BACKGROUND

Defining the Progressive Vision is a work in progress.  This process started over a year ago, by a challenge to "brand" or coalesce the ideals of the progressive movement much as the conservative movement is "branded" particularly in response to the role of the U.S. Government, Taxes and the Military today.   The purpose of this effort was to aid the movement in its identity and to facilitate the ability to reach out and communicate with the general public (with its sound bite attention span) to the common principles and values of the Progressive movement.   CPR took on this challenge initially at the steering committee level and ultimately in its monthly community meeting.  As stated, this is a work in progress that will evolve as new ideas and input is obtained.  This too is a basic tenet of the progressive movement -- A desire to make things better including our own doctrine.  This is contrasted to a basic conservative idea that things are ok and why can't things just stay the same (don't rock the boat).   Finally, our commitment was to stay positive and to provide responsive talking points to the roles described above. To that end, the term Neo-Pro has evolved in our lexicon as contrasted to Neo-Con.  Talk about positive!     (Talk about American values)

PROGRESSIVE VALUES

Progressive values are synonymous with Americans Values.  Americans by nature are a caring people with a strong commitment to family and community.  We have an intense "Can - Do Spirit" and desire to leave this a better world for the next generation. We are compassionate with a commitment to fairness, justice, opportunity, freedom and responsibility. When America is polled regarding our collective concerns and issues, these are identified as jobs, economic security (wage and senior), education, healthcare, and the environment.    

PROGRESSIVE TERMS 

In today's world, interconnected by communications, environment,  disease, and the threat of destruction by WMD both nuclear and other which remain as a "dinosaur-like" legacy of the Cold War it is important for Progressives (aka Neo-Pros) to be comfortable and have an understanding of the concept of sustainability.  Sustainability is the ability of a policy, process, action, or behavior to be ongoing / perpetual / self sustaining and non-harmful to the system or whole.   In this interconnected and interdependent world it is vital to recognize that all actions have the potential for a collective and common reaction or response.

COMPARATIVE IDEOLOGY

CONSERVATIVE:  When asked, the general public can readily define the ideals of Conservative doctrine on the role of Government, Taxes and the Military. They are identified as follows: 

Government: Smaller Government.

Government is often seen as interfering with personal advancement or gain, getting in the way or providing obstacles to progress.  Therefore the effort to privatize and minimize / reduce the role of government and seek opportunity for personal gain from the government evolves.  Government should stay out of our lives. (as contrasted to being a partner or guarantor). 

Taxes:  Reduced taxes.

Taxes are seen as burdensome, repressive and punitive.  In the "I / Me" mindset the attitude is one of I worked hard for my money / fortune and should therefore be allowed to keep it.    Others should have to fend for themselves. This pre- supposes equal opportunity and ability for all.

Military: Military Supremacy.

Maintaining military superiority is seen as the primary function of government. Funding of the military, to the exclusion of all other government programs takes priority and becomes the primary role of taxation and government. Security is defined solely in terms of military might and enforced by military solutions.

NEO-CONSERVATIVE: Pre-emptive war.

Neo-Conservative doctrine combines the above principles with the added of concept of Pre-emptive war. (including Pre-emptive Nuclear War)  This unprecedented concept developed over the last 15 years takes military superiority to a new empire building level.  Released by its proponents after 9/11/01, this doctrine in addition to the Patriot Act lay in waiting for the right time to be released.   9/11 provided that opportunity.

NEO-PROGRESSIVE:  Defining a unifying (common) "brand" or banner regarding the ideals for the Progressive Movement provides a much greater challenge. With its many diverse concerns, issues, personalities and groups from /  including / extending / ranging from education, healthcare, living wage,  environmental, energy conservation and the peace movement to women's issues and privacy concerns is at once both the strength and weakness of the movement. Individually we are only as strong as the individual leaders and energies of our organizations.  In a divide and conquer world we are much more easily exhausted.  Collectively and united by a common theme, our vision can represent an unstoppable energy force of change for the future. In the view of the Neo-progressive movement, the role of government, taxes and the military are quite different as follows:

Government: Government based on sustainable policies and practices and the protection of human rights.  Rather than adversarial in relationship government is seen as a guarantor of and partner in providing basic human needs and protecting human rights 

Taxes: Shared responsibility and benefits.  In order to provide for progressive ideals and meet basic human needs taxation is a shared responsibility to ensure the collective well being of our citizens.

Military:  Collective, international security.  In a world armed with 30,000 nuclear weapons with a combined firepower of 5000 times all the weapons used in WWII including the atomic weapons, military superiority becomes a difficult concept to define.  Individual security is also hard to achieve.  The idea of collective security is essential.  As long as adversaries fear each other and feel insecure neither side can feel secure.     Only by assuring each others security (collective security) can real security be realized.

IDEOLOGICAL "TALKING POINTS"

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