What is Patriotism?

Wait. Stop. Silence the sound of snare drums in your head. Put away the image of a bald eagle. Place to the side, for one just one moment, the American flag. This country was not founded to protect the bald eagle. It was not founded to defend the snare drum. And the American flag in its fully modern form has not been in existence for even half a century.

The snare drums, the bald eagle, the American flag are not what defines patriotism. They are symbols meant to allude to an abiding loyalty to something more fundamental than a drum, a bird or a piece of cloth. But loyalty to what?

Every President, every member of the United States Senate, every member of the House of Representatives takes a binding Oath of Office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

Not to support and defend the people. All the people living in the United States of America are going to die sooner or later; there’s no defense against that. The United States of America is not defined by its particular people, since they come and go.

Not to support and defend the land lying within the borders of this country. The land itself has been here for billions of years, and will go on for billions of years more with or without the help of Presidents, Senators and Representatives. The United States of America has not been consistently defined by its borders; they have changed in the past and may change again in the future without changing the central character that defines America and American patriotism.

The Constitution of the United States. Every President, Senator, and Representative swears a solemn oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution of the United States is the test of patriotism. It defines America. It presents the central ideas of Americanism. Love of this nation, and patriotic defense of this nation, are built around the founding document of our constitution.

It is this aim -- the support and defense of the United States Constitution -- that Progressive Patriots is organized to pursue.

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• Proof Progressive States Are Better Educated Than Right Wing States

Electing a progressive President in 2008 is the educated thing to do. That’s not just my opinion. I’ve got...


• Progressive States Offer Better Life Than Right Wing States

Two years after the 2004 election, how are the pro-Kerry and pro-Bush states faring? On a variety of measures, it seems...


• Environmental Self-Responsibility and the 2008 Election

Real moral values don’t have to do with abstract ideas about invisible supernatural beings, or adherence to rules ...


• Who is Henry Waxman Trying to Protect?

In a refrain that is becoming all-too common from the incoming Democratic leadership in Congress, Congressman Henry Waxm...


• 2008 Reasons List Reaches Two Percent of Target

Here at Irregular Times, we have made a solemn pledge. We have promised to compile a list of 2008 reasons to elect a pr...


• Why Does Your Rubber Band Ball Hate America?

Oh, for Pete’s sake! Homeland Security agents kept a guy in jail for twelve hours… and for what? For carry...


• Congressional Republicans Declare They Won’t Do Their Jobs

The right-wing politicians in control of the 109th Congress had a job. It’s a duty they as members of Congress we...


• Vote Progressive 2008: Past Performance Predicts Future Success

How can the United States of America extricate itself from Iraq in a manner that harms the American and Iraqi prospects ...


• October Was Iraq’s September 11 And More

According to the United Nations, 3,709 Iraqi civilians were killed during the month of October 16.. That’s hundre...


• Donald Rumsfeld Approved Violating Geneva Conventions

It ought to be the big news of the day, but I’m afraid that it may well be regarded with an indifferent sniff by t...


• Right Wingers Have Moral Values. They’re Just The Wrong Values.

The moral difference between right wingers and progressives was illustrated by comments made by Religious Right activist...


• Irregular Times reaches 50 reasons for a progressive President in 2008

As of today, we here at Irregular Times have collected 50 reasons to elect a progressive President in 2008. Actually, w...


• Elect a Progressive President for Dwindling Species, For Ourselves

Reason #56 to Elect a Progressive President in 2008: Our current regressive president, George W. Bush, has done his best...


• Fingerprint Debacle Shows Why We Need A Progressive White House

Progressives understand that basic rights like the freedom from self-incrimination and the right to a fair and speedy tr...


• When Right-Wingers Tell You What They Really Think

Why vote for a progressive president in 2008? Because the allies of our regressive president are really, really, really...


• USA Moves From Individual Rights Toward Nationalism

Progressives believe that the direction American history should be one of increasing individual rights. We agree with d...


• Does Our Government Stand With Hitler?

Earlier today, I wrote in praise of those who promote the cause of individual freedom, against the nationalist vision co...


• Don't Vote for the One that Can Win. Follow Your Dreams and Your Dreams Can Win.

The 2008 elections are almost two years away, but now is the time when the stage is being set upon which a limited numbe...


• Progressive Values: Do Not Waste Human Life

Mother Davis brings us reason #68 to vote for a progressive President in 2008 as she writes, Progressives favor using hu...


• Up Or Down Vote Fantasyland Whine By Bush

Over the last few years, the Republicans have stretched the phrase “up or down vote” so far that it has defo...


• Hillary Clinton Approved Oil Drilling in Sensitive Coastal Waters

Most news outlets treat the contest for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 as some kind of competition betwe...


