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Comment by imr | Hacker News Reader

These are things that should change, however future generations will only judge us on the ones that progressive politicians are able to legislate away. The rest will be just as normal for future generations.

The good money is on environmental change. There are already tax incentives and other programs for that. How society treats both the young (education) and old (retirement and end of life decisions) will never change.

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I doubt how we treat the young and the elderly will stop changing. Just look at child labor laws and social security, medicade/care in the US for one example of radical change.

The major changes you mention are from 40+ years ago. Social security is only played with when there is a funding problem on the horizon. I don't see what is changing for the better.

Well sure, but you seem to be scoping your statement down to recent events, in America, and only positive change. Before you were addressing any type of change in society as a whole, in the future. I was merely pointing out the vagaries of such over arching statements.

If we are to consider society as a whole, over time, i think things are moving in a positive direction for the liberties of children and the elderly. It's hard to predict what may or may not change in American legislation in the future, but I doubt it will be "nothing".

Except slavery was not legislated away by progressive politicians. Unless you are using "progressive" in an unusual way.

If "progressive" is a relative term generally taken to mean "gradually advancing in extent" or "favoring or promoting reform". It seems perfectly reasonable to call the extension of freedom to black people a progressive political action for the 1860s. This is in contrast with a "conservative" action of resisting change.

Lincoln was a Republican who favored a policy that was progressive in its time. Progressive Republicans are now an extremely endangered species.

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