Conservatives have basic beliefs; Progressives believe what ever suits the need of the moment.
Conservatives hold to these principles:
- rule of law
- private property
- free market
- individual responsibility
- small government
Progressives seem to have principles. However, they abandon them at the drop of a hat if it serves their purpose at the moment. For example, they will complain about “expanding the deficit” is such an argument advances their particular agenda item of the moment.
Or they will sacrifice any belief when trumped by a greater belief. So there in fact are some underlying principles that Progressives adhere to, no matter what. These principles seem to be the following:
- redistribution of wealth
- increased control of people by the government
I have never seen these two principles of Progressives abandoned. However, for every prinipal of “social justice”, “fairness”, “equal rights”, “environmentalism”, or anything else, you can find blatant examples of Progressives who throw that principle under the bus, when it conflicts with the two basic principals named.
In other words, I am saying that the Progressive cause of the day is a smoke-screen, a distraction, a deception, which serves to hide their true agenda.