Reagan Factors

New Right

Although bipartisanship had been common, especially in foreign policy, the New Right emerged as a criticism of liberal policies, and the two parties drifted farther apart ideologically

Moral majority

political organisation with religious goals

opposed SC decisions such as Engel and Roe, as well as equal rights amendment and homosexuality

Reached out to the politically apathetic-- registered new voters

Sagebrush rebels

Believed the government should release control over lands in the West in order to use their economic potential

Economic issues

Liberals still favored big government approaches and deficit spending

Conservatives favored cutting taxes and limited government regulation of industry

Conservatives blamed liberal policies for stagflation-- angry about unfunded mandates (required but no money to start)

Popularity of social programs

Liberals supported them, especially after WWII

Conservatives saw them as a waste of money, as endangering the economy, and as encouraging waste

Conservatives saw affirmative action as reverse discrimination, and welfare as rewarding little effort. they thought that it encouraged having children out of wedlock-- leading to the decline of the family.

Liberal beliefs become less appealing

People lose faith in the federal government (Watergate, Vietnam, etc), and economy and industry stagnate. additionally, urban riots split the Democratic party's base.

Fast-paced social changes

Many traditionalists felt threatened by the counterculture, mass media, and leftist thought that was popular with younger people

Caused more people to turn to religion

Population trends

More people moved to the suburbs, where they were hit financially by stagflation.

Republicans tried to gain these moderate liberals (attacked school busing)

Southern white voters, once Democrats, switched to Republicans following Civil Rights