Why is The USA shifting leftward

[Pragmatic Conservative]

Discuss, Beyond just the fact that younger generations are more liberal, why is this?

[5280]

Discuss, Beyond just the fact that younger generations are more liberal, who is this?

Higher education tends to lean left, long with mainstream media.  It needs to change in order to restore balance.

[Sumner 1868]

After such a long rightward trend, a reverse was inevitable.

[Del Tachi]

Hmm, I think that the USA has probably shifted rightward since the 1970s/1980s.

While "cosmopolitan" positions on same-sex marriage, reproduction rights and race are all en vogue right now, there's a building neol-liberal corporatism in both major parties.  Opposition to trade restrictions, increases in the minimum wage and truly progressive taxation is much more prevalent now than it was 40 or 30 years ago.       

[VPH]

Hmm, I think that the USA has probably shifted rightward since the 1970s/1980s.

While "cosmopolitan" positions on same-sex marriage, reproduction rights and race are all en vogue right now, there's a building neol-liberal corporatism in both major parties.  Opposition to trade restrictions, increases in the minimum wage and truly progressive taxation is much more prevalent now than it was 40 or 30 years ago.       

[Penelope]

Hmm, I think that the USA has probably shifted rightward since the 1970s/1980s.

While "cosmopolitan" positions on same-sex marriage, reproduction rights and race are all en vogue right now, there's a building neol-liberal corporatism in both major parties.  Opposition to trade restrictions, increases in the minimum wage and truly progressive taxation is much more prevalent now than it was 40 or 30 years ago.       

This, the USA is shifting to being progressive on social and scientific issues, but I think that since the 1960s and 1970s there has been a clear trend to placing more trust in the leadership of corporations and business than government itself.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Because Wall Street era & Dot Com era has come to an end, as well as fossil fuels. That green evolution that Gore talked about since 2000, that the country ignored, and recessions of 2001 & 2008 proved to be so. That drift has caused the collapse of the religious right and rise of New Progressive movement, that Dems are in office now for.

[Asian Nazi]

Hmm, I think that the USA has probably shifted rightward since the 1970s/1980s.

While "cosmopolitan" positions on same-sex marriage, reproduction rights and race are all en vogue right now, there's a building neol-liberal corporatism in both major parties.  Opposition to trade restrictions, increases in the minimum wage and truly progressive taxation is much more prevalent now than it was 40 or 30 years ago.       

This, 100%.  America is not shifting leftward in any meaningful sense.  It has become a more educated, urbanized, cosmopolitan country, and the culture has shifted to reflect this, but America, like 90% of the world, has been hurdling rightward and neoliberalizing on basic economic issues for decades, with no real end in sight. 

[Del Tachi]

Hmm, I think that the USA has probably shifted rightward since the 1970s/1980s.

While "cosmopolitan" positions on same-sex marriage, reproduction rights and race are all en vogue right now, there's a building neol-liberal corporatism in both major parties.  Opposition to trade restrictions, increases in the minimum wage and truly progressive taxation is much more prevalent now than it was 40 or 30 years ago.       

This, 100%.  America is not shifting leftward in any meaningful sense.  It has become a more educated, urbanized, cosmopolitan country, and the culture has shifted to reflect this, but America, like 90% of the world, has been hurdling rightward and neoliberalizing on basic economic issues for decades, with no real end in sight. 

And, to the bemoan of many a liberal poster here, the long-talked about liberalism of the Millennials doesn't really offer anything different than what has already been the standard, White liberal way of thinking that's been prevalent in this country for the past 15 years or so. 

[RINO Tom]

Hmm, I think that the USA has probably shifted rightward since the 1970s/1980s.

While "cosmopolitan" positions on same-sex marriage, reproduction rights and race are all en vogue right now, there's a building neol-liberal corporatism in both major parties.  Opposition to trade restrictions, increases in the minimum wage and truly progressive taxation is much more prevalent now than it was 40 or 30 years ago.       

This, 100%.  America is not shifting leftward in any meaningful sense.  It has become a more educated, urbanized, cosmopolitan country, and the culture has shifted to reflect this, but America, like 90% of the world, has been hurdling rightward and neoliberalizing on basic economic issues for decades, with no real end in sight. 

This can be completely flipped around.  What social conservatives see as "shifting leftward" is, as you say, simply society progressing into the 21st Century and certain ideas/customs becoming less accepted.  Well, the United States economy and the businesses/industries that allow it to thrive benefit more from neoliberalism and free trade each decade, and we're simply adapting.  That doesn't, to me, constitute a "shift rightward."  By the 1980s, Republicans had called out Democrats for wanting to pretty much "tax and spend," and the American people bought it.  Democrats have yet to really win them back over, though I guess Bernie is taking a big step forward.

