By Tom Wright
Every few decades, progressivism makes a comeback, only for people to wake up and again vote it to the back shelf. In this cycle, the good people of Europe were first to open the door and let the progressives in, with several countries in South America following and then there is us, the US. Progressivism hopes to improve the human condition through social, and economic reform. It initially arose in Europe during the age of enlightenment, they claim, an age of increased civility, which gave us two world wars.
Today, progressivism is a left-leaning social liberalism, dictated by political reformers and forced on society through governmental, economic and social pressure. It has taken root today in the form of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), critical race theory (CRT) and other social reform movements being advanced by government, business and special interests.
The turn of the 20th century gave rise to the age of progressivism in the US when the political scene was ruled by Republicans. In 1912, after losing the presidential nomination, Theodore Roosevelt left the Republican Party and formed the Bull Moose Party, which was based on his increasing progressive governing principals. Taft won that election. During this period, progressive ideas like compulsive sterilization and eugenics were advanced for the betterment of society.
This month we have seen Canada’s prime minister; Justin Trudeau resign due to falling polls and an impending no confidence vote by Parliament. Unaffordable housing, inflation, public debt and healthcare access were the main reasons Canadians turned away from Trudeau, who admitted Canadians no longer embraced progressivism.
Javier Milei became president of Argentina when consumer spending had fallen 20% and the poverty rate was 52.9%. When he was elected in December of 2023, inflation that month was 25.5%. In October 2024, it dropped to 2.7%. While remaining a social libertarian, Milei’s reforms include firing thousands of government workers, reducing public spending, rebuilding foreign revenues and reversing deep fiscal debt. For now, the day of progressivism in Argentina is over.
Here, at home, Donald Trump has been elected president, for a second term. DOGE promises to cut government waste, reduce the government workforce and introduce an era of common sense and austerity in government, with hiring based on merit. Microsoft, Meta, McDonalds, Ford, Walmart, Amazon, Boeing and Lowes are just a few announcing abandonment of DEI related hiring practices. The investment firm, BlackRock has announced it would no longer profile companies based on their environmental ratings, called environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies and the recent fires in California have raised new concerns over environmental practices which may have provided fuel for the fires and diversity hiring, which may have employed people with inadequate qualifications in disaster management.
Victims of the LA fires are considering the consequences of their state’s progressive policies. Those who were able to buy into the now burned neighborhoods decades back, when they were affordable had seen their home values become a major part of their wealth. Now that they are destroyed, they are scarcely worth insured value. The boom is now a bust and their wealth is measured in ashes. Even those whose houses survived will see their values at fire sale prices.
What does all this have to do with us in New Mexico? Like California, we have a progressive governor and a progressive controlled legislature. We throw money at education, but don’t demand excellence or even moderate scholastic accomplishment from our socially promoted students, many of whom can’t read proficiently. Our kids are trapped in a failing educational system and politicians refuse to open education to competition by approving educational savings accounts, vouchers or school choice.
We have a revolving door for criminals, hoping our leniency will encourage their reform. We impose cost prohibitive regulations on the construction industry and wonder why housing is unaffordable. Politicians are bought by special interest groups to oppose oil and gas production which contributes 40% of our annual state revenue. Instead, our governor is imposing electric vehicle mandates which will only drive buyers to other states and hurt New Mexico car dealers.
Our politicians should be working to improve the lives of New Mexicans by opening the state up to industries who refuse to operate here, due to burdening regulations. They should truthfully consider why healthcare professionals will not work here and it often takes months to get a doctor’s appointment.
If you are wondering why Mr. Trump got reelected, it is because he approached the needs of Americans with common sense not progressivism.
What is our future in New Mexico? When MLG terms out, the two leading Democrat politicians mentioned as her probable successor are both progressives – Martin Heinrich and Deb Haaland.
On the other side, Republicans have not announced anyone interested in the job. God help us!
Tom Wright is a Santa Fe writer and investor in El Rito Media. The opinions expressed are his own.