The Progressive Movement: Final Opportunity for a Change in the Status Quo

The Progressive Movement : Final Opportunity For a Change In The Status Quo

Two years ago, Jon Stewart and Chris Colbert had their own warped version of the rally to restore sanity and or fear. Although it was funny, and I’m not challenging their comic ability, they have to realize that significant changes have to occur in people to make our situation turn around. Both Stewart and Colbert seemed to be mocking people like progressives and the tea party who are fed up with our government for just reasons. My neighbor attends tea party movements and frequently expresses his opinions to others about our government. He’s not a radical, violent, and racist person, but rather a responsible hardworking citizen who understandably wants to see fundamental change. I believe it is time to get out of the mindset that voting for a Democrat, Republican, Liberal, or Conservative party will solve any problems we have. As individuals we are responsible for challenging an unjust government which is what is currently in place. When those in power decide to step all over others to get to the top, there are less and less true freedoms for people like you and I. 

Back in the nineteen seventies Jimmy Carter was ruthlessly attacked by the power elite for trying to bring justice back in government. My Grandparents, great Aunt and Uncle as well as my immediate Aunt and Uncle all praise Ronald Reagan. I remain unpopular in this opinion, but I believe that Jimmy Carter was the last American President who truly wanted to do the best job possible for eliminating corruption in government. During the energy crises of the seventies, Carter installed solar panels on the roof of the White House. He wore sweaters on television and advised Americans to turn the heat down to conserve energy. It was Ronald Reagan who came along to take the solar panels off the white house, and reinstalled the mindset that Americans were the most prosperous people in the world and would continue to be for years to come. He invited in multinational corporations to have a slice of the power. Unions were shut down for the traditional working class Americans under the Reagan administration. These were the real principals behind Reaganomics.

Ok, we figure maybe another Democrat will make things better. Along came Bill Clinton who I view as the person who eliminated the traditional values of the Democratic party supporting the American working class. He promised positive change with his programs of N.A.F.T.A . and G.A.T.T., but they wound up working against him. Mexicans were forced to come to the U.S. due to increased pressure from government taxes by N.A.F.T.A.. Clinton was also responsible for eliminating the Glass-Steagle act which was the one law protecting the rights of Americans from corrupt practices by the big banks. 

George Bush took Clinton’s place, the policies were not fundamentally different from Clinton’s besides Bush being more pro war. I won’t believe for one second that the war in Iraq is a necessary war. We need to pay attention to the war’s consequences. Depleted uranium used in the weapons in Iraq has proven to be toxic towards many civilians as well as U.S. and Iraqi soldiers. Bush also spoke to the public at a seventh grade reading level and went to Harvard even though he was a straight C student in high school. 

Today we have Barack Obama who unfortunately proves to be not much different from Bush. Although he promised “yes we can” and “change” he has shown to cater to those who best serve his own interest. Obama appointed Michael Taylor, head of Monsanto to be in charge of the F.D.A.. Monsanto is the largest biotech company in the United States which avidly promotes genetic engineering. They are responsible for many farmers losing their jobs and brought genetically engineered foods mainstream, even though they have not been proven safe or effective for human consumption. Obama’s health care bill does little to promote real reform in health care. He sided with pharmaceutical corporations which promote drugs that often prove to be toxic. The prescription drug Viox has been responsible for over five thousand American deaths. 

I hear from respectable sources that Hilary Clinton will be running against Sarah Palin in the next presidential election. Neither of these two women will bring benefits to the middle and working class in America that has been assaulted time and again by those in power. I believe that change has to begin at a grassroots level. Communities have more power working with each other than against each other. Glenn Beck got it wrong when he defines who progressives really are. A progressive is someone who at one time came from a Democratic or Republican background, but no longer sees any essential benefit in supporting either side. Right now we have many progressives in society today, they are just not organized. I believe that it is only a matter of time before this happens. Many people in the Tea party are progressive people. They aren’t “violent” or “dangerous” as talk hosts say. I feel that Glenn Beck is more violent when he encourages people to act violently towards progressives. In one instance someone actually took guns and drove to a center that Glenn Beck talked negatively about to shoot up the place. He ended up being stopped by the cops and got into a gunfight with them. When asked his intentions for doing this, he replied that he was inspired by Glenn Beck. 

Everyday in America more and more people are becoming aware that there is a disconnect between what is told to them and what actually occurs. These people are the progressives. They have enough potential to create an effective widespread movement that can create change for years to come. I believe that when one turns progressive, they free themselves from unnecessary limitations. In the near future I see potential for an effective progressive movement and a fundamental change in our politics. The choice is yours to make. Remain believing in the myth of change occurring or create change for yourself. I’ve made my choice and look forward towards more people joining me.