Reply #26: good post [View All]

[Two Americas]

"Progressive" is poorly defined and relatively meaningless. It has become a matter of taste, style and fashion more that anything political, and as you point out it is a convenient excuse for being arrogant and self-righteous.

"Progressive" is becoming a tight little exclusive club more and more - an approach that is exactly opposite to that required for political success. There are daily calls for people to go away and shut up, because they expressed heresy to the doctrines of the self-proclaimed progressive elite. Clinton supporter? - we don't need 'em. People who are not taking sides in the candidate wars? - we don't need them, either. I have even seen Obama supporters who were insufficiently zealous attacked. This drive toward purging and silencing, and the self-righteousness and arrogance, only works here because it is being used against friends and allies. Once we get out into the general and are talking to the public, most people will not tolerate this and that could lead to a serious failure for the party.