Why Americans Hate Politics

1. The New Left and counterculture inadvertently paved the way for Reagan's conservatism

"The New Left and the counterculture prepared the way for Ronald Reagan. They did so not only because they created a backlash against 'permissiveness,' but also because they embodied some of the very ideas that came to be represented by the right."

Shared anti-authoritarianism: Both the New Left and the emerging conservative movement of the 1960s rebelled against the liberal establishment. They criticized the centralization of power, bureaucracy, and what they saw as the stifling conformity of 1950s America.

Unintended consequences: The New Left's emphasis on personal freedom and skepticism of government authority resonated with libertarian ideas. Their critique of "corporate liberalism" and the welfare state aligned with conservative arguments against big government.

• Key New Left ideas that benefited conservatism:
  • Distrust of centralized authority
  • Emphasis on local control and community
  • Skepticism of expert-driven policy
  • Celebration of individual autonomy

2. Neoconservatives reshaped American politics through critique of liberalism

"If the New Left threw off reflexive anticommunism, said its critics, the New Left embraced instead what might be called reflexive procommunism, a tendency to support almost any regime, no matter how dictatorial, that made the United States its adversary."

Intellectual firepower: Neoconservatives, many former liberals themselves, provided a sophisticated critique of liberalism that resonated with a broader audience. They highlighted the unintended consequences of liberal social programs and argued that well-intentioned policies often exacerbated the problems they sought to solve.

Cultural critique: Neoconservatives emphasized the importance of traditional values and social order. They argued that the permissiveness of the 1960s had undermined important societal institutions and norms.

• Key neoconservative arguments:
  • Liberal policies create dependency and undermine personal responsibility
  • The welfare state weakens family structures and community bonds
  • Cultural relativism threatens social cohesion and shared values
  • Strong anticommunist foreign policy is necessary to defend democracy

3. Race and "values" politics fractured the Democratic coalition

"By ignoring or misunderstanding the grievances of lower-income whites, liberals opened up a political gulf that has still not been closed."

White backlash: The civil rights movement, while morally necessary, created political challenges for the Democratic Party. Many working-class white voters felt threatened by racial integration and perceived liberal policies as favoring minorities at their expense.

Cultural divide: The emergence of the counterculture and changing social norms alienated socially conservative Democrats. Republicans capitalized on these divisions by emphasizing "law and order" and traditional values.

• Factors contributing to Democratic coalition fracture:
  • School desegregation and busing controversies
  • Affirmative action policies
  • Urban unrest and rising crime rates
  • Changing sexual norms and gender roles
  • Perception of Democrats as elitist and out of touch with "Middle America"

4. Feminism and family politics created new conservative constituencies

"By casting themselves as champions of 'family values,' men and women of the right—advocates of individualism in the economic sphere—were able to present themselves as defenders of community and to cast their liberal opponents as defenders of an 'antifamily' individualism."

Backlash to social change: The feminist movement and changing family structures created anxiety among many Americans. Conservatives successfully framed themselves as defenders of traditional family values against perceived liberal attacks on the family.

Working-class realignment: Many blue-collar voters, traditionally Democratic, found conservative social positions more appealing than liberal economic policies. This shift was crucial in building the Reagan coalition.

• Conservative family politics arguments:
  • Welfare programs undermine family stability
  • No-fault divorce laws weaken marriage
  • Abortion rights threaten the sanctity of life
  • Traditional gender roles are natural and beneficial
  • Public schools promote secular values at odds with religious beliefs

5. Jimmy Carter's presidency marked the collapse of the liberal center

"Carter's political base was a liberal coalition, and that their political task was to nurture that coalition. Instead, the Carter administration blew that coalition apart."

Failed balancing act: Carter attempted to navigate between liberal and conservative factions within the Democratic Party, ultimately satisfying neither. His moderate approach to economic issues alienated traditional liberal constituencies without winning over conservatives.

Crisis of confidence: Economic troubles, particularly stagflation and the energy crisis, undermined faith in liberal governance. Carter's perceived ineffectiveness in addressing these issues paved the way for Reagan's conservative message of renewal.

• Factors contributing to Carter's failure:
  • Inability to articulate a clear ideological vision
  • Contentious relationship with Democratic leadership in Congress
  • Foreign policy setbacks, particularly the Iran hostage crisis
  • Perception of weakness and indecisiveness
  • Challenges from both liberal (Kennedy) and conservative (Reagan) opponents in 1980

6. Conservative intellectuals united diverse strands of right-wing thought

"Frank Meyer's lifework was the development of a coherent doctrine for the right that incorporated the insights of both the libertarians and the traditionalists."

Fusionism: Conservative thinkers like Frank Meyer and William F. Buckley Jr. worked to create an intellectually coherent conservative movement that could unite different factions of the right.

National Review's role: The magazine served as a forum for debate and synthesis of conservative ideas, helping to define the boundaries of acceptable conservative thought and marginalizing extremist elements.

• Key elements of fusionist conservatism:
  • Free-market economics
  • Traditional social values
  • Strong anticommunist foreign policy
  • Limited government and individual liberty
  • Emphasis on virtue as the proper end of freedom

7. The Religious Right emerged as a powerful force in Republican politics

"The Religious Right gave bite to the political approach that F. Clifton White had proposed to Barry Goldwater when he made his 'Choice' documentary on declining American values."

Mobilizing evangelicals: Conservative political operatives recognized the potential of mobilizing evangelical Christians as a voting bloc. They focused on issues like school prayer, abortion, and "traditional values" to activate this constituency.

Organizational prowess: Groups like the Moral Majority used modern political techniques, including direct mail and media outreach, to build a powerful grassroots movement within the Republican Party.

• Key issues galvanizing the Religious Right:
  • Opposition to abortion rights
  • Support for school prayer
  • Resistance to gay rights
  • Promotion of "traditional" family structures
  • Opposition to perceived secularization of society

8. Supply-side economics offered an alternative to Keynesian liberalism

"The demand for supply-side economics was created by the apparent failure of Keynesian/New Deal economics in the 1970s."

Theoretical shift: Supply-side economics emphasized reducing taxes and regulations to stimulate economic growth, in contrast to Keynesian focus on demand-side interventions. This aligned with conservative desires for smaller government and lower taxes.

Political appeal: The promise of tax cuts that would "pay for themselves" through increased economic growth was politically attractive, allowing Republicans to offer tax relief without explicitly calling for spending cuts.

• Key supply-side arguments:
  • Lower tax rates increase incentives for work and investment
  • Reduced regulation spurs entrepreneurship and job creation
  • Economic growth is primarily driven by production, not consumption
  • Government intervention often creates market distortions

9. Economic turmoil in the 1970s undermined faith in liberal governance

"The economic chaos of the late 1970s exploded that assumption and destroyed the foundations of loyalty to liberalism and the Democratic Party. Jimmy Carter became the Herbert Hoover of the last part of the twentieth century."

Stagflation crisis: The simultaneous occurrence of high inflation and high unemployment challenged the Keynesian economic model that had dominated since the New Deal. This opened the door for conservative economic alternatives.

Tax revolt: Rising property taxes, driven by inflation, sparked a middle-class backlash against government spending. This culminated in events like California's Proposition 13, which limited property tax increases.

• Factors eroding faith in liberal economics:
  • Double-digit inflation rates
  • Rising unemployment
  • Energy crises and gas shortages
  • Perception of government inefficiency and waste
  • Increasing tax burden on middle-class families due to bracket creep

Last updated: September 17, 2024