rainbowI often hear the term “progressive” spoken with a sneer or in a way that makes it sound like a four-letter word. Writer Ann Coulter said, “You’ll find liberals (progressives) rooting for the savages against civilization.” Not that anyone should be too concerned about what Coulter says, but I think more than a few conservatives might want to associate themselves with her statement. For that reason, I will try to lay out a basic view of what progressives generally believe. Before I do that I’d like to make two points.

First, Indiana is generally a conservative leaning state. As such, the people who read this may not have a lot of truck with the points I hope to make. My aim, however, is not to convince you that my point of view is correct and yours is wrong. What I would like you to know is that progressives are not the red tailed, fire breathing, horned minions of Satan that Ann Coulter wants you to think we are.

Second, progressives don’t all think alike. Some are – shall we say – a little more progressive than others. In the same manner conservatives don’t all think alike. Some of them are – we can say – a little more conservative than some others. America makes room for all of us, and all of us contribute to the marketplace of ideas that permeate the air of a free nation.

What Progressives Believe

Progressives believe that we are all in the life boat together. We all share in the responsibility for and benefits of this great nation. Progressives believe in a social contract between the people of a nation and the government elected by them. People who contribute to their families and nation through years of hard work deserve to retire with dignity and financial security. Therefore, Social Security is a fundamental element of that contract.

Progressives believe that health care is a fundamental right of every American. We believe that, as Jefferson described them, the rights of all Americans include “…life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Without access to adequate health care the pursuit of happiness is impossible.

Progressives believe in free enterprise, but there is really no such thing as totally free enterprise. What is more important is fair enterprise. Every business enterprise from the small mom and pop shop to the most massive corporation takes from the nation and people in which it resides. Products are moved about on roads for which we all pay. Workers are educated in schools paid for by everyone. American products leaving America for other lands and coming to America from other lands travel on sea lanes and through air space protected by armed forces for which we all pay. Over the last two decades, this nation has fought two wars in Iraq to help protect the supply of oil. Thousands of Americans gave their lives for that cause and many billions of American dollars paid the cost. Oil companies make massive profits, paid for in part by American blood and profit. Progressives are proud of our entrepreneurs, who through their creativity and hard work build a business and become wealthy. We just expect them to fulfill their part of the social contract and support the nation that helped make their success possible.

Progressives believe in equality for all people. This means equality in the courts of justice but also in world of business and industry. People should not be hampered because they have little or no access to the education that others receive, simply because they were born wealthy. Progressives believe that workers should have the right to form unions and engage in lawful strikes in order to guarantee fair wages and reasonable benefits for their labor.

There are other things I could add to this list but let me finish by quoting from the 2008 Democratic national platform, which pretty much expresses the progressive worldview.

We believe that each American, whatever their background or station in life, should have the chance to get a good education, work at a good job with good wages, to raise and provide for a family, to live in safe surroundings and to retire with dignity and security.

Progressives believe that government is not responsible to provide these things, but that government done right can help establish the conditions which bring them about. With the help of the American people and a government that works to serve all of its people, not just a select few, progressive thinking can make the world a better place.