A Progressive Platform
Red Brown and Blue prefers to identify with a progressive political philosophy rather than declare allegiance to a particular party. As we work on promoting progressive policy and thought, we hope to inform people who might not understand what exactly a political progressive stands for or what they oppose. I’d like to provide an indication of some things a progressive political platform might include, things that we’d ideally like a candidate to embody. With the long cycle of a presidential election season looming, a truly progressive candidate might not be found on the final ballot, so being able to recognize favorable policies on the broader platforms of the traditional party candidates will be important.
The forces that act upon people’s daily lives are not static and evolve over time, so laws and government should reflect the current conditions facing the population. Policies that give consideration to this steady change and intend to protect or improve people’s lives in light of new conditions without diminishing the liberties of others are considered progressive. Therefor progressivism is ever-changing. Current members of the Congressional Progressive Congress list the following core concerns on their website:
- Peace and global security
- Energy independence and environmental sustainability
- Civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights
- Public health, education and economic opportunity
Those broad strokes cover a lot of ground and adequately sum up the most important tenets of progressive politics. They’re broad enough that almost any candidate of any party will pledge some degree of commitment to the outlined principles. As a voter, though, it would be preferable to have more specific and direct stances from a progressive candidate before casting a ballot. Demonstrating a commitment to the following ideas would indicate a willingness to adapt to a changing society while striving for inclusiveness and equality:
Above all else, a progressive candidate must fully and truly believe that people are entitled to rights that are inalienable, and the law must recognize those rights equally for all. Slavery and discrimination mar the history of the United States. It is therefor incumbent upon American citizens to combat discriminatory practices and be vigilant against marginalizing any group. There should be no accountable difference in application of the law for women, racial minorities, practitioners of any religion, homosexuals, or the elderly; but where doors have been historically closed, they should be forced open and closely monitored. It should be affirmed that human rights do not recognize borders or nationalities, and citizenship is not a prerequisite for equal protection under the law.
The United States participates in a global economy, but must place a greater importance on the well-being of our independent economy within the global framework. Trade imbalances and the migration of labor to Asia and South America can not continue unchecked. Protections should be developed that provide security for American jobs and penalize companies that increase their sales and profits within the States by exploiting cheap labor overseas. Strengthening foreign economies through private investment is good policy, but needs to be policed to a balanced benefit.
American military action must scale back and take a diminished role in U.S. foreign policy. Ongoing occupation and combat is only sowing anti-American sentiment throughout the world. Cease-fires and withdrawals should be immediate and the use of force should be relegated to a true last-option status. Huge segments of spending used for maintaining military operations and developing new weapons could be reallocated to domestic infrastructure work and improving perception of America abroad through constructive, peaceful projects. The U.S. armed forces can maintain readiness and global primacy without engaging in perpetual war.
The well-being of all citizens of the nation is the responsibility of each citizen, and the well-being of each citizen is the responsibility of the entire nation. We stand together and look out for each other. It benefits everyone when no one is in need, when no one suffers unnecessarily, so America is improved by a collective system of welfare that ensures our good health, protects our ability to afford living once we’re of retirement age, mercilessly combats poverty and hunger in one of the world’s richest nations, and educates our young people regardless of wealth or family status.
Scientific reasoning is the foundation of modern thought and should be a crown jewel of progressive policy. Science itself must be supported and used as a definitive element in domestic decisions, and presented as strong argument in international affairs. The application of scientific methods to policy research and the consensus of academic scientific authorities on policy ramifications should take a primary role in the decision making process of our political leaders.
How many, if any, of these concepts will find prominence in the debates leading to our next presidential election? I’d like to think they all will. These are the words that I’ll be listening for over the next 14 months, and hopefully well beyond. If I end up disappointed, there will still be progress to make.
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Jake Negovan drives Red Brown and Blue to be an outlet for progressive political opinion that leads to the betterment of life for the real, multicultural population of the U.S. and the rest of the world. His columns address the issues faced by our country as we continue growing toward a society of equality. More about Jake can be found on the web at jakejots.com or on Twitter@jakenegovan.
