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Mike Lux’s Progressive Revolution

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Mike Lux hardly fits the stereotype of a Washington ‘insider.’ The Lincoln native and homegrown activist (he once served as the ‘summer coordinator’ for Nebraskans for Peace) has spent his entire career advocating for the disenfranchised — first as a grassroots organizer, then as a state labor union official and finally as a national political consultant. Now president of “Progressive Strategies” (a Washington-based political consulting firm) and a regular columnist for the Huffington Post, he understands the political realities (and possibilities) better than almost anyone. That hard-won wisdom — gleaned from a lifetime of working for progressive causes — is now available in his first published book, The Progressive Revolution.

The idea for the book, Mike explained at the book’s release in January 2009, grew out of his favorite pastime of reading history. “I kept noticing that the political debates in every historical era sounded remarkably like the ones I was involved in today: the same fights over equality, democracy, voting rights, and trickle-down vs. bottom-up economics have played out over and over again. The Progressive Revolution tells the story of the American political debate between progressive and conservative thinkers, and how when progressives have broken through to create big changes, the country has moved forward and made us proud.”

To place an order for the book, visit the Web site.

Book Synopsis

The next time you hear a conservative accusing progressives (a.k.a. liberals) of being unpatriotic and anti-American, tell them this: “Progressives invented the American ideal and inspired the American Revolution. Conservatives, then known as Tories, opposed it. Since then, every major advancement in American freedom, democracy, social justice, and economic opportunity has been fostered, fought for, and won by progressives against conservative resistance. Now who’s anti-American?”

In The Progressive Revolution, author Michael Lux gives new life to the chapters of American history that conservatives want everyone to forget. He demonstrates clearly that progressives and the progressive movement created American ideals and forged the kind of country in which we want to live, while conservatives, in William F. Buckley’s famous phrase, stood “athwart history yelling ‘Stop’.”

Lux begins by restoring Tom Paine to his rightful place as the inspiration for the American Revolution and reclaiming the Declaration of Independence as a clarion call for progressive democracy that has echoed around the world and through the ages. He goes on to recount the big change moments in American history, from the Bill of Rights through the ending of slavery to the great twentieth-century accomplishments of the Progressive Era, the New Deal, and the civil rights movement. He also documents the conservative backlash that strove to prevent and then reverse each of these expansions of freedom.

This clear and accessible account does more than set the record straight on such great progressive achievements as women’s suffrage, national parks, Social Security, civil rights legislation, and restoring the environment. It builds a platform from which to argue that progressives today continue the centuries-old struggle to improve America and advance the cause of freedom, in contrast to how conservatives have always worked to defend the interests of elites and instill fear of big changes.

Whether you’re a political junkie, an impassioned progressive, a history buff, or a conservative seeking insights on how the other side thinks, The Progressive Revolution will challenge your preconceptions, expand your understanding of American history, and give you plenty of food for thought.

Advance praise for The Progressive Revolution

“Using history as his canvas, Mike Lux illustrates how the progressive movement has made America a far better place, and how the conservatives who have opposed progressive change every step of the way have set our country back time and time again. Passionate and personal, The Progressive Revolution is as inspiring as it is informative.” –Arianna Huffington, founder, HuffingtonPost.com, and bestselling author

“If you’re a progressive like me, you’ll love Mike Lux’s book. He combines a historian’s sweep with a blogger’s punch. His book is essential reading for all of us who believe in progressive change.” –Paul Begala, former counselor to President Bill Clinton, Democratic strategist

“A history of the ongoing battle between those who have fought for equal rights and the common good vs. those who have defended slavery, Jim Crow, and all manner of bad things in the name of preserving tradition is crucial for people to understand. Mike Lux has been a leader in the fight for progressive causes for a long time now, and he tells an important story about the nature of politics in America.” –Donna Brazile, Gore 2000 campaign manager, Democratic strategist

“Mike is unique in being able to bridge the inside and outside in politics. He was the very first insider to notice MoveOn, just days after our first petition in 1998, and really helped us get our footing. And he’s helped countless times since. Mike is that rarest breed: a populist insider. He brings that perspective to The Progressive Revolution, telling the great story of how progressives have given us a better America.” –Wes Boyd, cofounder, MoveOn.org