Who is on What Side?
Aug 24th, 2008 by Randy Toman
Herbert Croly said, “ The popular enjoyment of practically unrestricted economic opportunities is precisely the condition which makes for individual bondage.” Wilfred M. McClay Article “ Croly’s Progressive America-Herbert Croly, Political Philosopher”
Herbert Croly’s book “ The Promise of American Life” 1909. Felix Frankfurter extolled it as “ the most powerful single contribution to progressive thinking”—Walter Lippmann crowned Croly the “first important (American) political philosopher” of the century.
McClay wrote his article as a critique of Croly’s book and the influence the book had on the American political scene. The amazing thing about the book it sold only 7500 copies according to McClay.
The progressive movement as envisioned by Croly is this “groping progress from a disorganized and decentralized form of Laissez-faire individualism to an organized and socialized form of disciplined nationhood — the movement would succeed once the virtues of pioneering independence were superseded by the virtues of social solidarity.”
I believe these statements would set Pat Tommey and his “Club for Growth” on edge but that is not the point and/or the reason for me writing them.
With this law suit, http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=73214 challenging, O’bama’s right to be the legitimate Democratic Presidential nominee, we have but the first salvo in what I think shall become the battle for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party.
The old-line guard of the turn of last century “Progressives” and by extension the modern day Liberals had what they thought to be noble ideas and goals to make America a better place to live.
Croly used a word “disinterested” the word carried with it—“a strong ethical implication of high standards, unselfishness, reasonableness, ascetic, scientific and personal judgment, a disposition that always placed the public interest above all other consideration.” McClay
Regardless of what you think of the Clinton’s they can see what the word “Progressive” meant, a word she used of herself. She can see what has happen within the Democratic Party with this New Progressive movement that has surfaced and making a mockery of the party.
I know, I know she is not a paramount of virtue but I still believe she can see what is happening to the Democratic Party and is attempting to frame the fight regardless of what her motives might be; for it truly will be old against new. The ensuing fight will be between the old-line progressive/liberals and the radical New Progressives regardless of the why—and the who, is on what side. There will be a fight and it may be as soon as this coming week. Stay tuned and we shall see.