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Political Party/527

Progress America

Website:

progressamerica.us/
Spokesman:

Mike Phelan

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Progress America is a left-of-center political organization. It supports left-progressive positions on voting rights, the internet, and economic policy. 1 It is a member and participant of the Action Network, an online organizing hub that brings together left-progressive groups and mobilizes supporters on its platform. 2

Online Presence

Website

Progress America’s website contains only one main webpage, which offers several petitions that visitors can sign, all related to left-leaning issues. 3 There is no information about the organization, its mission, the board members, how to donate, and so forth, as of mid-May 2020. 4

Facebook

The organization has an active Facebook account, with regular comments and posts. The topics, comments, and posts are left-leaning in topic and viewpoint, with articles and information shared that are negative toward Republicans. 5 Progress America has used the Coronavirus pandemic as a reason to advocate for government-run healthcare. 6

Through Progress America’s Facebook page, it posts criticism of President Donald Trump, as the group often posts inflammatory comments and insults toward the president. 7 In a May 2020 post, Progress America referred to President Donald Trump’s actions as “criminal” regarding the Coronavirus pandemic. 8 The group openly criticizes President Donald Trump about his response to the Coronavirus pandemic using the hashtag #OurLivesOnTheLine, claiming the president has endangered Americans. 9

Progress America posted praise for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), a left-wing Democrat from New York, for her help raising money for Masks for America, a project by Social Security Works, during the Coronavirus pandemic. 10

Twitter

Progress America’s Twitter account is active with Mike Phelan, spokesman for Progress America, handling all the posts and retweets. On multiple occasions, Progress America and Mike Phelan have retweeted comments, information, and links shared by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. 11 Mike Phelan Twitter posts contain foul language, encourage abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and use derogatory comments in relation to the Republican Party. 12 Mike Phelan and Progress America also post information about impeaching President Donald Trump. 13

Online Petitions

Using the site Unity Feed, a comment and post-sharing site, Mike Phelan posted a petition to Congress to stop President Donald Trump’s use of the Patriot Act. Mike Phelan claims that the Patriot Act disproportionally targets communities of color and immigrants. 14

Progress America uses its website, which is only one page, to encourage visitors to sign various petitions focused on left-leaning progressive issues. As of May 2020, there were nine active petitions on its website: We Need a Green New Deal; Demand Mitch McConnell Allow a Vote to Restore Net Neutrality; Sign Now: Demand Congress Rein In the Abuses of the Greedy Pharmaceutical Industry; Sign the Petition: Demand the DNC Discuss Racial Justice Policies in the Presidential Debates; Tell the FEC: Oppose the Latest Pharma Merger; Sign the Petition: End Wasteful Military Spending; Sign the Petition: We Must Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment! Only One More State is Needed – Virginia Must Vote Yes!; Sign the Petition: Make DC the 51st State with 51 Senate Votes; and Sign the Petition: Revoke the NRA’s Tax-exempt Status. 15

Phelan alleged in an article that Attorney General William Barr lied under oath to Congress and encouraged readers of the Ashville Progressive, a left-leaning online publication, to sign a petition stating, “Attorney General William Barr has got to go.” Mike Phelan has accused President Donald Trump of being “lawless.” 16

Michael Phelan

Michael Phelan is the deputy director at Social Security Works and also handles all publicity and information published for Progress America. 17 Social Security Works is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization that lobbies for left-of-center policy reforms related to Social Security, with funding from the Open Society Foundations, the Retirement Research Foundation, CREDO, and the Civic Participation Action Fund. 18 Progress America’s social media posts and comments support and praise Social Security Works and its efforts with its project, Masks for America. 19 Through various social media posts, Progress America has encouraged its followers to donate and contribute to Masks for America. 20

References

  1. Fundraising. Progress America – The Action Network. Accessed May 13, 2020.
  2. Groups – Progress America. The Action Network. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://actionnetwork.org/groups/progress-america
  3. Homepage. Progress America. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://progressamerica.us/
  4. Homepage. Progress America. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://progressamerica.us/
  5. Progress America. Facebook. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ProgressAmericaUSA/posts/?ref=page_internal
  6. Progress America. Facebook. Post from April 30, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ProgressAmericaUSA/posts/?ref=page_internal
  7. Progress America. Facebook. Post from March 12, 2020. Accessed May 14, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ProgressAmericaUSA/posts/?ref=page_internal
  8. Progress America. Facebook. Post from May 1, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ProgressAmericaUSA/posts/?ref=page_internal
  9. Progress America. Facebook. Post from April 21, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ProgressAmericaUSA/posts/?ref=page_internal
  10. Progress America. Facebook. Post from April 18, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ProgressAmericaUSA/posts/?ref=page_internal
  11. Progress America. Twitter. Posts from May 7, 2020 (2) and April 23, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://twitter.com/Pr0gressAmerica
  12. Progress America. Twitter. Posts from May 17, 2020 (3), March 25, 2020, and March 31, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://twitter.com/Pr0gressAmerica
  13. Progress America. Twitter. Posts from March 31, 2020. Accessed May 13, 2020. https://twitter.com/Pr0gressAmerica
  14. Phelan, Mike. “Donald Trump Can Spy on Anyone He Wants.” Progress America/Unity Feed. October 5, 2020. Accessed May 13, 2020. https://unityfeed.com/doc/32034/donald-trump-can-spy-on-anyone-he-wants?grp_id=0
  15. Progress America. Accessed May 13, 2020. https://progressamerica.us/
  16. “’Mike Phelan, Progress America’ William Barr Lied.” Ashville Progressive. May 6, 2019. Accessed May 13, 2020. http://ashevilleprogressive.com/site/uncategorized/mike-phelan-progress-america-william-barr-lied/
  17. About Us. Social Security Works. Accessed May 13, 2020. https://socialsecurityworks.org/about/
  18. About Us. Social Security Works. Accessed May 13, 2020. https://socialsecurityworks.org/about/
  19. Progress America. Twitter. Posts from April 7, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://twitter.com/Pr0gressAmerica
  20. Progress America. Facebook. Post from May 10, 2020, April 18, 2020, and April 10, 2020. Accessed May 12, 2020. https://www.facebook.com/pg/ProgressAmericaUSA/posts/?ref=page_internal
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