Morrison's portrayal of that as "rightwing = fatherly/policeman, leftwing = counter-culture/for the people" is so reductive and misleading.
This has always been Morrison's take on politics, it's why his political stuff is so boring. It's forever trapped in one view of the Thatcher Era; as a reaction to a reaction by a child of boomers. Lots of American "left" is similarly stuck in reliving the Civil Rights/Vietnam era forever as a black/white conflict and it similarly stunted a lot of our media's form of politics.
benji, what say you?
Superman's not been a "right-wing" figure forever, not even after TDKR, because his other identity as Clark Kent has been shown since at least the 1970's as a reporter who takes endless chances (since he's invincible in reality) and fights against powerful forces who constantly want him (Kent, not Superman, although often both) dead for it. Clark Kent constantly writes/reports against stand-ins for all kinds of "right-wing" figures from the Contras to Lex Luthor to even things like government agencies failing to help the poor. The New 52 revision even had him quit his job to become a blogger to focus even more on that kind of journalism because the powers at the Daily Planet tried to kibosh a single one of his stories. (Ironically, during a series written by... Morrison.)
Superman stands up for an "American" ideal, not the actual state/government. And when you account for how he stands up to figures like say, a President Luthor or General Lane, regularly. Then factor in all he does as Clark Kent, it's hard to call him a toady for the government. He's just more optimistic, more trusting and thinks better of most people than someone like Batman does. He also tries to work through the proper channels, so he regularly goes to the government, the UN, etc. whereas Batman just does whatever the hell he wants. It's his Kansas upbringing so say many writers. But he's shown to be every bit as good of reporter as the city-folk Lane, especially taking on these kinds of entities. One of the longest running gags in all forms of Superman media is how Kent is constantly scooping Lois on the same stories because he was fucking Superman.
Even in the TDKR he double sides because he helps Batman escape
and lets him show him up in public undermining the government's plan. Batman "losing the battle but winning the war" is like the whole point of the ending!
One way I can see a dummy saying they've made Superman more progressive is certainly the stuff like making him a vegan or how Kryptonian technology is all supposed to be environmentally sustainable (albeit not for Krypton itself!) magic now so the Fortress or whatever is a haven even when dug into the Amazon. That's the kind of surface level progressivism that lots of people look for and then stop.
