Basically conservative?

Newsweek has a pair of commentaries about the political center of America and how a possible Obama presidency will have to alter course to deal with it. The first article, by Jon Meacham, says that America is basically conservative -- using the definition of those who value custom over change, who want to protect their young and way of life, who worry about the expansion of the state, and who dislike condescension of faith, patriotism, and culture. Our view of government is full of cognitive dissonance. We are skeptical of government except when there is a problem that only government can solve or is helping us. We hate to pay taxes yet still expect the government to pay for war, infrastructure, emergencies, and bailouts.

In the last 40 years (since 1968 when Nixon took office) the presidency has been won by Democrats only 3 times (once by Carter, twice by Clinton). Why? The GOP claims their policies are in tune with American values. Dems complain that the GOP is evil geniuses able to use fearmongering to get their way. More likely the GOP seems fatherly and tough, which suits a country that tends toward conservatism. In addition we have a political system, with veto and filibuster, that makes change slow and deliberative, so it is hard to create a government as liberal as we would like. Obama must temper his desires to fit into this reality.

Not so fast, replies Jonathan Alter. We may have been conservative, but we're drifting left now. GOP irresponsibility over the last decade or so has discredited some of their ideas and forced them to act contrary to many others in the economic bailout. Obama now has a chance to propose programs and a budget that won't look silly. He will be able to use government on behalf of the people, a liberal idea.