Progressive Vision
The Explosive Growth Of The Progressive Movement
August 26th, 2008
The immense amount of progressive activity outside the convention hall, compared to 2004, shows how far the movement has traveled. (Plus, interviews with Arianna Huffington and more.)
To Bring Change, Insiders and Outsiders Need Each Other
Activists need advocates in the White House and Congress to voice their concerns and pass legislation. But even with such allies, activists have to keep the heat on, be visible, and make enough noise so that policy makers and the media can't ignore them. To advance a progressive agenda, a widespread grassroots movement -- which provides ordinary Americans with opportunities to engage in a variety of activities, from emailing their legislators, to participating in protest -- is essential.
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Progressives On the Rise, Conservatism in Decline
Activists head to Washington for the Take Back America conference amid signs that the progressive movement is on the verge of a political transformation as dramatic as the infamous "Reagan revolution" of the 1980s. A resurgent progressive movement is emerging as the evidence mounts that the conservative movement's heyday has ended, done in by three decades of failure.
Read our blog on the opening plenary featuring Robert Borosage, Diane Archer, Van Jones and Donna Edwards.
See our latest reports:
- "Progressives Rising—2008: A Sea-Change Election"
- "The Decline of Conservatism," by Stan Greenberg
- "Conservatism is Dying," by Eric Lotke
Check the conference home page for new details on schedule and speakers.
The Case
More Prisoners Does Not Mean Less Crime
It's not that simple. A 2005 report by The Sentencing Project noted that while increased incarceration rates were accompanied by a decrease in crime between 1991 and 1998, crime rates had increased between 1984 and 1991, a period in which the rate of incarceration was even higher. The director of the Pew Center on the States recently wrote, "Rigorous studies show that increased imprisonment can claim credit for only 25 percent of the nation's crime drop over the past 15 years. The other 75 percent comes from a wide variety of factors, inside and outside the criminal justice system." Those factors include support for improved policing and community crime prevention programs—federal support for which was cut by the Bush administration. We already lock up a larger percentage of our population than any other country in the world. We need to invest more in the programs and techniques that we know prevent crime and lead to healthier communities.more »
The Folly of the Fence
The Washington Post has reported that technical problems with the “virtual fence” being erected along a portion of the U.S.-Mexican border will mean a three-year delay in the project. more »
Facts & Resources
Netroots Nation Straw Poll Results
Participants in the July 17-20, 2008, Netroots Nations conference were asked what their top political issues were and what they believed should be the top priorities of the next presidential administration. The poll was co-sponsored by Democracy Corps and the Campaign for America's Future.
Here are the complete poll results:
The Stress Test
Economists and politicians debate whether or not we’re technically in a recession, but most Americans feel we’ve been in a recession for years.
The Campaign for America’s Future has designed "The Stress Test" to show how the economy affects working families. By assessing the condition of the job market, housing, health care, and household costs on a state-by-state basis over time, "The Stress Test" illustrates the troubles families face. Use this report to talk about the real impact of conservative policies and need for a new, progressive economic strategy.
The News
Obama Wins Historic Nomination
August 28th, 2008
Liberal Positions Gain Popularity
August 24th, 2008
The Voices
The Battle To End Right-Wing America
Why is America more right-wing than some other wealthy nations? Here are three factors that help explain why, and one of the factors is proving harder than expected to address this election year.more »
What Really Scares Us About Barack Obama
What an expatriate finds after returning to the United States: America now seems to be eroding under the pressure of its fears, and as that happens Americans appear to be valuing mediocrity over excellence, turning a blind eye to facing hard truths full on.more »
Latest from our Bloggers
aug
28
2008
7:32 am
7:32 am
When the next president takes the oath of office, 
will it be enough for progressives to rely on external conditions, such as the state of the economy, to be the driver for dramatic change or will activists have to forge a movement that drives change? Campaign for America's Future co-director Robert Borosage and Robert Kuttner, editor of the American Prospect and author of the book, "Obama's Challenge," discuss a reality progressives will face at the start of a new administration.more »
aug
27
2008
12:57 am
12:57 am
Interviews with William McNary of USAction and former Senate candidate Ned Lamont.more »
aug
26
2008
4:11 pm
4:11 pm
An interview with MoveOn.org's Eli Parisermore »
aug
26
2008
2:00 am
2:00 am
The immense amount of progressive activity outside the convention hall, compared to 2004, shows how far the movement has traveled. (Plus, interviews with Arianna Huffington and more.)more »
aug
22
2008
3:49 pm
3:49 pm
My colleague Bill Scher and I review this week's posts on "Creating the Progressive Moment" and outline plans for continuing the discussion in Denver. We talk about the several fronts on which progressives have to work in the coming weeks to change the direction of the country.more »
aug
19
2008
11:18 am
11:18 am
Robert Borosage has asked us on this site—bloggers and commenters alike—to explore "How Do We Seize The Obama Moment?" and substantively advance a bold progressive agenda. Why must we answer that question now? Because we've seen what happens when we don't.more »
aug
18
2008
11:02 am
11:02 am
On "Meet the Bloggers" Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said that there is a "collapse" of the middle class and that nothing short of a revolution will be needed to reverse it.
"What we really need is a political revolution in this country," Sanders said, beginning with countering the corporate media spin on what is happening in the economy. more »
aug
17
2008
6:11 pm
6:11 pm
It's more than ten weeks before voters choose their next president, but progressives should start thinking now about strategy for a Barack Obama presidency. How do we make sure our priorities are Obama's priorities, and how do we get those priorities addressed in a political landscape where resistance to change will still be intense? For the next two weeks, we want you to join us in a dialogue on these questions that we hope will help us claim a progressive mandate for change after the election. The dialogue starts with this article, excerpted from the September 1 cover story in The Nation. Add your comments, and watch for other articles from our senior fellows and other progressive leaders.more »
