Is there a progressive movement beginning to form in the U.S."?

My daughter, mother and I have had this same conversation. Society seems to be shifting towards liberal again, kind of like in the 60’s. It is a welcome change in our eyes. The push for gay marriage and legalization of pot, for instance. If you have lived as long as I have, you have seen this shift before, like the tides of the ocean. Society becomes so prudish that there is a phase of making everything illegal and immoral, until the people realize that their every move is being dictated by the government. Then the big rebellion comes and all the rules are thrown out. Then, little by little, society settles down and rules are put forth, slowly building up until it comes to a head again.

I am a child of the 60’s. Since then the tilt has been steadily to the right. I have been waiting for things to start moving the other way. It may finally be happening.

Our old system of capitalism has been infiltrated by the good ol’ boy networks. Most folks who have been oblivious to it are waking up. This is not a “progressive” movement it’s “restorative” one. I don’t think it is a partisan movement but more one based on common sense. I have a hard time classifying things like race or equality and economic opportunity as partisan.

For those who skipped history class, it started with Theodore Roosevelt.

It’s a trick @LostInParadise The wealthy elite is very good at backing down and biding their time when they need to.
They just pushed us into a global depression (2001–2008) They ripped off millions and billions of dollars globally in their housing scam.
Now they need to ease off the pressure to allow the poor fools who don’t know what’s going on to begin buying homes again and investing again and using low interest credit and loans.

But don’t worry, just give them another ten years and they will pull another fast one that will ruin peoples’ lives, make them homeless, jobless and penniless and rip families apart at the seems.

It’s what they do and they have been at it for hundreds, nay thousands of years.

There is even a Christian Left!

This movement is different in that those organizations of people responsible for populist movements in the past have seen their numbers and influence drastically diminished. The average American has watched ⅓ of his or her net worth snatched away. That’s the AVERAGE American. Those responsible not only have deflected the blame for the suckers’ impoverishment on the suckers themselves, but in the process pocketed a considerable portion of that ⅓ loss in net worth. Thus in the midst of the greatest recession since the depression we find ourselves also marooned in the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of the world. To put it bluntly, recessions in the country are no longer borne by the entirety of the population. This recession is different. No great fortunes of kingpins toppling. None of those Wall st suicides. The deck has now been fixed such that the rich can push us into recession, but no longer suffer the inconvenience of having to help pull us out. On the contrary, the stock market is above the moon as the joyous reality unfolds before us. Rain or shine, good times or bad, the rich get richer. The result—- people are finally starting to notice and beginning to ask “how is such magic possible? Is the fact that the rich are fattening up, and I haven’t seen a raise in 15 years a coincidence? Is it mere chance and good fortune that those responsible for the largest swindle in the history of the world, can walk away from the debacle with the loot in their pockets, suffer not one day in jail, then hand the bill to those unable to park their incomes offshore?” The big disappointment is that there are still so many among us willing to carry the gospel of the thieves: that our “problems” are the result of wasteful government spending, pampered civil servants and of course, the backbreaking load of the undeserving poor. But even the dimmest wits in the tea party can’t deny the obvious forever.

I’m just looking for someone with a big piece of land that wants to help me start my communal farm. It’ll be great. We’ll grow everything we need to eat, and sell our surplus to buy what we can’t make ourselves – power and flour and tools and whatever.

I’m just so over this political bickering and I just want to “nope” back into the 7th century when a poor person was at least able to clear his own land to live on.

@Judi , I just heard on the radio that many evangelicals are talking about doing something about climate change.

@Seek Idealism still persists in the young?

Gotta have something to daydream about to fill all the hours I spend awake stressing over where my next paycheck is coming from.

There’s a great postcard by Tom Tomorrow. On it is this absolutely angelic little toddler in a business suit with power tie. The caption reads “Turn your baby into a business man. It’s never too early to stifle idealism.”

Well, that’s fucking depressing.

Depressing, yes, but completely apropos! ^^

I want to buy a loom. Is there a market for hand-woven rugs and towels and stuff anymore? Weaving is soothing work.

I think most forms of artwork and/or hand made crafts of that nature have a market @Seek, if you make a quality piece of work.
I also believe that with the death of the American workplace (or at least its becoming more and more obviously merely slavery) that art and handmade crafts will soon be the main way most Americans support themselves (at least the creative ones).

@Seek :: Maybe not in Florida but there sure as hell is a market for stuff like that in Oregon. In the summer we have the Saturday Market. It is like ETSY exploded all over downtown. Hundreds of booths and you can only sell stuff you made. And when the winter rolls in they take over the fairgrounds for the holiday market. Again, you can only sell stuff you make.

If you want to make it I will get a booth and try to sell it.

See @Seek! You belong in Oregon. Also, I know your husband is in the trades and tradesmen who are willing to work are hard to find around here.

Oregon is a beautiful place, and relatively enlightened socially. Good schools. Spectacular environment, sane gun policies. Things can get surreal in the Eastern part of the state, but your large plot of affordable land, and visionary idealistic young folks are a given.

Wow, there are actually a lot of flooring jobs, according to Craigslist.

Damn, Oregon, why are you so far away?

There was a time when the state preferred to maintain its rustic far away reputation. I can remember when the logo on the license plates actually read “The governor of Oregon invites you to visit—- California”

That’s funny. ^_^

But seriously, it’s almost the furthest away that any point in the country could be from me, without having to cross an ocean or another country. There’s like, mountains and shit in the way.

If you’ve yet to see those mountains and shit, they’re worth the trouble. I realize that the logistics can be daunting if you’re currently scraping by, but while you, hubby and the kids are young, don’t make the mistake of so many of the people trapped in the country’s shitholes. Don’t succumb to inertia.

We drove through Oregon from Idaho to Washington last year. OMG it was the most incredible drive. Easily on a par with California’s coastline drive from L.A. to S.F. We went along the Columbia River Gorge. It is just magnificent.

Also full of festivals. You would LOVE the Country Fair

The wife’s little brother and family are in Portland. Their life there is downright idyllic. 20 years ago, I was pretty much convinced that we would wind up there, the wife yearned so for the place. But once again, inertia and the hectic busy business has stolen the years. I’m not complaining. The years have been very good to both of us.

Portland winters are miserable. That’s why I stay in Southern Oregon. Summer IS magical there though.

Guess I’m going to start buying lottery tickets. Can’t win if you don’t play, right?

Check this out @Seek . Look at number 1. @johnpowell has it join’ on.