Thursday Is My Friday

I prefer the term ‘progressive’ to ‘liberal’ because it better conveys the spirit of intent. It seems to me possible that both liberals and conservatives can be progressive in persuasion. It also clarifies the opposite as regressive. As I engage in the production mode to which I referred in Tuesday’s post, I efficiently multi-task by reading at the same time, and that’s how I came across this little factoid which serves to illustrate the point I am trying to make. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter had the White House fitted with solar panels. That’s progressive. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan had the solar panels removed. That’s regressive. It has been that intentional regression during and since the Reagan era that has brought us to the edge of the cliff today. Those who were seduced by Reagan’s proclamation of "It's morning in America" apparently weren’t in agreement with Jim Morrison’s observation, “No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn.” The election of Barack Obama is definite progress, and it is up to those of us who consider ourselves progressives to keep the momentum going. Bail out the American automobile manufacturers to reward their non-regulatory regression? I think not!