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Tom Krattenmaker Published 3:16 a.m. ET Feb. 9, 2017 | Updated 10:10 a.m. ET Feb. 9, 2017

Lady Gaga at the Super Bowl on Feb. 5, 2017(Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

And a sequin-bedecked pop star will show them the way.

Not exactly holy writ. Yet in addition to a wildly entertaining performance at the Super Bowl, Lady Gaga has handed progressives the unifying principle theyve struggled to identify and articulate. As Gaga demonstrated in her uniquely fabulous way, its time for progressives to reclaim patriotism.

Speculation was rampant that Gaga might use her halftime spotlight to make a pointed political statement la Meryl Streep at the Golden Globes. What a surprise and head-scratcher, initially to find her starting the show with God Bless America.

Liberals would have rolled their eyes out of their sockets had it been a country star singing it. But Gaga being Gaga, they probably trusted she was up to something. When she segued into This Land is Your Landand then her catchy hits, including the anthem of acceptance Born This Way,it was obvious what she was doing: connecting progressives zeal for inclusion to the nations founding ideals.

Its a line that hasbeen begging to be drawn for some time now, and an appeal to patriotism that hasalso been there for the taking. If accepted, Gagas gift can solidify resistance to the Trump administration and help shape a positive progressive identity for the long term ahead.

For me, the need for a progressive rallying cry and unifying message was never more apparent than during a recent edition of MSNBCs Hardball.Host Chris Matthews was interviewing a woman who helped organize the massive womens march that took place the day after the inauguration. Matthews ticked off some of the marchers issues reproductive rights, black lives, opposition to military aggression and asked Janaye Ingram what unites them and the people behind them.

You saw people of all different stripes, 5 million people globally, who came together on January 21st,marching for a variety of issues, Ingram responded. "And yes, they're interconnected. Why? Because we as women, we are inherently intersectional. We are born intersectional. We're not single-issue people."

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Important concepts, but not whats needed to bring people to their feet. Much more could have been said. Like:

"We are unitedby our caring for the dignity and fair treatment of people regardless of their sex, origins, or whatever else might mark them as 'different.' "And, "We are united by our belief in the American ideal, by the story of a nation founded on the noble principle that all people are created equal and deserving of equal respect."

Its my observation that progressives have ceded patriotism to conservatives, much like the word moral, because conservative use and misuse of these concepts have made them radioactive to progressive sensibilities. Thats a shame, and a lost opportunity to win over wider swaths of the public. Although the m-word is seldom uttered, progressive values are shot through with moral commitments. And they are deeply resonant with important aspects of what it means to be an American.

Take gay rights. Progressives rally to this cause not because of a lack of morals, but because of the deep moral conviction that its wrong to mistreat people on the basis of sexual orientation. Analogous moral commitments undergird support for the rights of women, racial minoritiesand followers of non-majority religions.

At the several rallies Ive attended recently, Ive been struck by the number of non-Latino and non-Muslim people standing with those most directly under the gun of the new administration. Ive been impressed, too, by the explicit appeals to what our country is about to patriotism captured by the frequent assertion that the dark vision of Trump and adviser Steven Bannon is not the America I know.

The America we know and the American values we advanceare the invisible glue that bind the disparate parts of the progressive movement. This is the progressive patriotism waiting for us to name, and claim.

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As is the case with any movement, the progressive cause needs to be known for more than what its against. Resisting Trump is plenty for now, but the post-Trump day will come soon, we hope when the movement will need to articulate a positive vision and identity. What, in the long run, will progressives be known for, and what will attract more people to the cause?

Shutting down campus talks by people such as Breitbart'sMilo Yiannopoulos? Better to let him speak and disgrace himself, I say. Violence in the streets and punches in the face for hateful provocateurs such asRichard Spencer? Better to go high road, which means fierce commitment but peaceful tactics and a benevolent spirit. This is not only right but also tactically smart. Nothing would delight the president more than a pretext for a clampdown on dissent, with a level of violence infinitely more potent than anything that black bloc protesters can muster.

Progressives,its OK to wave the flag. It belongs to us as much as the conservatives who have made it their brand. Well know it means something quite different, and more valid, at a pro-immigrants march than it means as a stage prop behind Trumps podium.

A member of USA TODAYs Board of Contributors, Tom Krattenmaker is a writer specializing in religion in public life and communications director atYale Divinity School. His new book is titledConfessions of a Secular Jesus Follower.

You can readdiverse opinions from ourBoard of Contributorsand other writers ontheOpinion front page,on Twitter@USATOpinionand in our dailyOpinion newsletter.To submit a letter, comment or column, check oursubmission guidelines.

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Liberals should learn from Lady Gaga: Tom Krattenmaker

The Trudeau government got little traction with the Canadian public from the big spending economic stimulus measures in its 2016 budget, according to newly released federal focus group data.

Although the focus group participants may not have known a lot about the key measures in that first Liberal budget, their opinions closely aligned with some of the big ticket items outlined a couple of months later in the fall fiscal update and in the Liberals'second budget tabled last month.

Environics Research found that few Canadians considered Ottawa's early moves to enrich monthly child benefits or expand the Canada Pension Plan as something intended to boost the economy.

Environicsconducted a series of 10 focus groups of eight to 10 people each for the Department of Finance between Sept. 19 and 22 to get a sense of people's attitudes about the Canadian economy.

