The American political system is currently set up such that destruction is far easier than creation. But the current debt crisis shows that destruction is far easier than even maintenance of the status quo.

To do anything positive, like creating public health care requires the President, the House and 60 votes in the Senate. To shut down government or refuse to raise the debt only requires control of one chamber (or potentially the Presidency if a veto can not be overridden). And apparently it only takes a dedicated core group of supporters equal to or greater than difference in members between the majority and minority party in the House (like the Tea party congressmen) to block action, which translates into destruction. Blocking action (such as raising the debt ceiling) by conservatives threatens the progresssive safety net, and the Tea Partiers are on the verge of "victories" that will destroy the American safety net.

The threat of utter destruction associated with failure to raise the debt ceiling or a shutdown can be used to destroy valuable government social programs, research, regulations etc. So if the new conservatives are anti-government anarchists, as the teapartiers seem to be they have all of advantage of the system on their side.

This is not a system where it will be easy to do anything progressive. Now it looks likes its a system where it is difficult to even maintain progressive policies already in effect for years.

The road to any new progressive legislation appears to be a daunting one. The only hope is that progressive thought is able to vanquish that of the conservatives in public discourse. It does not seem to be happening though. Quite the reverse, as conservative talk radio and Fox and friends seem to dominate. I think the future of progressivism and the USA itself may lie in our ability to wield influence over the public. Only question is how best to do it? I am not sure sites like DU and Kos are the answer. Books? Films? Youtube?

However, the road to maintaining progressive legislation like Medicare or SS requires the invocation of powerful pro-safety net public feeling and outrage over its possible dismantling. This requires all of us and especially our political leaders to publicly defend the safety net in the strongest terms possible.