[Orser67]

The liberal New Deal, Keynesian consensus of the 1930s-1960s supported by the Greatest Generation and its predecessors was viewed by many as a failure after the Vietnam War, the stagflation of the 1970s, and (ironically) Watergate.

In reaction to these failures, the Reagan Revolution ushered in the "era of small government," and a belief in the value of the free market and the inefficiencies of government became widespread. Meanwhile, as the Greatest Generation died out, the more conservative Silent Generation and Baby Boomers became the dominant political actors in the country.

Generation X (especially the younger members of Gen X) and millennials didn't become disillusioned with government in the same way. They are also more concerned with the inequality and consumerism caused by the advent of free market principles, since the vast majority of this generation has to face the unalluring prospect of getting an entry-level job in a stagnant, free market economy, and many were a little alienated by the materialism of their parents. These generations are also less negative towards minorities, which makes them more open to redistributive programs which by their nature tend to help minorities more (to be clear, I am not saying that all conservatives are racist or vice versa).

Imo, the era of small government lasted from 1980 to 2008, when the country elected someone who could reasonably be called a liberal for the first time since 1964, and also elected a Democratic Congress. This didn't start in a "Liberal Revolution," but instead an era of intense polarization with a fairly liberal Democratic Party and a conservative Republican Party. Imo the only plausible argument that we haven't moved to the left would be that the 2006-2010 period (which saw the passage of the most liberal piece of legislation since the 1960s) was basically a fluke caused by a reaction to the unpopular Bush presidency.

[eric82oslo]

There are so so so many reasons to be honest, but some of the most important ones are:

1. Income inequality is at its highest levels since the 1920ies, every honest economist left and right will point this out for you. This is due to conservative right wing policies (less regulations, lower taxes for the rich, privatization) started by Ronald Reagan, and accelerated by most administrations since, as well as due to globalisation. GOP is rightfully seen as the party of and for the rich.

2. USA is no longer the WASP country (White Anglo Saxon Protestants) it once was. While the oldest generation is something like 86-87% white, the generation of new voters is coming very close to 50-50 white and minority these days, I think it's something like 54-46 white at the moment.

3. Urbanization of the electorate, and typically rural jobs slowly disappearing.

4. Young people are less religious as well as somewhat more highly educated and concerned about scientific methods than their parents and grandparents. The whole social revolution of more liberal views on gay marriage and marijuana, criminal justice reform, and to some extent even increasing interest in gun control and more critical views on the negative sides with death penalty probably fits in under this point.

5. Immigration and second generation immigrants. Even though immigration from Latin America has slowed considerably, it just keeps accelerating for Puerto Ricans and Asians, two strongly Democratic minded groups. In addition to this, young Cubans are starting to lean Democratic since their world views and interests are very different to those of their hyper capitalist and Castro hating parents and grandparents.

6. Intermarriage and a more multicultural/multiethnic population make more and more people by the day realize that the whole racist Southern Strategy and Jim Crow-alike laws are morally very wrong.

7. Internet, technology and other forms of mass globalisation has made the world much smaller and given Americans a taste of other opinions and points of views outside what's been considered traditionally American, including views from Canada, Mexico, the rest of Latin America, Europe and Asia. Even relatively new cable news channels like CNN have brought this expended horizon into the living rooms of many Americans. Social media like Facebook and Twitter has radically accelerated this process.

8. The electorate is tired of constant wars and the billions of dollars Pentagon each year is wasting on unnecessary and often even very harmful wars, both politically and when it comes to human costs and lives. Many are starting to question why the USA has to spend as much money on its military as the rest of the remaining NATO countries combined, or the next 10 big military spending countries combined, including China and Russia. Again, GOP is seen as the warmongering party with bucketloads of military hawks who can't possibly imagine there to be an actual roof on military spending.

9. Constantly higher voter turnout among African Americans, especially so in the south, where they were almost shut out from voting entirely in the 1960ies and even for most of the 1970ies. So far, higher voter turnout has yet to hit the Asian and Latino populations, but that could very well happen one day too (and probably will), as these groups get older (and thus more frequent voters), more integrated into society and perhaps get their own Latino or Asian candidates to vote for at the top (or bottom) of the ticket.

