The last part of that sentence sounds like a joke, but it isn't.
While preparing to set up this website and blog, I considered a lot of names. I live in Tuscany, which is technically part of Piney Creek East. I would prefer to call it "Smoky Valley", since this area is in a valley bordered by Smoky Hill Road, E-470, Arapahoe road, and a hilly ridge in Parker. The city boundaries overlap a lot here, so some subdivisions are in Aurora, while others are Centennial, Foxfield and Parker. Tuscany itself has an identity problem; it is considered Unincorporated Arapahoe County, despite its Aurora mailing address. Across the street is Centennial - go figure! I feel kinship with Democrats in all of these areas, and consider us neighbors. So, alliteration won out, and the name "Piney Creek Progressives" was born, since I didn't want to invent an inclusive new name and confuse people even more.
But this site and blog is for everyone in the southeast metro Denver area! (Especially those of you who helped elect Barack Obama and Mark Udall.)
So, what is a progressive, you ask?
Here is David Sirota's answer, from 2005:
"The answer, in my opinion, is ... there is a fundamental difference when it comes to core economic issues. It seems to me that traditional "liberals" in our current parlance are those who focus on using taxpayer money to help better society. A "progressive" are those who focus on using government power to make large institutions play by a set of rules.
(Read the whole article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/whats-the-difference-bet_b_9140.html)
Blogger Samurai Sam says "liberal" and "progressive" are interchangeable terms, then goes on to say, "Choosing whether to be a liberal or progressive is like choosing between a single-malt scotch and a fine anejo tequila". I guess you have to be a member of Drinking Liberally to understand this analogy. (I'm not...yet.) Read it here: http://samuraisam1.blogspot.com/2005/11/difference-between-liberal-and.html
Stirling Newberry at the Daily Kos devoted thousands of words to this question, most of which were completely lost on me, so until I write again, I am studying his article and trying to figure it out. You can find it here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/12/30/84726/983.
In the meantime, I really like the sound of "Piney Creek Progressives" so for now, it is a keeper, even if I don't care much for tequila.
What do you think?
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Very Interesting!
ReplyDeleteI've not heard Sirota's explanation before, although I try to listen whenever I come across something of his (which makes visiting his blog a trap for me).
But his distinction is instructive, if not (yet) universally acknowledged.
I have a better answer now, thanks!
... and the name works well, "Piney Creek Progressives"! (I'll write it all out... the acronym may be confusing if taken out of context).
-m
Funny! I won't use the abbreviation. I am not into drugs.
ReplyDelete: )
Dropping by quickly.
ReplyDeleteA modern liberal, liberalism in the United States, is a believer in a specific theory of the relationship between government and society - basically the ability of active government to improve the lives of people.
A progressive need not be a liberal, there are "progressive conservatives," and indeed the old Canadian Tory party was so named. Many progressive Republicans were men of the rigth as well, or would be considered so in present context. A progressive is someone who has a belief that human progress is possible, and necessary. This is stands in antithesis to the Burkean belief that human nature is essentially static, and that government is about changing to meet the present face of eternal problems.
Modern American Progressives are also liberals, and, increasingly, the liberal movement in America is being made into a progressive movement as well.
This wasn't true for about a generation, where liberals were, to a great extent, focused on preserving gains already made.