Governors and the Progressive Movement; Author David Berman to speak at Changing Hands Tempe on Thursday, September 19

On June 28, 2019, I posted a review of Morrison Institute senior research fellow David Berman's latest book, Governors and the Progressive Movement.

On Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 7pm (Mountain Standard Time), Professor Berman will present his book and then sign copies of it at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe.

From my June 28, 2019 review,

Arizona State University professor emeritus of Political Science and Morrison Institute for Public Policy senior research fellow David Berman has contributed an important book that those wanting to learn lessons from the Progressive Movement [1890s - 1920s] will want to devour.

Berman explores the balance of states' rights and the centralized federal government. With more of a focus on the chief executives of state governments, covering each state in the Union at the time.

Berman tells us what they did.

...Populists and, later, the Progressives, moved away from laissez-faire, individualism, and limited government and generally took the position that poverty was the product of conditions over which the poor had no control or, borrowing from the Populists, that the poor were that way because the rich were stealing from them. [William Jennings] Bryan sought to bring the good life to all people, not simply the privileged. He pledged to break up the monopolies, regulate or nationalize the railroads, democratize the political system so that the common people could rule, and shift more of the costs of government to those who could afford to pay. (p 21)

Today, in the our country, the Occupant of the White House is the antithesis of this ideal. His dominant ideology -- other than complete chaos -- is radical reactionary politics to steal, kill and destroy* anything and everything good accomplished toward the ends Berman cited above. Not coincidentally, most such things were instituted by Democratic presidents as well as Eisenhower and Nixon. Republican presiders Reagan, and both Bushes, took a different approach. Trump has amplified reactionary politics to tragic heights.

Ironically, Trump gained power by co-opting and/or highjacking Evangelical Christianity (more fairly characterized as Dominionism or Christian Nationalism) with brazen demagoguery. To that end he promised economic populism but wouldn't know what that really means if it bit him on the ass.

There are two Democratic candidates for that high office today who DO embrace a Progressive economic vision for America. But that's not the subject of Berman's talk this week.

* John 10:10 (NIV) says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Is the current Occupant a thief? Or even a crook and a cheat? But I digress.

Please join me at Changing Hands in Tempe on Thursday. Then on Friday, join me at the Phoenix Youth Climate Strike and March to the State Capitol. This time youth will be joined by adults.