"Progress" under "Progressives"

Liberals have rebadged themselves in the last few years as "Progressives", hoping to shed the negativity of the old image and present themselves as forward-thinking modernists. Even the online dictionary notes it as such:

Progressive: favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are, esp. in political matters: a progressive mayor.

-making progress toward better conditions; employing or advocating more enlightened or liberal ideas, new or experimental methods, etc.: a progressive community.

But why is it that these so-called "enlightened" states are in such social, moral, and fiscal disarry? Think California, New Jersey...think Michigan.

Michigan. Once a wealthy state, before the liberals and the unions took it over lock, stock, and barrel under the mantle of Progressive leadership (see definition above). And where does this type of leadership seem to take us? Forward, based on their name? Or backwards, based on their methods and results?

Presented without further comment:

Some Michigan counties have turned a few once-paved rural roads back to gravel to save money.

More than 20 of the state's 83 counties have reverted deteriorating paved roads to gravel in the last few years, according to the County Road Association of Michigan. The counties are struggling with their budgets because tax revenues have declined in the lingering recession.

Montcalm County converted nearly 10 miles of primary road to gravel this spring...Reverting to gravel has happened in a few other states but it is most typical in Michigan. At least 50 miles have been reverted in the state in the past three years.

What next, horse & buggy?

I don't think "progressive" means what these guys think it means. Unless, of course, Orwell was right....