Six months after the government's first budget announced billions in infrastructure spending, the focus group found that "few could recall any specific government of Canada measures in recent months to bolster the economy, aside from some vague recollection of actions related to trade."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shakes hands with Morneau after he delivered the Liberals' second federal budget in the House of Commons on March 22. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

There was also a low level of awareness when it came to the enhanced Canada Pension Plan Ottawa negotiated with the provinces and the Canada child benefit a centrepiece initiative of the Trudeau government's first budget.

"Some indicated that they recalled these initiatives, but they did not consider them measures that were designed specifically to boost the economy," the focus group report states.

When it came to infrastructure projects that would help jolt the economy, on the other hand, focus group participants supported investments in affordable housing, clean energy, roads and public transit.

And the Liberal's second budget, delivered March 22, committed $11.2 billion over 11 years for a national housing strategy.

Focus group members also offered a mixed view on the idea of the government selling off federal assets such as airports to pay for the new infrastructure projects. This was an idea championed by the government's economic advisory council but which ultimately was not included in the spring budget.

Environics says the idea was "received with mixed reviews" by focus groupparticipants, who were concerned about the loss of "future revenue potential" and could not think of many examples where selling off public assets had been successful.

There was also a lot of support for the Liberals' ubiquitous message of helping the "middle class and those working hard to join it."

Environics found that messages directed at the middle class tested well and that "many felt these kinds of messages were directed at people like themselves."

Focus group members also liked messages with a focus on job creation and diversity for their positive tone, according to a report on the findings that was posted online.

The cost of the research, which also included a telephone survey of 2,000 Canadians, was $147,000.

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Liberals' 1st budget didn't resonate with public, internal focus group suggested - CBC.ca

The federal government tabled a wide-ranging budget bill Tuesday that includes legal changes to the powers of the Parliamentary Budget Officer as well as a new law that creates the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

The opposition says the legislation, at more than 300 pages, amounts to an omnibus bill at the very same time that the governing Liberals are separately proposing changes to the parliamentary rules that would make omnibus bills illegal.

At first glance, opposition MPs say Finance Minister Bill Morneaus latest budget bill appears to be an example of the very thing the Liberals say should be banned.

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Its hypocritical, said Conservative House Leader Candice Bergen, who added that if the Liberals wanted to end the use of omnibus bills, they could just do so.

The Liberal Party campaigned on a pledge to end so-called omnibus bills based on concern that such large bills force MPs to vote yes or no on a large package of changes even though they might support some parts and not others.

Parliaments spending watchdog is expressing concern that the latest budget bill will limit its ability to hold the government to account.

Mostafa Askari, the assistant PBO, told The Globe and Mail on Tuesday that the legislation raises concerns over the PBOs independence. New requirements to have the Speakers of the House of Commons and Senate review and approve an annual PBO work plan and to receive advance copies of any PBO report are the main points of concern.

Currently, the PBO is free to release reports at any time on any relevant topic on its website.

My first impression is that certainly those would be some issues of concern to us, he said.

There are those kind of issues that, to me, are the constraints that may, in practical terms, affect the PBO in a negative way. But there are other aspects in terms of the appointment [of the PBO] and those kinds of things that are certainly improvements.

Proposing an end to "improper" omnibus legislation is part of the package of changes to the rules of the House of Commons that recently caught opposition parties by surprise.

Ms. Bergen said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is using his majority to push through changes to the House rules that should require the support of all parties. She said changes related to the Parliamentary Budget Officer should be removed from the budget bill and studied independently.

NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice agreed that the budget bill is an example of what the Liberals say they want to eliminate.

Its an omnibus bill, from our point of view, he said. The NDP MP argues the bill includes changes to the Parliament of Canada Act, the Judges Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, the Food and Drugs Act and a new law called the Canada Infrastructure Bank Act that appear to be the types of measures that should be introduced separately, rather than included in a budget bill.

Daniel Lauzon, a spokesperson for Mr. Morneau, defended the legislation and said all of its measures relate to what was in the March 22 budget.

Our commitment to transparency is real and as far as the size of the bill and its content, its all in the budget plan. So no surprises for anyone, he said in an e-mail. Compare that with the Conservatives long-standing practice of trying to ram through unrelated measures by forcing confidence votes on them. Thats not what were doing.

The new Canada Infrastructure Bank Act gives cabinet the power to appoint a board of directors of between eight and 11 people. The board would then select a chief executive officer.

The purpose of the bank is to invest, and seek to attract investment from private sector investors and institutional investors, in infrastructure projects in Canada or partly in Canada that will generate revenue and that will be in the public interest the legislation states.

The legislation includes criteria for the CEO, including that he or she must be at least 18 years of age, not be bankrupt and not be employed by a federal, provincial or municipal government.

The salary and benefits for the CEO will be set by cabinet on the advice of the board. The legislation gives the Minister of Finance the power to pay the bank up to $35-billion from the consolidated revenue fund.

Follow Bill Curry on Twitter: @curryb

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Opposition MPs cry foul over Liberals' tabling of 300-page bill - The Globe and Mail

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Newly Energized Liberals Pour Record Effort Into Local Races - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

Vancouver Sun

Fact check: Liberals on education, Horgan on taxes Vancouver Sun The statement (found on page 78 of the Liberal platform): Ensuring the world's best education outcomes for our students is the best way to make sure they can benefit from one of North America's strongest economies. British Columbia has a K-12 ... and more »

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Fact check: Liberals on education, Horgan on taxes - Vancouver Sun