A progressive seeks change that radically transforms power relationships in society, with the goal of eliminating, to the greatest extent possible, material and other socially-produced disparities among human beings. Progressives will argue about what is possible, but not about the goal: a truly democratic human polity.
Ray MGovern, former CIA Intelligence Analyst
Rob, I'm actually a progressive conservative. You are no doubt aware of JFK's great quote on liberals, cited below:John F. Kennedy said this about liberals: If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."
Acceptance of the New York Liberal Party nomination ( 14 September 1960 )
Here, for what worth, is my comment:
So why in the world would Bill O'Reilly be "okay with liberals?" Perhaps for the same reason the military-industrial-congressional-intelligence-media complex (MICMIC) is "okay" with drone strikes that multiply the "enemy."
Deprived of the chance to excoriate people who (in the words John Kennedy used to define liberals) "welcome new ideas and care about the welfare of people," O'Reilly would be unable to cater to people who resist new ideas and think only of themselves. Similarly, deprived of the exponential growth in the number of "enemies" from drone strikes, the MICMIC, too, would fall on hard times.
Ray explained what he meant by conservative progressive:
Fifty-one years ago when I was commissioned a 2/Lt in the U.S. Army, I swore a solemn oath to protect and defend the CONSTITUTION of the United States of America from all enemies, foreign and domestic. I took that oath freely, without reservation, and with the clear understanding that it carried NO expiration date.I still take this very seriously. To "protect and defend the Constitution:" That is conservative to the core.
I have talked to other officers who take their oath just as seriously. Many of them, like me, are trying to be faithful conservatives: faithful to our oath; faithful to the Constitution. We are not shying away from tough discernment as to what this "worst of times" for the Constitution requires from us, if we are to be faithful.
This has nothing to do with "patriotic" rhetoric and flag waving. It has to do with deciding who are the present-day enemies of the Constitution -- and putting our bodies where our oaths dictate they must go.
Many of us, including me, consider ourselves progressive, as well, inasmuch as we are not hide-bound to the past and are open to new ideas EXCEPT FOR our sworn duty to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Hide-bound to the Constitution, yes; hide-bound to the past, no.
Noam Chomsky
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