As a progressive Republican, I want to work with Democrats — but this partisan impeachment makes it hard

Progressives like me believe in the same things many of our Democratic colleagues believe in, and want to reach across the aisle, writes Josh Eisen. A nation that has the luxury and time for impeachment might have too much time

Progressivism in the United States today is defined by political partisanship, and has wrongly become synonymous with a a single party. The reality is that true progress requires disparate groups to come together in honest debate. At a time when members of one party have co-opted “progressivism”, let us recall that the successful progressive movement of the early twentieth century started with Theodore Roosevelt, a Republican, and ended with Woodrow Wilson, a Democrat.

As a progressive Republican in New York, that issue is close to my heart.

Progressives agree that in the United States nobody should lack food, housing, education or healthcare. At the same time, an essential American ideal is the freedom to aspire for choice in all areas of life and the ability to achieve it through hard work and innovation. While both sides might agree on a forward-looking initiative, they may seek to achieve it in different ways.

Progressives do not easily disqualify individuals. We look for the common ground. We are happy to work with members of the other party on matters that are beneficial for the local constituents they represent. And we are eager to work with anyone who shares a vision for a future in which the United States is a global leader, never subject to the values of other countries and their leaders.

A progressive Republican like me knows that aspiration flows from capitalist forces that unleash incentive, growth and progress. Republicans know that only American-style wealth allows us to talk about food, healthcare, education and housing as human rights. American-style wealth only exists where there is American-style democracy. As a nation, we were the first progressives, revolting against monarchy and embracing democracy. The United States served as a model for other nations with respect to democracy in the nineteenth century. Then, in the twentieth century, we funded and facilitated successful democracies in Europe and around the world.

The socialist twitch in Europe would not have been made possible without American intervention in the Second World War, and continued American funding and protection through the end of the century. Republican progressives reject the notion that American-subsidized European socialism is a relevant model for our country.

As progressive Republicans, we appreciate the potential impact that laws and legal systems have in the lives of people. We believe that the law distinguishes us from animals, facilitating peaceful resolution. And progressive Republicans want law to err on the side of compassion. It is not a weapon to be wielded by for-profit lawyers. We support strong enforcement of laws meant to curb prosecutorial misconduct, and legislation where it is not enough. We also support reforms that reduce legal fees and that compel lawyers to work in their clients’ legal and financial interests.

We want to craft government so that it is compatible with our most ambitious plans for the future — and that involves rethinking our federal agencies and bureaus. We cannot wait until the markets compel governmental change, or until it is too late. There are certain areas where markets are paralyzed and where government must take the lead in order for investments to follow. Consider twentieth-century federal regulation, the type which even the most conservative people would agree is necessary. Without air traffic control, commercial airliners would not be possible. Without government regulation of radio frequencies, there is no investment in broadcast radio, television, cellular phones and satellites.

The Republican brand of progressivism is aspirational and seeks to limit government growth and intervention. We value the role unions have played in the creation of the modern middle class, the kind all countries seek to develop. We are sensitive to the manner in which unchecked greed disincentivizes labor and can create painful economic cycles that are not in the national interest.

Progressive Republicans see a role for American unions in trade negotiations. The USMCA agreement is held up precisely over the issue of how labor is treated and financially undercut in Mexico. Rather than create new government bureaus to monitor labor conditions, progressive Republicans like me want our unions and workers to teach Mexican workers how to organize. When they do so, the playing field will level. This is a valuable tool for trade negotiations with other countries.

Even as news of an impeachment vote breaks across our country, I don’t believe in a partisan environment where Republicans and Democrats refuse to work across the aisle. We can come together in crisis. We can come together in prosperity. We can come together now.

A nation that has the luxury and time for impeachment might have too much time. Strong economies and sickening partisanship produced pointless impeachment proceedings in the nineties and again today. But during the best economic times, we should pursue progress instead of each other. I am ready to engage Democrats in the sanctified battle for America’s future, progress and for the mantle of progressivism itself. And I’m also ready to share it.

Dr Josh Eisen is the Congressional Candidate for New York’s 17th District