Has America gotten more liberal... or more conservative over the past 50 years?

Question

I was thinking about it...

large expansion of government...

more government programs...

higher taxes than ever...

and overal "morality"

yet we've had many Repubican presidents in that period?

seems more liberal over that time... and granted, the president doesn't make all the changes... but he probably has the most power for a single individual... just seems odd?

what exactly has become more conservative?

the way people vote? all I hear conservatives saying is that we're much more liberal now than before?

Answer 1

The country is still a majority of conservatives. Those pushing the liberal agenda have just gotten louder and more out of control... in some instances it is working, thus you see the decay of society...

Answer 2

Just a few points to the size of government you mentioned.
The size of government really hasn't gotten any larger in comparison to the increase of the GDP and the population. Taxes haven't increased either during the last 50 years.
It only appears the government is getting larger because it is serving a larger population and a larger economy. It must expand to meet those needs. Since the end of WWII, when about 60% of our GDP was going into a war effort, the federal government has been taxing the GDP at a rate of 20%.
There really hasn't been any tax rate reductions nor increases during that time. The tax burden has been shifted, however, from one tax paying group to another.
Can the government ever get smaller? The only way that can happen is if there is a big reduction in our population and the tax base shrinks.
As the USA continues to be a successful, growing country, the government will grow with the same rate.

Answer 3

Feminine hygiene commercials, male enhancement commercials, gays on every television show (even though less than 1% of the population is gay), violence on every TV station, cursing in every genre of music, nothing but bad news on the news, and President "BJ" Bill Clinton leaving stains in the Oval office. I would say that the United States of America has definately stepped to the left. Yes we've had a lot of Republican Presidents over the past fifty years, but Congress was completely ran by Democrats for 60 years during and following World War 2! Congress has more power than the president, except for the congress we have now! They haven't kept one promise that they made in the 06' elections. They did just take a month long vacation though.The liberal leaning ACLU taking every step it can to undermine religion and turn the US into a secular society, is another sign of the times. Let us not forget the liberal media, who have undermined America for the last twenty years. Oh yea I about forgot Jimmy Carter "Father of present day terrorism." Yes we have become morally bankrupt (liberal), get ready for the RAPTURE!!!

Answer 4

you may bear in mind what Politics are in the 1st place. it incredibly is a race for ability. Democrats look aiming for the Emotional thinkers Republicans seem to objective for the greater Logical thinkers. Tax cuts are an occasion it incredibly is used and used nicely.. how are you able to provide a detrimental guy a tax cut back whilst he would not pay taxes? If a guy making 10 Million a 300 and sixty 5 days is taxed at 40 5% his tax is 4.5 Million. He gets a tax wreck of 10% his tax is 3.5 Million. nonetheless is taxed far greater then the midsection classification or decrease. a guy making 20K in line with 3 hundred and sixty 5 days is taxed at 15% minus a similar fundamentals all households are taxed. His tax is approximately $500. If he replaced into taxed on a similar fee as a results of fact the wealthy guy.. his tax could have been 9K. The fairness isn't appropriate.. in basic terms as a results of fact a guy works troublesome and makes 10M should not be punished as a results of fact of somebody who makes 20K. (besides the guy making 20K usually pays NO tax or gets a Tax credit) sounds like envy for people who dont like the guy making 10M. in my opinion, i think of anybody could pay 17% accross the board. From the detrimental to the wealthy. it incredibly is barely trustworthy and correct to tax anybody the two.

Answer 5

At least as liberal as ever. But neocons want to pretend that their brand of conservatism is what the majority wants when the opposite is true. Their views represent such a tiny minority because they are such a tiny majority. But they brainwash many Americans into believing that the interests of big business and the wealthiest 1% is also in their best interest. It's sad when you hear these people parrot how taxes should be cut (when because of Bush's special tax breaks, the richest 1% are now paying less percentage wise--many paying a mere 15%!--than the working class are); how businesses should be free to import everything and outsource jobs; how minimum wage should be kept at the poverty level; and basically how "socialized programs" such as Social Security, welfare, and public schools should be privatized or done away with completely.

Answer 6

Socially, we have become much more liberal. We've had to, because our society has changed so much so quickly. Everything from communication to global economics to technology that encourages sedentary lifestyles has required us to become more open to new ideas and be willing to discard traditional ones. That's the nature of liberalism.

In fact (and this is just like biology), things continue to change so quickly that our ability to adapt and survive will depend on our social liberalism and readiness to change (since liberal and adaptable are nearly synonyms). Conservative decision-making will bring this country to its knees. That's not because maintaining a traditional value system is inherently wrong. It's just because it can't be supported in a rapidly changing system.

Answer 7

I think we only got more extreme...both sides took up with the all or nothing agenda and negotiating/compromises are a thing of the past.

Answer 8

lets see, 50 years ago, we did not have multiculturalism, gay pride parades, entitlements, reparations, welfare states, abortion on demand, same sex unions, tree huggers, gas was 50cents a gallon, if that, and our elected officials did not commit treason, much like pelosi & reid.... i would say we have allowed America to become more liberal.

Answer 9

I think it has become more Green Party.

Answer 10

Conservative

Republicans have won 7 out of the last 10 presidential elections in this country!