Photo Credit | Library of Congress

Maine’s governor, like half the U.S. Congress and Maine’s Democrat-dominated legislature, calls herself “progressive.” What does that mean? Like other words twisted in Democrat wordplay, it means the opposite of what it sounds like.

The word “progressive” once stood for favoring reform of Europe’s monarchies, a kind of open-mindedness also captured by the word “liberal.” Both words have been changed – or, as liberals like to say, repurposed – to serve darker ends.

“Progressivism” historically began as a push for getting power to the people, not the opposite, not taking power from the people. It began with big ideas like natural law or God-given rights, individual liberties, and constitutional government.

The word began in what historians call the “Age of Enlightenment” or “Age of Reason,” roughly late 1600s to early 1800s, as discoveries were being made, and power was being taken from centralized governments and given to the people. This was all called “progress,” that is forward movement to expand liberty.

But like all good ideas, if not constantly reexamined, the idea of “progressivism” got off track – right about the time Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles started writing books like “The Communist Manifesto,” a philosophical pretzel that essentially says concentrated power – taking rights from individuals – can be good if done right.

Of course, this is he opposite of what the Magna Carta, U.S. Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and all U.S. state constitutions say. They specifically limit power – assuring through constitutional rights – we stay free.

Unfortunately, the original idea that “progress” meant decentralizing government, returning sovereignty to The People, and keeping government out of our lives except when absolutely needed, like for national defense, got gradually distorted.

Communism, or putting government in the hands of a few elites to protect The People, became a horrifying philosophy, no different from ancient tyrannies, modern fascism, and basic ruthless dictatorship, except dressed up as pretty.

From that start came lots of other political perversions, things like socialism, which was described as communism-light, enough government control over the means of production to assure everyone is kept under control, no one gets rich except the political elites, and money is regularly taken from the workers for nonworkers.

When that term wore thin, and people began to catch on, both in Europe and America – although some never did – the manipulative elites decided to swap it for “progressivism,” which harkens to memories of liberty, justice, and advancement.

Only that is not at all what progressivism was – even 50 years ago – and certainly the opposite of what it is today.

Today, “progressivism” means more government power and less left in the hands of the individual. It means accepting top-down dictates and mandates, because the elites know better than average people what is best for them.

It means groupthink, acting with reflexive conformity, like Pavlovian dogs, from fear of the state, not individuality, independent thinking, or courage to speak and act on conscience, faith, reason, and the founding principles of America.

It means allowing federal and state government – even local school boards – into every nook and cranny of our lives, replacing faith in God and liberty with faith in government and social engineering conducted by the elites, those in power.

The bad news is that what people call “progressive” has become, in fact, “regressive,” meaning “returning to a former or lesser state,” not less power concentration but more, not more liberty but less, and economically hurting the upwardly mobile, the taxpayers, the people who make life work by hard work.

So, when liberals or leftists, or those in power, tell average people they are “progressive,” do not misunderstand that to mean they are on your side. They are not, unless you want all your life defined by elites in government.

“Progressives” are not for individual liberty, not for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” defined by you, your family, not government; they are for more centralized power, spending, taxing, regulating, mandating, excuses, and corruption.

Final proof? They have twisted language to serve their selfish ends, to take away your choices. Progressives are anti-constitutional…and regressive.

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).