Let’s not kid ourselves; America has a wide range of problems all hiding in plain sight under the rubric of Progressivism. And let’s be clear about this as well, progressivism is detrimental to the well-being of America. It should also be noted that millions of Americans regardless of the facts have drunk the Kool-Aid…some 40%, for example, still believe that Barack Obama is doing a good job as President. Wow, the “the land of the free and the home of the brave” becomes lala land.
Politically the Progressive party has been around since before Woodrow Wilson, who although he ran for President as a Democrat in 1912 he acted as a Progressive. And while the progressive orthodoxy gained full bloom under Barack Obama his election was the culmination of a millennium worth of effort to “fundamentally transform” this country. And they are doing just that – by the time Obama’s tenure is over we will be a different country. It would be foolish to deny that fact; America is in decline, what must happen is to admit the reality and begin the healing of our once proud nation. We start with the elections in November, 2014.
The progressive ideology is not restricted to just politics. Indeed, if it were there would not be the sense of urgency to rally the population still immunized against the progressive plague. What disappoints as much as anything is that progressive adherents, still clearly a minority of the population, get their way with the majority. Perhaps that is because they are focused on their mission, the rest of us have been too focused on living our lives.
The success of progressivism can also be attributed to the fact that they, like termites, have wormed their way into the foundation of our culture. Progressives control key elements of our daily lives; in addition to government progressives control the media, motion pictures and the educational system, for examples. The Progressives in these industries still think Barack Obama walks on water…there was only one person who ever did that and his name wasn’t Obama.
When I taught high school history in the public school system in the early 1970’s, courses such as “civics” were required and that is where students learned about our system of government. Try finding a course in civics today in any public school system. Likewise the curriculum at liberal arts colleges also is devoid of any courses aimed at honestly teaching the fundamentals of government. Ronald Reagan was right, “…freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” If the progressives get their way this will be the generation that destroys our freedom. And we endorse their attempt if we practice benign neglect toward Progressivism … wake up America!
How about we take direct action like they do to assert our beliefs? When progressives organize a boycott of advertisers of Rush Limbaugh, for example, why don’t conservatives do likewise to the advertisers of Bill Maher? Or MSNBC? If Chick-fil-a and Hobby Lobby must endure backlash for standing on their Christian principles why do some people continue to buy insurance from a company like Progressive whose owner donates millions of dollars to his progressive causes and candidates? Ever hear the phrase, “Fight fire with fire.” Lock and load America.
I will not attend any movie that makes America out to be the bad guy. I will not buy the Greenville News, or USA Today, because they are Gannett newspapers whose liberal progressive bias owns the editorial page and steers the news section as well. Likewise the New York Times, the mother ship of newspapers in this country now a mere shill for the progressive movement. Obviously, I will not vote for anybody who ignores our Constitution or thinks a monstrosity like Obamacare is the way to go.
And we should demand that Governor Haley initiate a lawsuit aimed at forcing the issue of whether the US Department of Education is constitutional. Debating the merits of Common Core only re-enforces their power; refuse to play that game. Until the Supreme Court rules on whether there is a constitutional basis for a federal role in education we are acting foolishly to accept the premise ... they win when we do so.
My Father, a WWII vet, had a sign in his office, “Never regret growing old, it’s a privilege denied to many.” This applies to countries as well as people. May our country live on in perpetuity, a survivor of the Progressive era that tries to poison us all.
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David W. Thompson is a former State Representative in Alaska. He was a Township Administrator in New Jersey until he recently escaped. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at several colleges including Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC. A graduate of Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa. and the JFKennedy School of Government, Harvard University, he now resides in Easley, SC.
