Politics in Stereo

Western culture prefers to simplify things into two opposing camps, black and white/red or blue/liberal or conservative/left or right. American politics have long been divided into two major parties, and I find this to be one of the most indicative signs of the trend I mentioned above. As an exercise with that thought in mind, I ask my readers, meager handful as they may be, to discuss one of these two topics.

Please do your best to prove either (or both):

• How American Liberalism is essentially REgressive.
• How American Conservatism is essentially PROgressive.

What I'm looking for is the historical view looking back, and the outlooks looking forward. As an analogous perspsective, consider Disraeli and Gladstone how the philosophies they embodied served Britain for good or bad. To keep people on the same page, please discuss the overall (macro) view and then choose one or two (micro) points to exemplify.

I consider these points to be counter-factual in reality, but that is my opinion. Even if I get no responses, you must realize that I plan on being a history professor. I think it is a natural fit for me.