What is the definition of progressive? It seems that some think it is a specific set of stances

[Levgreee]

But who/what has slated it as such, and gained control over the word?
If Obama does not follow the majority of those stances he therefore cannot be "progressive". But I am confused to what people actually mean? Can they rightfully disqualify Obama as being progressive?




from dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/progressive
1.favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, esp. in political matters: a progressive mayor.



from wikipedia.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism
I won't cite anything specific from there, but it is there to reference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism_in_the_United_States
The fourth and current Progressive movement grew out of social activism movements, Naderite and populist left political movements in conjunction with the civil rights, LBGT, women's, and environmental movements of the 1960s-1980s.<6> This exists as a cluster of political, activist, and media organizations ranging in outlook from centrism (eg. Reform Party of the United States of America) to left-liberalism to social democracy (like the Green Party) and sometimes even democratic socialism (like the Socialist Party USA).

Modern issues for "progressives" can include: electoral reform (including proportional representation and fusion candidates), environmental conservation, pollution control and environmentalism, universal health care, abolition of the death penalty, affordable housing, a viable Social Security System, renewable energy, gun control, "smart growth" urban development, a living wage and pro-union policies, among many others.






Looking at all this I don't see how Obama is disqualified as a progressive. It seems a broader term that some people have taken as a strict term based on certain political left-stances.

I really am confused, so can someone just clear it up?

[NYC_SKP]

1. Nobody knows, except that...

...a damn large number of self-declared progressives seem to behave as if they have a monopoly on the definition.

Judging from a few posts I've read, that is.

What's worse is that Obama often gets chained to that demographic, to that label, and blasted for not toeing the line (or is it towing?).

Also, one can "be progressive" or one can be "a progressive".

There most certainly is a difference, I believe Obama to be the former, not the latter.

[scheming daemons]

2. HERE'S the only acceptable definition of "progressive" to most progressives:

[TooBigaTent]

3. If Obama advocates a 90-year war in Iraq, that is "progress" over McInsane's 100.

So, by your definition, that makes him a progressive.

Not by mine.

[Median Democrat]

4. Lables Are Incredibly Unhelpful In This Context

Particularly when folks tried to capture a candidate's stance in just one word. Convenient, yes. But misleading. The fact of the matter is that you need to look at a candidates stance on each issue you find important:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6457458

I can't believe the amount of debate on whether Obama is "progressive" or "liberal" based on his position on one issue, FISA. Yet, as the link above shows, if you look at his positions on most other issues, most of these positions would be characterized as "liberal."

Sadly, I think a lot of DUers happily engage in the type of smears they love to critize the MSM over.