Progressives vs. Liberals. How are they different

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Tag(s): Ideology; Liberalism; Polls; Progressive Liberal Left; Progressive Problems; Progressive Values; Progressive Values - Issues; Progressivism; Zogby
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April 22, 2008 at 19:56:49

Progressives vs. Liberals. How are they different

by Rob Kall

http://www.opednews.com

What's the difference between a progressive and a liberal-- or, to be more specific, someone who calls his or her self a progressive, rather than a liberal.

While waiting for the PA poll results to come in, and trying to distract myself from what have become increasingly obnoxious pundit commentary on MSNBC and CNN, I checked out the latest zogby poll. They offer crosstabs to subscribers and, a few months ago, I subscribed OEN for the 2008 electioin season.

THis is one piece of the latest poll, posted on April 22, 2008, based on phone calls to PA voters:


	Ideology
	Total	Prog	Lib	Mod	Cons	VCons	Libert
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Hillary Clinton	48.7	30.0	49.7	52.9	55.2	76.0	32.4
Barack Obama	42.2	58.5	43.3	38.1	34.5		67.6
Someone else	3.6	2.1	1.9	4.9	4.7	12.8
NS	5.5	9.4	5.2	4.2	5.6	11.1
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

Liberals support Hilary, while Progressives support Obama, almost two to one. I'm going to speculate that among the progressives who support Hillary, a big majority of them are women. And look at the total absence of support for Obama among the very conservatives.

In recent interviews with progressive bloggers, it's become clear that they don't think, based on issue positions and advisors, that Obama is a progressive.

Here are some more Zogby poll results that give perspectives on progressives vs. liberals:

110. Overall, do you think free trade is good or bad for Pennsylvania?
	Ideology
	Total	Prog	Lib	Mod	Cons	VCons	Libert
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Good	33.0	38.9	31.7	32.8	28.0	37.5	50.0
Bad	47.2	41.7	44.9	50.3	51.0	49.6	34.6
NS	19.8	19.5	23.4	17.0	21.0	12.8	15.3
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

Progressives seem to be the most tolerant of free trade compared to all but the libertarians. That's a surprise to me.

These polls are just for PA, and seriously skewed because of the Obama Clinton contest, but the raise interesting questions. What do you think?

What values are different?

What motivating factors are different?

Who are the progressives? Who are the liberals?

Rob Kall is executive editor and publisher of OpEdNews.com, President of Futurehealth, Inc, inventor . He is also published regularly on the Huffingtonpost.com. He is a frequent Speaker on Politics, Impeachment, The art, science and power of story, heroes and the hero's journey, Positive Psychology, Stress, Biofeedback and a wide range of subjects. He is a campaign consultant specializing in tapping the power of stories for issue positioning, stump speeches and debates. He recently retired as organizer of several conferences, including StoryCon, the Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story and The Winter Brain Meeting on neurofeedback, biofeedback, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology. See more of his articles here and, older ones, here.

The framed magazine cover, with the word "IDEAS" spelled out in lightbulbs, is based on an article Rob wrote for Writers Digest, telling the magazine's quarter million readers how to come up with and pitch article ideas. To learn more about me and OpEdNews.com, check out this article.

and there are Rob's quotes, here. To Watch me on youtube, having a lively conversation with John Conyers, Chair of the House Judiciary committee, click here Now, wouldn't you like to see me on the political news shows, representing progressives. If so, tell your favorite shows to bring me on and refer them to this youtube video

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5 comments

Virginia Simson is a spiritual journalista/activist who runs a visionary planetary tutorial blogspot, www.ladybroadoak.blogspot.com as well as a blog on the uranium industry and depleted uranium at www.lowlevelradiation.blogspot.com. She feels that we must educate the young as to the real issues of the day - economics, clean energy, a drug free lifestyle, friendship and concern for the environment. We must plan for seven generations in the future. She unconditionally supports impeachment and...

to see more of bio, click on member name
ladybroadoakVirginia Simson is a spiritual journalista/activist who runs a visionary planetary tutorial blogspot, www.ladybroadoak.blogspot.com as well as a blog on the uranium industry and depleted uranium at www.lowlevelradiation.blogspot.com. She feels that we must educate the young as to the real issues of the day - economics, clean energy, a drug free lifestyle, friendship and concern for the environment. We must plan for seven generations in the future. She unconditionally supports impeachment and...

to see more of bio, click on member name

What happened to Ralph Nadar?

I am very very curious who was pro Ralph, myself.

Many who think that they are Ron Pauls belong in the Ralph Nadar camp if they but knew.

I see nothing progressive about Barak Obama, he just SAYS he MIGHT restore Habeas Corpus.

Well, that sure doesn't cut it for me.

I didn't like Gravel's tax policy.

I was disappointed to see Kucinich back down (but what did I expect?)

Cynthia MacKinney cannot get enough support ..

But Ralph Nadar IS a progressive and has enough people available to put a full team to work come inaugeration day.

He could pull together what is needed which is a THIRD PARTY of real progressives.

Why progressive people continue to support Obama is the most baffling concept I have seen. He's not even as persuasive as Eugene MacCarthy who was FAR from being progressive ..

