[DiogenesLamp]

This is a huge contradiction that the conservative movement is going to have to resolve. We cannot hold out Progressivism as America’s Cancer then do an about-face and hold out Theodore Roosevelt as the “good progressive” while carving out an exception for him that he did not earn and does not deserve. Calling this a cognitive dissonance is right on the money.

I think it is a mistake to lump Theodore Roosevelt "progressivism" in with modern "progressivism." There are distinct differences between what Teddy did and what modern liberals do.

The Anti-trust stuff he did was necessary. He did a lot of things that needed to be done in way of separating corporations from having so much influence on government, which is pretty much the opposite of what modern liberals do.

[ProgressingAmerica]

It can only be a mistake if there’s no direct line.

But there is a direct line. So the facts dictate our opinions. At least, they dictate mine.