Robert Reich: Progressives push forward, regressives pull back

[babylonsister]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/10/23/INFP1LJ2P4.DTL&type=printable

Progressives push forward, regressives pull back

Robert Reich

Sunday, October 23, 2011


A fundamental war has been waged in this nation since its founding, between progressive forces pushing us forward and regressive forces pulling us backward.

We are going to battle once again.

snip//

Yet the great arc of American history reveals an unmistakable pattern: Whenever privilege and power conspire to pull us backward, the nation eventually rallies and moves forward. Sometimes it takes an economic shock like the bursting of a giant speculative bubble; sometimes we just reach a tipping point where the frustrations of average Americans turn into action.

Look at the progressive reforms between 1900 and 1916; the New Deal of the 1930s; the Civil Rights struggle of the 1950s and 1960s; the widening opportunities for women, minorities, people with disabilities and gays; and the environmental reforms of the 1970s.

In each of these eras, regressive forces reignited the progressive ideals on which America is built. The result was fundamental reform.

Perhaps this is what's beginning to happen again across America.

[socialindependocrat]

1. We will OVERCOME!!!! n/t