10. The strongly rightward shift of the Republican party at the same time as more and more voters regard themselves as independents. Yes, the Democratic party is shifting leftward too, but judging on voting records in Congress, only at about half the speed (or slightly more) than the GOP is moving rightward.

11. The makeup of the US economy constantly shifting (to a large degree due to globalisation and a revolution in technology) away from industry and agriculture towards the service sector, both the private one as well as in an increased government sector, both sectors more inclined to align with modern Democratic values than the blue collar industry workers ("who cling to their guns and religion") and rural workers.

There are (probably) quite a few more points to be made as well, but these are the ones that came to my mind now.

[Bojack Horseman]

I'm honestly not sure we're drifting leftward, considering we keep electing extremist neocon reactionaries to control Congress and more than half the state legislatures in America.

[eric82oslo]

I'm honestly not sure we're drifting leftward, considering we keep electing extremist neocon reactionaries to control Congress and more than half the state legislatures in America.

That is to a large degree due to gerrymandering, Democrats clumping together in the big cities and very low midterm turnout which favours older, richer voters and Republicans more generally. It might also be due to the new campaign finance laws instated by the Supreme Court where Republicans dominate Super PACs to a much larger degree than Democrats do. Again, super rich Americans are trying to keep the statues quo of low taxes for the rich, low amount of regulations, tons of loopholes etcetera, or even enhance it further.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

The abortion issue is the one that I am most familiar with, and public opinion is far more pro-life than 20 years ago.

[YaBoyNY]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

The abortion issue is the one that I am most familiar with, and public opinion is far more pro-life than 20 years ago.

It's still 50/50, actually.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

The abortion issue is the one that I am most familiar with, and public opinion is far more pro-life than 20 years ago.

It's still 50/50, actually.

It's 50-50 now, as opposed to like 2-1 pro-choice in the 1990s.

[YaBoyNY]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

The abortion issue is the one that I am most familiar with, and public opinion is far more pro-life than 20 years ago.

It's still 50/50, actually.

It's 50-50 now, as opposed to like 2-1 pro-choice in the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx

More people consider themselves pro-life, yes, but that's irrelevant when it doesn't correlate to an increase in the number of people saying it should be illegal in all circumstances.

The first graph is much more important.

[Rockefeller GOP]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

The abortion issue is the one that I am most familiar with, and public opinion is far more pro-life than 20 years ago.

It's still 50/50, actually.

It's 50-50 now, as opposed to like 2-1 pro-choice in the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx

More people consider themselves pro-life, yes, but that's irrelevant when it doesn't correlate to an increase in the number of people saying it should be illegal in all circumstances.

The first graph is much more important.

Saying it should be illegal in all cases is as extreme and stupid as saying it should be available on demand right up until a week before delivery, though I'm guessing this site is way more sympathetic to the latter view.

[eric82oslo]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

The abortion issue is the one that I am most familiar with, and public opinion is far more pro-life than 20 years ago.

It's still 50/50, actually.

It's 50-50 now, as opposed to like 2-1 pro-choice in the 1990s.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/1576/abortion.aspx

More people consider themselves pro-life, yes, but that's irrelevant when it doesn't correlate to an increase in the number of people saying it should be illegal in all circumstances.

The first graph is much more important.

Saying it should be illegal in all cases is as extreme and stupid as saying it should be available on demand right up until a week before delivery, though I'm guessing this site is way more sympathetic to the latter view.

I think that the USA has more liberal practises on abortion than Scandinavia. I think that the normal limit for abortion in most Nordic countries, if I'm not mistaken, is around 12 weeks. Beyond 12 weeks you'd need a medical reason or something in order to have an abortion, I think. (Correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm not an expert on Nordic abortion laws lol.)

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Also, rural areas really aren't shifting leftward. Granted, the rural areas are also losing population.

[Orser67]

Name a single issue, other than gay marriage and perhaps drugs, where we are to the left of where we were a generation ago.  There aren't any!

Public opinion is, but public policy isn't.

Healthcare is a public policy that is to the left of where we were a generation ago. Medicaid is much larger and we have an individual mandate and subsidies. Medicaid also covers more benefits (due to Part D) and I assume (though I'm not certain) that the federal government has a greater role in K-12 education. Financial regulation is also perhaps "more liberal" than it was 20 years or 30 years ago (Glass-Steagall was repealed in 1999 but was pretty toothless even before that) after the passage of Dodd-Frank.

[eric82oslo]

Also, rural areas really aren't shifting leftward. Granted, the rural areas are also losing population.

The rural areas aren't shifting leftwards because they're losing most of their gay liberals as well as their women, any other questions?