Who's the most liberal/progressive politician in U.S. History?

Just curious what DU would have to say on this subject.

please add names too - I know I'm leaving out a lot of people here.

Wasn't Huey Long more "progressive" (as well as corrupt along some measurements) than most on that list?

did he write "you are my sunshine" too?

He did write this about his Share Our Wealth program when he planned to run in 1936 (published after death):



http://www.ssa.gov/history/hueywhouse.html

Ive read various accounts of his influence, and some suggestions that his populists leftist movement significantly forced FDR to veer left (meaning he was probably far more progressive that FDR in policy)

Excerpts From Huey Long's "Second Autobiography"

Chapter 5-
Wherein The Masters Of Finance Are Ours

"THE National Share Our Wealth Committee is ready to report its plan for decentralizing great wealth, Mr. President."

This statement by my secretary thrilled me. It was made only a fortnight after my appointment of the National Share Our Wealth Committee under the Chairmanship of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

"That's wonderful news," I exclaimed. "Those multi-millionaires have a patriotic streak in them, after all."

"Mr. Rockefeller's secretary just telephoned me, seeking an appointment," my secretary informed me. "He can be down here tonight."

"Fine," I said. "Any time he arrives, have him come in by the east entrance again. Tell him to bring along as many members of the committee as he wishes."

Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Mr. Andrew W. Mellon, Mr. Owen D. Young, Mr. Charles M. Schwab, Mr. Bernard Baruch, and Mr. Winthrop W. Aldrich arrived at the White House about nine-thirty that night. After exchanging greetings, Mr. Rockefeller said:

"I am privileged, Mr. President, to report that your National Share Our Wealth Committee has decided on a plan for the redistribution of wealth. Our committee was unanimous in its conclusions. We have prepared a report recommending the enactment of this particular plan, if you persist in your present intention to have Congress impose a capital levy, seizing all fortunes in excess of five million dollars. We do not render any findings upon the constitutionality of either the capital levy or the operation of this plan. Our lawyers have prepared a separate brief demonstrating the constitutionality of this plan of redistribution of wealth. It is with real pleasure, Mr. President, that I now hand you our complete report."

he was from Louisiana.

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<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmie_Davis>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huey_Long

Long created the Share Our Wealth program in 1934, with the motto "Every Man a King", proposing new wealth redistribution measures in the form of a net asset tax on corporations and individuals to curb the poverty and crime resulting from the Great Depression. To stimulate the economy, Long advocated federal spending on public works, public education, old age pensions and other social programs. He was an ardent critic of the Federal Reserve System's policies to reduce lending. Charismatic and immensely popular for his social reform programs and willingness to take forceful action, Long was accused by his opponents of dictatorial tendencies for his near-total control of the state government.

Voted for Chisholm, but it was tough.
:kick:

He was way ahead of his time back in the day.

Paine, Patrick Henry, and all those other guys.

Demanding representation for taxation?

All men created equal? (even though they didn't do it the way they should have, for fuck's sake, they went with it!)

Government of and by the people?

No kings, no divinely ordained leadership (or automatic familial/aristocratic leadership), limited terms of service and elected representatives?

The right of every person to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? (even though imperfectly implemented)

Separation of church and state, so that the state can run on rational discourse, logic, science, as hammered out by debate and consensus of the elected officials and the governed?

this country was founded by, and meant to be, liberal and progressive. Any of the Reaganesque conservative bullshit is pure fiction in terms of having any link to the intent of the founding fathers.

... and not list Teddy Roosevelt?

only ten spots. he was a bit of a war monger though

William Jennings Bryan. TR stalled much of the progress that could have happened during his Presidency.

Bryant should also be on that list

Debs was probably to the left of Wallace but I doubt he would have called himself a liberal.

The most progressive politician in US history was definitely someone who never came close to winning a Presidential election.

She was the only US legislator in either body to vote against giving the armed forces (CIC Chimp) the authorization to retaliate for 9/11.

She knew where the chimp was heading. That was an extremely courageous vote, considering it was taken on Sept. 14, 2001, only 3 days after the attack.

and received almost 1 million votes in 1920. Talk about courage. Debs spoke truth to power and suffered for it. And the Debs era Socialist Party was no minuscule sect yammering about worker's power to their 100 followers. There were Socialist strongholds across the country with elected mayors, state legislators and hundreds of other office holders. Deb's Socialist Party supported unions and strikes, and union members voted Socialist.

plenty i missed.

welcome to DU.

No liberal ever got more Americans to vote for him.

FDR and LBJ had greater percentages... but as far as raw numbers, Obama's over 60 million votes was the most ever - by any President.

Nobody has mentioned Norman Thomas.

He ran as the Socialist candidate for President several times.

My father voted for President the first time in 1932. He said that the platforms of Hoover and FDR were basically the same, so he voted for Norman Thomas.

And then after FDR was elected, he started to implement all the government programs that were in Thomas' platform.

Norman Thomas was also a Presbyterian minister.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Kucinich

-snip-

Through his various governmental positions and campaigns, Kucinich has attracted attention for consistently delivering "the strongest liberal" perspective.<2> This perspective and his actions, such as bringing articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, and being the only Democratic candidate in the 2008 election to have voted against invading Iraq,<3> has often been in sharp contrast to the more moderate tone the Democratic Party has often adopted.

Kucinich, who never got more than 8% in any Presidential primary during his runs for President, would be a strange choice to be called the "most popular".

This is what I see-"Who's the most liberal/progressive politician in U.S. History?"

he was one of the rich. He had all the advantages while growing up, but yet, he ignored all that and fought like hell for the average American he didn't let his money get in the way.

If the politicians we have today would just have some of his conscience we'd be in a better place than what we are in this country, you better believe it.

thanks

He broke up the big oil trust (we could sure use that today) and IMO was the most Progressive President this country ever had.

:shrug:

His personal "style" notwithstanding, he pushed through some great stuff.