2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: I like Sanders, really I do......BUT... [View all]MADem
(135,425 posts)Some of the foremost "progressives" in the history of the United States have been Republicans--or something other than Democrats. In fact, the "PROGRESSIVE PARTY" was founded by a guy who wanted a new slant on Business as Usual Republican Party politics--a fellow named Teddy Roosevelt (who was NEVER a Democrat). The Progressive movement has its roots in the REPUBLICAN Party, in actual fact--Robert LaFollette was a mover/shaker in that regard.
Right now, the GOP is overwhelmed and bullied by tea partiers, religious extremists, and other nut jobs, but that hasn't always been the case and it is unlikely to be the case forever. In fact, when these assholes start dying off in numbers, I would not be surprised if the GOP reboots to their old school ways and become less hated and returns to the abolitionist 'party of Lincoln' POV they once held eons ago. I probably will not live to see that, but who knows?
The very small wing (more like a few feathers on a wing) of the GOP that fired up the "Log Cabin Republicans" are also firing up a "progressive Republican" mindset. These are the "crunchy cons" (Republicans who like organic food, clean water, care about the environment, etc.) and those who favor a progressive POV (see https://www.facebook.com/ProgressiveRepublicans - they describe themselves as socially liberal/fiscally responsible and favoring 'free enterprise'--fwiw).
Don't make the mistake of thinking that Democrats (or Democratic Socialists or 'lefties') own the words "progressive" or "liberal." We don't. We are a big tent. FWIW, Senator Sanders has said he is not a Democrat, and he has also said he is NOT A LIBERAL. So, there ya go.
The GOP is a smaller tent--but make no mistake, they are CHANGING. It's just a small rumbling right now--they are still overrun by idiots--but there are hints that they are getting ready to hit the reset button. We may eventually see a day when "liberal Republicans" aren't afraid to pop their heads up, too.
You know what they say, plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Or to put it another way, what goes around, comes around. Nothing stays the same forever....