Elizabeth Campbell’s refutation, July 5 letter, “Advancements due to progressives,” of Carolyn Crain’s June 26 letter, “Disappointed with representation,” equating the Progressive movement to the Communist Party, demonstrates a selective understanding of American history.
The Communist Party USA was formed in 1919. Its leaders worked closely with the Progressive Party leadership, and the two groups had similar goals and party platforms.
Campbell’s refutation includes a list of “advancements” included in the Progressive platform. The list includes women’s suffrage, labor issues, social security, medicare, public schools, federal income tax, regulation of interstate commerce and of the financial markets, etc. These “advancements” are now law in the U.S.
All but three of these new laws are unconstitutional because they are not powers granted to the federal government (Article 1, Sec 8, U.S. Constitution). Women’s suffrage and the income tax were enacted as constitutional amendments, and the regulation of interstate commerce is a grievous over-interpretation of the founders’ intent. The rest of these issues should have been dealt with at the state level (10th Amendment). Why does this matter? The chains that restrain government power to allow for individual liberty, which is the gift to us from the Founding Fathers, have been broken. So is it “advancements” or a loss of individual rights?
