What does “progressive” mean to you?

“Progressive” can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Heartland Democracy is guided by our values of justice, community, opportunity and accountability that we share with Heartlanders throughout the region. You can read our take on progressivism here.

We want to know what “progressive” means to you! Add your comments here to contribute to the discussion. Your ideas will help us shape how we think and talk about progressivism, and help to create a shared understanding of what “progressive” means.

Comments

[angi lackens]

Progressive thinking is forward thinking in the present moment. Specifically, having a clear picture of where you are and realizing that the choices you make today impact generations to come. Not unlike the original Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Together these amazing documents put forth the notion that we are all entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and to that ends we pledge our own lives, money and honor to each other. The founders of this democracy left room for growth and change while challenging us to take responsibility for the common good - that is progressive thinking in a nutshell - being present to move forward. Thanks for all you are doing!

[Solomon Kleinsmith]

The descriptor 'progressive' has been hijacked by people trying to shrug off the bad rap that 'liberal' has gotten from years of conservative attack, but it used to mean something more and much different. It was about giving more power to the people, not about necessarily expanding governemnt. It was as much about making sure that business didn't have too much concentrated power, as it was concerned with concentrated power in the hands of opposing groups like labor unions.

Theodore Roosevelt's 'Square Deal' was a good example of a progressive platform from the era that the term came about.

Almost doesn't matter anymore though. The term has already been hijacked. It means something else now.