Where has our country improved since 1980??

[kentuck]

Since the beginning of the conservative movement, the Reagan Revolution, what part of our country is better off today than in the 1970's?

Has education, manufacturing, civil rights, trade policies, wealth inequity, politics, or any area improved over the last 35 years? I would argue that we have gone backwards as a nation in every measurement, including civility in politics.

This brand of conservatism has been one of the most destructive movements in the history of our nation. It created more inequality, not only in wealth, but in wages and citizen involvement in elections, also.

They created a massive welfare system for the rich as they created an imperialistic army that invaded countries all around the world, as defense contractors enriched themselves with the manufacture of new and modern weaponry. This was done as social needs and infrastructure were neglected.

As these words are written, there is no indication that they have slowed down the least in their destruction of our once better nation. Not only have they deceived the American people, they have also deceived themselves.

[hifiguy]

1. The rich are MUCH richer now

and have far more power over their serfs (the rest of us). They think this is just ducky and a spectacular net improvement. Time for the pitchforks and tumbrels, methinks.

This country started going to hell in a jet-powered handcart the day Raygun was inaugurated and has never slowed down.

[Peacetrain]

2. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

What he said...But edit to add.. we do have Health Care now.. that is a huge plus.. I took my brother to the Doctor because he has health care now.. huge improvement..also.. a great investment in the wind energy has helped tremendously to cut down on fossil fuels in heating in the mid west....Marriage equality is being put in place all across the country... yeah we have economic issues..but when you stop and think..some things have gotten better..when the Democrats are in control

[valerief]

3. ^^^THE ONLY IMPROVEMENT^^^

[One_Life_To_Give]

4. Civil Rights, Women's Rights, LGBT Rights

AID's Care and Treatment, Life expectancy, reduction in smoking rates, Car fatalities per mile driven, airline safety.

Most of what you describe was underway well before 1980. Imperialistic Army can be traced to the Great White Fleet of 1907.

[kentuck]

5. Don't you think those were in spite of the conservative movement?

I can only measure from my own experiences and observations.

[jberryhill]

7. Yes, but that wasn't your question

Your question was not directed to "in what ways have conservative movement policies improved anything", but to "in what areas has the country improved".

It's a mixed bag.

The previous response mentioned auto fatalities, which have been dramatically reduced, but emissions have come down markedly and efficiency has significantly increased.

[kentuck]

9. True.

[One_Life_To_Give]

12. Wasn't the question

Trying to separate out what would have happened had either Carter won a second term or G H Bush beaten Reagan in the primary is difficult. Had Brady not been shot would the AWB have passed? Might the Soviets still be in Afganistan? If the Repub's hadn't swung so far to the right might the Dems have stayed much further away from the left.

In some ways we are defined by the opposition. Changing them also changes us.

[kentuck]

17. True.

[AngryAmish]

6. Golf agronomy has improved markedly.

The greens on a $20 dollar green fee muni today is the equal of top end country club greens of the early 80s.

Part of it is the soft spikes. It used to be with the nails one obese guy who did not pick up his feet could ruin 18 greens for a week. Now even the worst damage can be rolled out in time for the afternoon tee times.

Also, mechanized rollers made a real difference.

Finally, widespread conversion to bent greens in the midwest helped a lot. In the south the dwarf bermudas and miniverde maje all the difference.

[zipplewrath]

22. Maintenance in general

It takes vastly less water and far less fertilizer. Sadly, it still means huge swaths of green space that support little in the way of a balanced ecosystem. But since when golf courses close, housing developments tend to spring up on them, it's probably what they'd be anyway.

[jberryhill]

8. Porn delivered right to the privacy of your own home

I don't even know why those seedy establishments continue to exist.

But gone are the days when one had to wank in a semi-public place.

[zappaman]

10. LOL!

[kentuck]

11. We can put that at the top of the list?

Achievements of the Reagan Revolution?

[Nye Bevan]

13. You are obviously not a gay person (nt)

[madokie]

14. For you and I not a fucking thing

for the rich and well to do a hell of a lot. Everything across the board for them pretty much with the rest of us sucking air

[tabbycat31]

15. I really have nothing to compare it to

(I was born in 1980). You have a whole generation of people (and another who can't yet vote) who have no idea what life before Reagan was like aside from reading it in books and history classes.

I think what is needed is a mass education of people born in 1980 or later and to let them know what life was like public policy was and how to take everything back.

I will say the improvements are in some (but not all) social issues (LGBT rights) but that's about it.

There could be a whole new post about technology though. I would not have been able to write this post when I was a child (even if I had the ability to) from my phone like I'm doing.

[kentuck]

16. Interesting.

We really cannot know what we have not experienced. We can only imagine.

[Octafish]

18. What hifiguy said.

David Stockman estimated 7/8th of all wealth in human history has been created since 1981. Guess who got the lion's share, thanks to trickle down?

[kentuck]

19. But only a minority would consider that an improvement?

The majority, the common good, has lost ground.

[yeoman6987]

20. Pollution in the air and technology for sure.

[lumberjack_jeff]

21. Baristas are better educated. n/t