Friday, June 18, 2010

Progressives, What Are They?

Dan Gardner seems to have trouble with what "progressive" means.  He admits he dislikes PM Harper and wants the  defeat of the evil Harper Conservatives.  He's calling for the "progressive parties to get together to do just that.
I'm curious about this "progressive" thing we hear so much of these days. Apparently that's what all the federal opposition parties are, at least according to those who are trying to get the parties to merge or form a coalition of some sort. We're not like those nasty Conservatives, advocates say. We're "progressive." Let's unite all the progressives, oust the Conservatives, and bask in the warm sunshine of a progressive government.
Which sounds pretty good to me. I'm not Stephen Harper's biggest fan, as readers may have noticed. I'd give serious consideration to voting for a party of anarcho-syndicalist chimpanzees if it could win.
OK, it's his prerogative.  He has that right but if he's interested in the "Progressives" he needs to do his homework.
Progressives are socialists as we see here.
 The term progressive is also popular in Canada, since many are further left than the Liberal Party of Canada. Most supporters of the old Progressive Conservative Party of Canada did not consider themselves progressive although arguments have been made that the Mulroney government implemented progressive environmental policies. The David Orchard wing of the old PC Party was progressive in nature while the Red Tory faction, which included former Prime Minister Joe Clark, was less so. The New Democratic Party

Some of the New Democrats' more progressive stances are:

    More progressive taxes.
    Environmental protection.
    Labor and Aboriginal rights.

The Progressive Party of Canada briefly rose to prominence in the 1920s. The Progressive Canadian Party, composed mostly of anti-merger Progressive Conservatives, was formed several months prior to the 2004 general election.
Sounds good right? Wrong! 
Socialism is linked to Marxism
Karl Marx was the father of communism.  Part of  Karl Marx's basic philosophy was socialism.
Beginners Guide to Marxism by Marxists Internet Archive 2009
Marx’s Philosophy
These two works were written by Marx just at the beginning of his political career:
Theses on Feuerbach
Idealism and Materialism from “The German Ideology”
Socialism: Utopian and Scientific was written by Engels 35 years later, in an effort to popularise Marx’s ideas.

Is Dan Gardner really sure he wants that? Mr. Gardner better careful of what he wishes for because to quote Glenn Beck,"it always ends badly."   Old Soviet Union, Maoist China,North Korea anyone?

    8 comments:

    1. Progressive Anarcho-syndicalist Chimpanzee Party. That sounds about right.

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    2. Progressive always means more and more of your pay cheque is progressively eaten away by the government.

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    3. It is sad that the term "progressive" has been hijacked by the left. I used to use the term in my work with the application of the term being soemthing more like "modern" or "innovative". Instead, it has become a right/left definition. I hoped that Glenn Beck was wrong when he said "progressive" is just another term for "socialism", but sadly he appears to be more and more correct as time goes on.

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    4. Progressive = More taxes. More unaffordable social programs. More intrusion by the government into everyone's personal affairs. More regulations. More bureaucratic red tape. More power to NGOs to set government policy, and just plain more, more, more government.

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    5. Powell lucas said...
      Progressive = More taxes. More unaffordable social programs. More intrusion by the government into everyone's personal affairs. More regulations. More bureaucratic red tape. More power to NGOs to set government policy, and just plain more, more, more government.


      very true Powell, the last thing people like these; do not like people but themselves their friends and unions.

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    6. Progressives believe that it is the State that determines society. They believe it's the State that decides what "rights" are and which to bestow upon its citizens. Ever notice that virtually all human rights geeks are Progressives? It's the social science of sophistry.

      The Right believes that society is determined by the interaction of free individuals in which inalienable rights, the only true rights, are preserved.

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    7. I always thought that I was more progressive than conservative, but as an adult I have found that I strongly disagree with some people's definition of "progress".

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    8. I think most of us, whether on the left or on the right, are progressive in the sense that we all have a social conscience. Where we differ is that Progressives want it to be expressed through government while Conservatives through individual responsibility. The Progressive way is dehumanizing. It merely involves handing over enough loot to the government to ensure proper funding for its Ministry of Compassion.

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