Things are falling apart RAPIDLY, no thanks to Nancy Pelosi, and I think that things are going to be very hairy between now and November as Queen Bee Hillary has NO INTENTION of going down; her campaign is not out of money she has OODLES in off shore account. Barak is NOT losing his Wall Street backers.

The idea of who is progressive today is a historical anomoly, that is for SURE. The media has done a fine job hacking to pieces anyone who can think, write, analyse or formulate SANE plans for the earth's future.

by ladybroadoak (37 articles, 20 quicklinks, 12 diaries, 390 comments) on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 6:42:59 AM

The author is a very "with-it" old lady who aspires to bring a bit of truth, justice, and commom sense to a nation that has lost touch with its humanity in the search for societal "perfection".
Mary PittThe author is a very "with-it" old lady who aspires to bring a bit of truth, justice, and commom sense to a nation that has lost touch with its humanity in the search for societal "perfection".

I don't see a Progressive anywhere

Obama may have earned the right to be called a Liberal because he can see and understand the problems of the common man. Hillary, on the other hand, has to be termed a moderate due to her constant attempts to straddle the "middle of the road". In my opinion, the goal of a Progressive is to to enhance the evolution of our system in order to make it still more sensitive to truly democratic control and a society that becomes ever more fair, color-blind, and insensitive to "class". We no longer have a dog in this fight. Kucinich and McKinney both do fit this description. Nader really does not, being more of a consumer activist than a politician.

On the other side of the equation are the conservatives who also are divided between traditional Republicans, (who are fast disappearing), the religious right, the Neo-Cons, and the Libertarians. Libertarians like Ron Paul may appeal to some Progressives in their opposition to wars of conquest but, in their quest for "smaller government' they really advocate for practically no government at all. They would eliminate most social programs entirely, cancel most Federal regulation of anything, and rely on the individual states to maintain law and order as well as to provide for all needs of the citizenry.

Unfortunately, the only base available to Progressives is the Democratuc party but there are not enough of us who are rich enough to sponsor a national candidate in the present political climate. And so we are relegated to shouting into the wind as a warning to the people of what crimes and atrocities are being perpetrated upon the citizenry by the mainstream politicians. And perhaps that is where we belong.

by Mary Pitt (60 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 159 comments) on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 3:47:23 PM

I'm a 29 year old male.
TyI'm a 29 year old male.

Progressives, liberals

Progressive and liberal mean pretty much the same thing. Those polls are irrelevant. Obama and Clinton are both conservatives. They are neither liberal or progressive. As far as I'm concerned anyone who votes for conservatives or establishment stooges can't be considered liberal or progressive. Most people are frauds who claim to be one thing but in reality are something completely different.

by Ty (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 587 comments) on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 7:01:40 PM

10 year Navy veteran,former Federal employee with various agencies,
Gallaher10 year Navy veteran,former Federal employee with various agencies,

Who's poll?

Polls are always slanted and not worth reading.

Depending on the questions and who ordered the poll in the first place, the results are meant to display something controversial or something in the poller’s favor.

I do not trust polls to tell me when I should pee.

by Gallaher (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 497 comments) on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 9:26:20 PM

Democracy is the pre-eminent value of all Americans, our cherished birthright. My work is to help unite the electoral reform movement into a congruent platform which we can push forward as a nation.
GeoRipDemocracy is the pre-eminent value of all Americans, our cherished birthright. My work is to help unite the electoral reform movement into a congruent platform which we can push forward as a nation.

the two are united, focus on what we have in common

Why would I want to split hairs as to the difference? What is the purpose of the exercise, internecine battle? We're both aiming in roughly the same direction, that is good enough for me. But clearly the "progressive" democrats are the one's trying to make progress towards greater social consciousness and are castigated as "lefty liberals" by the rightists who seek private opportunity.

The point at which it gets interesting is where 'liberal' meets 'Libertarian', where left meets right. At this time the Libertarians have Gravel running against Tancredo. What a stark difference. A "defining moment" is taking place within the Libertarian party right now. Four years ago it might have been Ron Paul vs. Gravel....After all the election excitement is over, I think we ought to urge the two of these grandfatherly gentlemen to get together publicly and help define the Libertarian party...

But as far as third parties go, I found a very important comment on that subject today while looking through some old papers. On 2/27/08, Harold Meyerson, writing for the WaPo wrote....
"And Nader of all people should know that social change in America emerges from movements -- labor, civil rights, feminist -- rather than third parties. Movements transcend parties; third parties divide movements."

I believe Obama's effort is towards a transcendentalism. He is presenting a belief system that is enlightened and gracious and there is a movement towards it. That is the essence of Barack's charisma. He is motivational and inspires the better instincts of his audience. He is a natural at it. I just hope he has the finesse, authority and skill to close the deal in the face of a valiant competitor.

So, no litany of differences. No tedious analysis of minutia while the game is in play. We know we're on the same team, some of us are just a little more enthusiastic. Let's keep our eye on the ball.

by GeoRip (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 41 comments) on Thursday, April 24, 2008 at 3:39:50 AM