, again under this definition, would also qualify as a Progressive.

Where Glenn Beck goes off the rails and gets lost in Fantasy Land, perhaps on a week-long meth, alcohol, or marijuana high, with absolutely no sleep, is when he compares progressivism with all sorts of statist philosophies. All sorts of collectivist ideologies that put the interests of the state over the individual and believes Big Government should treat all of the people as its little children who aren’t capable of making the most basic fundamental decisions for themselves.

And in that sense even democratic socialism as it relates to economic policy and to a certain extent personal freedom social issues and trying to prevent people through government force from being involved in unhealthy personal activities, certain parts of democratic socialism and certain Democratic Socialists who aren’t Communists, qualify as statists and collectivists.

The real big government statist collectivist ideology, that Glenn Beck seems to be talking about, is actually communism. Progressives both on the Left where Progressives tend to be now (and that means Center-Left) believe in a limited government to use to help improve society so more people can succeed in society.

Things like education and job training for low-skilled workers and for kids who come from low-income families.

Expanding infrastructure to low-income communities and incentivizing companies to invest in low-income communities and hire low-income people so they can work instead of collecting Welfare..

As well as basic financial assistance for people who fall on hard times.

These are the things that Progressives believe in that government can do to create progress and help people in need from an economic standpoint. This is not a big government socialist or statist approach to governing in America. But a pragmatic limited government progressive approach, that perhaps even a  Conservative-Libertarian like a Glenn Beck could support.