There has been a change in the direction of the major political parties over the years. But the accepted progenitor of the Progressive movement is Woodrow Wilson. Now that I have gotten that far I wonder if you are caught in the Progressive "trap", equating "Progressive" with progress? They are in no way equivalent!
BTB Woodrow was a democrat.

Quote Originally Posted by SadisticNature View Post
Actually the original Republicans were the progressives. Democrats were the political right. Republicans in the civil-war era were by and large allied with the Whig party on federal government infrastructure spending, while democrats were opposed. Similarly on issues like state rights (Republicans supported a stronger federation, Democrats wanted strength to go to the state governments). Other parallels include regionalization (Democrats controlled a base that is similar in geography to the modern Republican base, and vice versa).

It's only in the 1896 when the pro-business Bourbon Democrats lost control and the party reinvented itself as the party of the left.

You may want to read about the realigning elections of 1896 and 1932 before implying Republican in the civil-war era has ties to Republican now in terms of values and policy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_Democrat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History...publican_Party