Campus Progress, the Center for American Progress, and many of the new elements of the new progressive movement have adopted that term -- progressive -- rather than liberalism as the descriptor of their ideological orientation. Many seem to adopt progressive simply because it polls and focus groups better than "liberal" That fact itself is not particularly surprising, as the right-wing has for years now treated "liberal" as if it were spelled with four letters.

I like the term "progressive" for another reason; it more accurately describes the movement. Classical liberalism -- or for that matter the difference between libertarianism and communitarianism -- have little to do with the political divisions in America today. George Lakoff has offered an alternate, more explanatory division between "strict father" and "nurturant parent" models of political values. However, nurturant parents does not offer a particularly compelling label. Instead, I think progressive best defines the current movement. We see government as a way to positively improve people's lives, but at the same time not hinder their basic rights. The opposite of progressive actually is conservative as we know now the term (or perhaps regressive, but I suppose that's hoping for two much).

For me, to be progressive is to support a true American community in the fullest sense of the word. We are a commonwealth, we are neighbors, and we have responsibilities to one another that are in part exercised through a responsive, responsible government. As a community, we must that defend the public trust, protect the vulnerable, preserve the righs of our individual members, and expand prosperity for all. Such a view seems to me to be not purely liberal and certainly not conservative. Hence, I choose "progressive."

What about you?