Classical Progressives and Progressivism

Source:Amazon- Libertarian author Murray Rothbard's book about The Progressive Era. This is not an endorsement of his book.

"Rothbard's posthumous masterpiece is the definitive book on the Progressives. It will soon be the must read study of this dreadful time in our past.— From the Foreword by Judge Andrew P. NapolitanoThe current relationship between the modern state and the economy has its roots in the Progressive Era.— From the Introduction by Patrick NewmanProgressivism brought the triumph of institutionalized racism, the disfranchising of blacks in the South, the cutting off of immigration, the building up of trade unions by the federal government into a tripartite big government, big business, big unions alliance, the glorifying of military virtues and conscription, and a drive for American expansion abroad. In short, the Progressive Era ushered the modern American politico-economic system into being.— From the Preface by Murray N. Rothbard." 

From Amazon

"The Progressive Era (1896–1916) was a period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States of America that spanned the 1890s to the 1920s.[1] Progressive reformers were typically middle-class society women or Christian ministers. The main objectives of the Progressive movement were addressing problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and political corruption. Social reformers were primarily middle-class citizens who targeted political machines and their bosses. By taking down these corrupt representatives in office, a further means of direct democracy would be established. They also sought regulation of monopolies through methods such as trustbusting and corporations through antitrust laws, which were seen as a way to promote equal competition for the advantage of legitimate competitors. They also advocated for new government roles and regulations, and new agencies to carry out those roles, such as the FDA. The Progressive Era played a pivotal role in US history." 

From Wikipedia 

If you want my definition of a Progressive, I'll give it to you anyway: a Progressive is someone who believes in progress and progress through government action. Which makes it very different from what Socialists (democratic or otherwise) believe in and makes progressivism very different from socialism. 

Progressives don't believe in government totalization or nationalization. They even believe in individual freedom and limited government, they just believe that individual freedom should be for everyone, not just people who are born to wealth. And don't base their political philosophy around limited government, but instead put limits on what government should try to do for people. Unlike Socialists who seem to have a government program for every problem that a society could possibly face. 

So the links and people that you'll see on this page are people who I call real Progressives (or Classical Progressives, for you closeted Socialists) because they're people who believe in America, love America, love American liberal and progressive values, but love their country so much that they want it to be as progressive and as great as possible and are always trying to make their country even greater. Which is what progress is about.  

Progressive  

"Roosevelt was elected in November 1932 but, like his predecessors, did not take office until the following March.[d] After the election, President Hoover sought to convince Roosevelt to renounce much of his campaign platform and to endorse the Hoover administration's policies.[143] Roosevelt refused Hoover's request to develop a joint program to stop the downward economic spiral, claiming that it would tie his hands and that Hoover had all the power to act if necessary.[144] The economy spiraled downward until the banking system began a complete nationwide shutdown as Hoover's term ended.[145] Roosevelt used the transition period to select the personnel for his incoming administration, and he chose Howe as his chief of staff, Farley as Postmaster General, and Frances Perkins as Secretary of Labor. William H. Woodin, a Republican industrialist close to Roosevelt, was the choice for Secretary of the Treasury, while Roosevelt chose Senator Cordell Hull of Tennessee as Secretary of State. Harold L. Ickes and Henry A. Wallace, two progressive Republicans, were selected for the roles of Secretary of the Interior and Secretary of Agriculture, respectively.[146] In February 1933, Roosevelt escaped an assassination attempt by Giuseppe Zangara, who expressed a "hate for all rulers." Attempting to shoot Roosevelt, Zangara instead mortally wounded Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak, who was sitting alongside Roosevelt.[147][148]

Roosevelt appointed powerful men to top positions but made all the major decisions, regardless of delays, inefficiency or resentment. Analyzing the president's administrative style, historian James MacGregor Burns... 

From Wikipedia

FDR Presidency  

"Johnson's presidency took place during a healthy economy, with steady growth and low unemployment. Regarding the rest of the world, there were no serious controversies with major countries. Attention, therefore, focused on domestic policy, and, after 1966, on the Vietnam War." 

From Wikipedia

LBJ Presidency  

"Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also referred to by his initials RFK or by the nickname Bobby,[1][2] was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. Senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in June 1968. He was, like his brothers John and Edward, a prominent member of the Democratic Party and has come to be viewed by some historians as an icon of modern American liberalism." 

From Wikipedia

RFK 

Barack Obama Presidency  

"The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president took place on January 20, 2009. In his first few days in office, Obama issued executive orders and presidential memoranda directing the U.S. military to develop plans to withdraw troops from Iraq.[220] He ordered the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp,[221] but Congress prevented the closure by refusing to appropriate the required funds[222][223][224] and preventing moving any Guantanamo detainee into the U.S. or to other countries.[225] Obama reduced the secrecy given to presidential records.[226] He also revoked President George W. Bush's restoration of President Ronald Reagan's Mexico City policy prohibiting federal aid to international family planning organizations that perform or provide counseling about abortion... 

From Wikipedia 

"Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Minnesota from 1949 to 1964 and 1971 to 1978. As a senator he was a major leader of modern liberalism in the United States. As President Lyndon Johnson's vice president, he supported the controversial Vietnam War. An intensely divided Democratic Party nominated him in the 1968 presidential election. He lost the election to Republican nominee Richard Nixon." 

From Wikipedia

Hubert H. Humphrey  

"Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (/ˈædleɪ/; February 5, 1900 – July 14, 1965) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat.

Raised in Bloomington, Illinois, Stevenson was a member of the Democratic Party.[1] He served in numerous positions in the federal government during the 1930s and 1940s, including the Agricultural Adjustment Administration, Federal Alcohol Administration, Department of the Navy, and the State Department. In 1945, he served on the committee that created the United Nations, and he was a member of the initial U.S. delegations to the UN. He was the 31st governor of Illinois from 1949 to 1953, and he won the Democratic Party's nomination for president in the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections.

In both the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections, Stevenson was defeated in a landslide by Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower. He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination for a third time at the 1960 Democratic National Convention. After President John F. Kennedy was elected, he appointed Stevenson as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Stevenson served from 1961 until his death in 1965 from a heart attack in London, following a United Nations conference in Switzerland." 

From Wikipedia

Adlai Stevenson 

"Harry S. Truman[b] (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953, succeeding upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt after serving as the 34th vice president. He implemented the Marshall Plan to rebuild the economy of Western Europe and established the Truman Doctrine and NATO to contain communist expansion. He proposed numerous liberal domestic reforms, but few were enacted by the Conservative Coalition that dominated Congress.

Truman grew up in Independence, Missouri, and during World War I fought in France as a captain in the Field Artillery. Returning home, he opened a haberdashery in Kansas City, Missouri, and was later elected as a Jackson County official in 1922. Truman was elected to the United States Senate from Missouri in 1934 and gained national prominence as chairman of the Truman Committee, which was aimed at reducing waste and inefficiency in wartime contracts. Soon after succeeding to the presidency, he authorized the first and only use of nuclear weapons in war. Truman's administration engaged in an internationalist foreign policy and renounced isolationism. He rallied his New Deal coalition during the 1948 presidential election and won a surprise victory that secured his own presidential term." 

From Wikipedia

Harry S. Truman Presidency