Why do you think America has been moving to the Left?

Question

After 3 massive Democratic losses in 1980, 1984, and 1988, a moderate Democrat won in 1992 and 1996, a moderate-liberal Democrat *actually* won in 2000, a very liberal Democrat *actually* won in 2004, and the Democrats re-took Congress in 2006.

Why do you think the country has put the Reagan era behind it?

Answer 1

huh?!?!?

Answer 2

I don't think America has been moving to the left at all. Quite the opposite. Clinton moved the democratic party to the right. And, considering the Democrats have given everything to Bush that he asked for, you're going to have to convince me that our country and our government is moving to to the left. The right wing Christian neo-nazi zeolots have infilitrated our education system, our textbook publishing companies that supply all our public schools with text books, in particular all offices of government. The Reagan era is behind us now because we are even further to the right of him. Which, I never thought would have been possible if you asked me in the 1980's. But considering how things are going today with this white house, I'd welcome old Ronnie back. And, trust me when I say, I couldn't stand him in the 1980's and thought he was aweful, hateful and lacked something called reality. But Bush makes him look like a liberal in comparison because that is how far to the extreme right this country has gone.
I hope the American people have woken up. But quite frankly I don't trust the American people to be very well informed or their belief systems to be reality based or them to actually vote for their real own self interests as a whole rather than their own longings to be rich and selfish. I guess that comes from living in Orange County too long.

Answer 3

I would begin the timeline with the 1994 elections, when Newt Gingrich's "Contract on America" ended a long streak of the Democrats controlling Congress, and began one for the Republicans which just ended. Forget Reagan - it's just that when one party keeps control so long, rot sets in, and the bunch we just threw out were as rotten as they get. Presidential politics operate independently of Congress, except in a few unusual cases. Reagan was a "B" movie actor who finked on people during the McCarthy Era. Alan Greenspan made him look good, but Greenspan made every President look good. Forget Ronald Reagan.

Answer 4

well, not sure about all that since the Republicans had control of all 3 branches of our government for 6 yrs. a jolly good job they did with all that power. huh? and i don't believe that American is moving to the far left now either. what i see happening is a shift back to the center. the neoCONs were never Conservatives. they're radical warmongering, spend now someone else pays later, trash the environment, anything for personal gain fascist Plutocrats and the American People have finally woken up to the fact they've been duped and taken for a very expensive ride. back to the center we go. it only look like we're moving far to the left because we've about gone over the extreme far right cliff.

PS. i live in a "Red State" and even the rednecks now curl their lips in disgust and spit in the dirt at the mention of GW Bush.

Answer 5

Their horizon is no longer the borders of the United States. The media, and the Internet in particular... is supplying Americans with the truth about their place in the world, and their place relative to other nations and cultures. Information, knowledge is defusing nationalism and propaganda.

Americans are being compelled to rethink the status quo.

This isn't the only reason. American history, especially the history of the last 40 years, has supplied many object lessons... and many thoughtful Americans have gone to school on those lessons.

Answer 6

First of all, you are forgetting the massive conservative movements of 1994 and 2002 at mid-term. Second, there's a HUGE anti-Iraq movement going on, and the Democrats are seen as the opposition party.

This current movement is actually superficial - has nothing to do with the politics of the country. If we were out of Iraq, the country would be as anti-tax as ever.

Answer 7

Both parties serve the same corperate intrest.......Clinton and Bush are both war mongers.....salvation can be found in Libertarian ideals!

FACT: Clinton tried to pass a bill very similar to the Patriot Act.

FACT: George W. got the patriot act that both parties wanted (which was made easier do to the unfortunate events of 9/11)

The truth is, both parties have been run by liars and thieves for a great long time. That is why I cast my vote with someone that has not flip flopped on issues, like Hillary Clinton, like Mitt Romney, like Rudy Gullspeachimpedimentani....They are all jokes.

Ron Paul has stood by his convictions with every Senate vote. He has maintained his platform for the past few decades. He has common sense answers to our most pressing problems.

Answer 8

Actually *most* of the country is Conservative.

Take a look at county-by-county voting maps. You will see a sea of "Red" Republican counties, surrounding tiny "Blue" Democratic enclaves. Democrats are only dominant in densely populated urban areas; everybody else votes for Republicans.

Additionally, military members typically vote by a margin of around 4-5:1 in favor of Republicans.

Lastly, look at polling numbers throughout the day during an election. You'll notice that people who vote early to midday vote for Democrats, and people who vote later, vote for Republicans. That means *most* people who don't work, vote for Democrats.

A better question would be:

Why do the people who grow all the food, provide all the resources, and defend the country vote for Republicans, and why do the people who think it ok to reap the rewards of society without having to provide anything, vote for Democrats?

Those facts kind of shoot a few holes in the whole "Reagan era ending thing" don't they?

Answer 9

The mass media pushes liberal ideas.

So if you watch TV or listen to the radio or read the paper... you are flooded with liberal propoganda.

Our government sponsored public education system is extremely biased toward liberalism.

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As for the propoganda saying that democrats won instead of Bush... get a life. The elections were lost by the losers the Dems put on the ballot. Try finding someone worth voting for.

It took 50 different recounts in Florida to come up with a way to make it look like Al Gore won.... what a farce. Did you name your kid Chad?

Then the Liberals worked like hell to try to disallow absentee voting by members of the military... Great way to support the troops.

FACTS... something Liberals don't like because they usually prove liberals to be wrong.

Answer 10

America hasnt really changed its values. Some are just tired of poor representation. Just because someone didn't vote for a replublican does not mean they voted 'for' a democrat.

Answer 11

Hasn't really moved at all. American people are pretty constant.
Government and the media have gone far right and it doesn't represent popular will, they describe it as "far left", which, let me tell you as a Canadian who knows what "left wing" actually means, is not that "left", not even a little.
The US is a conservative country and always will be, but the clowns running the circus take things way too far