• Republicans Won’t Allow Unwed Mothers to Get Married

Dick Cheney’s daughter, Mary, is unmarried and pregnant, and doesn’t even know who the father of the child i...


• Americans Fight For Theocracy in Iraq

Reason 76 to elect a progressive President in 2008: Progressives support freedom of religion for everyone, everywhere. ...


• Elect a Progressive to Prevent Attacks on Women’s Rights Overseas

While many American right wingers value women who are silent and subservient, progressives have a different kind of mora...


• American Citizens Have to Bring American Government Under Control, Annan Says

Reason number 78 to elect a progressive President: The right wing has led the USA into a position in which we Americans ...


• American Conservative: We Need a Pinochet for Iraq

What does an American conservative do when the war of choice he supported goes badly? Read Jonah Goldberg’s lates...


• Progressives Oppose the Human Sacrifice Ritual of Execution

One essential difference between progressives and non-progressives is that progressives don’t believe in the magic...


• Control Schistosomiasis With Peace Dividend

As America begins to consider which candidate to elect as its new President in 2008, it’s important to consider ho...


• Iranian Adventurism From Washington and Tehran

When I first read the right wing news outlet Fox News headline, “Cheney: US Will Work With Allies to Prevent Irani...


• Racist Attacks Against Barack Obama Began Straightaway

It took only 31 minutes for the Republicans to start the racist attacks against Barack Obama. At 7:27 PM, January 15, 2...


• Iraq Thugocracy Shows Need for Progressive President

Reason #95 out of 2008 to elect a progressive President in 2008 is simple: When even Republican columnist George Will ac...


• The One Thing Republicans Won’t Listen To

During a press conference in January of 2007, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow declared that “the President h...


• We Reach 101 Reasons to Elect A Progressive President

This morning, the team of Irregular Times writers reached a milestone, writing the 101st reason to elect a progressive P...


• Reason #103: Think Of Nader

Reason #103 to Vote for a Progressive President in 2008: Share This ...


• Black Crosses Exist in Reality of War

Yesterday, reporters Dahr Jamail and Ali al-Fadhily released an article discussing claims that the American war in Iraq ...


• Being Christian Isn’t Enough For Right Wing Nuts

America’s right wingers start with the demand that no one except a member of their chosen religion, Christianity, ...


• Vote Progressive for the Lakes

Voters in Alaska, if you need a reason to elect a progressive President in 2008, consider what right wing politics has d...


• Unity08: A Summation (Reason #112 to Vote for a Progressive President)

Reason #112 to vote for a real progressive president in 2008: Because there are people out there trying to fool you by f...


• Alaska Suffers From our Lack of Progressive Political Vision

The Green Man wrote a few days ago about the drying up of Alaskan lakes, connecting this change to global warming and as...


• School Performance, Highways and Asthma

One of the most basic requirements for being successful in school is actually showing up for school. Overcoming poor sc...


• Run and Vote Progressive in 2008

If you believe in the value of physical exercise, that’s a good reason to support a progressive presidential candi...


• Senator Clinton, Supine

Why vote for a progressive candidate for president in 2008? Because if you don’t vote for someone whose politics ...


• Scientists Report Government Intimidation on Climate

Reported today: When the Union of Concerned Scientists issued surveys to 1,600 climate scientists within the federal gov...


• FBI Sweeping Up Records Of Your Activity Online Without a Warrant

The FBI appears to have adopted an invasive Internet surveillance technique that collects far more data on innocent Amer...


• A Thousand Year Rain

If we don’t elect a progressive President in 2008, we might well have a rain that lasts one thousand years. No, I ...


• 220,000 Pounds of Sulfuric Acid Released

Early this morning, I happened upon two good reasons to elect a progressive President in 2008. Taken together, these tw...


• Peace Trumps Money

President George W. Bush himself has supplied our next reason in our growing list of reasons to elect a progressive Pres...


• Legal And Illegal For Americans in Cuba

What is Illegal for Americans in Cuba: It is illegal for Americans to travel to Cuba without the permission of the Unite...


• Fake Marriages Are Not Terrorism

The Bush White House has tried to keep Americans as hyped up about the threat of terrorist attack as much as possible. ...


• Feingold Offers End to Death Penalty. Why No Takers?

In 2006, many Americans assumed that, if enough Democrats were elected to establish majority control over both houses of...




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• GOP Senators Outdo Presidential Democrats On Data Mining

Over the last few years, we’ve done our best to follow the flood of information about the Bush Administration̵...


• News Flash: Republicans Don’t Like Gay People!

The tongues wagged with the veneer of outrage: why, Ann Coulter called John Edwards a faggot! Who would have thought we...


• Don’t Disappoint the Republicans. Vote Progressive in 2008!

In a letter to supporters of the Republican National Committee, Chairman Mike Duncan accused liberal Democrats of being ...


