I read an article in Raleigh's far-left leaning INDY magazine today, entitled "How the Democrats Lost Their Way." (http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/how-the-democrats-lost-their-way/Content?oid=1739423) It includes possibly the best, most rational and concise (not short) explanation of contemporary "rank and file" progressive thought that I can recall ever seeing in one place. To gain a better appreciation of the progressive's world view, I highly recommend it. If you are a conservative, however, fair warning: you will subject yourself to some of the typically annoying Republican stereotypes and liberal elitist dogma. Still it's worth a read. Once finished, you can either come back and view my comments here, or at the end of the article. They follow:
Despite the plethora of mischaracterizations of conservatism herein, this article offers the most clear and succinct explanation of rank and file idealogical progressivism I think I have ever seen. There is much on which righties and lefties can agree. And that's important for a productive outcome. If these ideas were put forth boldly and in a straightforward manner by politicians and pundits as the author suggests, we could have rational debate. The American people could then decide for themselves whether they prefer to see the future America look more like the tepid and tumltuous European socialist states of today, or the rough and tumble libertarian capitalist "monster" that defined the American exceptionalism of our past. It's a fair debate. The problem is, global socialism requires America's capitalism to survive. If you remove the battleship from the bathtub, the water level falls for everyone. And whether or not rank and file progressives know it, or understand it, or admit it, the powers that lead them on the left have no ambition for a parochial American egalitarianism. They are focused on global management and redistribution in a utopian view that places a ruling elite in control of the world's resources and peoples. There is no upside to this for the US.
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