Not just existing stick pressure progression, but required stick pressure progression. As far as I understand it, in that specific situation the 737 MAX without MCAS does not comply with the rules regarding aerodynamic stability. It's not dramatic, doesn't manifest itself in normal flight, and could be dealt with by pilots quite easily as far as I understand it. But it's a rule, and it was important enough for Boeing to first put a quite gentle MCAS on the plane, and then to increase the effect of MCAS.
This is correct. It is non-compliance for control stick forces to slacken towards a stall on a passenger carrying aircraft. They put a gadget in the system to render it compliant.
Unfortunately, they did not work as hard as they should have to ensure that it would not malfunction. Or to make sure if it did pilot's were aware and had a chance to develop muscle memory for it.