• 9 Soliders Can’t Tell You How Well McCain’s Escalation is Working

There was a surge in the Iraq War yesterday, a surge of death. First, a bomb blew up in a book market in Baghdad, killin...


• Iraqi Torture Chambers Not A Thing Of The Past

The hype about Iraq: “People are no longer disappearing into political prisons, torture chambers, and mass graves&...


• Bush Pushes to Keep Citizens Away from Supreme Court

If you still need another reason to vote progressive in 2008, consider what our current non-progressive administration i...


• Senate Presidential Candidates Failing on Cluster Bombs

Almost a month ago now, Senator Diane Feinstein introduced S.594, the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2007,...


• Reason #136 to Vote Progressive 2008: Honor And Integrity

Need another reason to vote Progressive in 2008? Let’s make it simple. Two sentences: 1. “I will restore ...


• Progressives Address Pollution and International Trade

One of the most fundamental differences between progressives and right wingers is that progressives recognize the proble...


• A progressive vision: Less work, cleaner air.

Compare the difference between the right wing vision for work and the environment and the progressive vision for work an...


• Avoid Principle for Pragmatic Politics and You Get Lieberman

An important reason to vote progressive in the 2008 elections, and not along a partisan Democratic line, is that if you ...


• Warmest Winter Weather Warns of Worse

It will be spring in a few days, but in the world of climatology, winter is measured in terms of calendar months: Decemb...


• Peace Through Strength?

Republican Presidential Candidate Duncan Hunter is running on the basis of his ties with companies that profit from war...


• McCain Condom Remarks Show Peril of So-Called Moderate Vote

If you’re thinking of voting for a “moderate” ticket in 2008 rather than for a progressive ticket, you...


• Tom Tancredo Coddles Criminals

Congressman Tom Tancredo has a habit of being bizarre. A couple of years ago, he latched onto a kooky conspiracy theory...


• Rivers Wither Under Right Wing Stewardship

Under the stewardship of right wingers, development has been relatively unchecked, pursued without sensible restrictions...


• Rove will talk, but won’t promise to be honest.

The disdainful attitude Republican politicians have toward the American people was shown in its plain ugliness today, wh...


• In the 1980s and 1990s and 2000s, Climate Scientists Were Right About Global Warming

Reading a 2006 article from the CBC this morning, I came across a confirmation of the old science by the new science. A...


• 150 Reasons to Elect a Progressive President Reached

As of this afternoon, we have reached the mark of 150 reasons to elect a progressive President in 2008. We’re at ...


• Bush, Cheney, Gonzales Fear American Legal Standards

This weekend brings the surprising news that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice ha...


• McCain Cowers As Soldiers Get Killed

Yesterday, Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain went to Iraq to try to justify his support for an escal...


• The Real Giuliani Comes Out

Rudolph Giuliani is a powerful political insider with connections deep in the heart of the Republican Party. He knows l...


• British Soldiers in Iran Expose Guantanamo Sham

After they were released from Iranian custody, 15 British soldiers contradicted their earlier televised confessions of h...


• Senate Democrats Wimp Out on Iraq

I should have known that it was too good to last. Just when we saw Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid team up with Senat...


• Massive Protests Against USA In Iraq

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the Iraqi city of Najaf today to demand that the United States take its sold...


• Remember Frederick Douglass and Education

Frederick Douglass was a man who was forced to break the rules of society in order to obtain an education. So, when he ...


• Gingrich Admits His Leadership Failed

One more reason to elect a progressive President in 2008: Yesterday, in a debate with John Kerry, former Speaker of the ...


• Bush Restored Dishonor and Lack of Integrity With Paul Wolfowitz

On Halloween Day back in the year 2000, the Dallas Morning News proclaimed, “Bush will restore honor and integrity...


• USA Allows Thousands of Endangered Turtles Killed

If the federal government of the United States of America allows tens of thousands of animals that are listed as endange...


• Research: Abstinence-Only Education Has No Effect

I love reading research results that are published on Fridays, because you know the results aren’t what the people...


• Of Osprey and the Osprey

Right wingers accuse environmentalists of valuing the welfare of animals over the welfare of people. It’s a concl...


• Newt Gingrich Gets Spacey

I don’t like right wing ideology, but that doesn’t mean I refuse to read what right wingers have to say abou...


• Gingrich Republicans: Don’t Doubt, Just Say Yes.

Newt Gingrich likes to portray himself as a thinking Republican, someone who studies the situation and comes up with int...


• Rudolph Giuliani Goes Radical With Robertson

Republicans often try to convince the rest of us that Rudolph Giuliani would be an acceptable presidential candidate for...


• France Warned of Coming Attack. Bush Did Nothing.

While the mainstream news media were busy hyperventilating over an isolated, idiosyncratic incident of violence this wee...