I am 71. It occurred to me this evening that most on this board are likely a "few" years younger
than me---like 30---40---50? And while I make no claim to superior ability or intelligence, I think that maybe I recall a time that younger people may have difficulty understanding or even believing. Before what's left of my often frazzled mind departs, allow me to file a report from the '50s and '60s.
"Conservative" hasn't always been a synonym for "mean". Many, such as Everett Dirksen, Dwight Eisenhower or Chuck Percy, were people with whom we could disagree but respect. They had a different view of how the government should be operated but, believe it or not, we just considered them "wrong", not "bad".
And, the term "liberal" was a label proudly worn by nearly all in our party. Back then, being a liberal, at least in my small town corner of the world, simply meant that one favored labor over the corporations, farmers over the elevators and most underdogs against those above them. Oversimplified---Democrats were for the poor and Republicans were for the wealthy.
Some assholes were Democrats; some were Republicans.
It was a gradual process but, over the years, an effort was made to associate "liberals" with "socialists" and then, "socialists" with ---OMG! ---"COMMIES!" During those same years, "conservative" was associated with "God-fearing patriots".
How was this done?
A few handfuls of uber-rich conservatives owned most of the major newspapers and, by virtue of the millions of advertising dollars spent annually by their business interests, they controlled many of the radio and tv stations. Finally, their monetary contributions and endowments permitted them to influence what scholars researched and wrote about. All in all, the moneyed few sought to determine what---and who---was "acceptable" and "good" and even "American".
That was the beginning of how we got to where we now are as a nation. I'm sure others could chart the changes with more expertise and authority, but that's how I saw it.
The good news? You younger people are smarter and more tolerant than my generation.
That's worth what it cost you.
= new reply since forum marked as read
We are spring 🐔s! 
so it was pretty fascinating. 
But you certainly have a lot of energy (you and kentuck).
in the branch where I worked, the next "youngest" person there was 15 years older than me (the now mid-70s age group) and there were a pile of them, many who back then were fans of shows like "Thirtysomething" (also because it supposedly took place here in Philly) and "Moonlighting", so I was surrounded by that front end of the boomer group (I am a tail-ender).
Yes. 5th word...is the O word......
Yeah I have spent a lot of time on here in case you can't tell! 
So feel like a youngster!
Still working, still going out for cocktails, still walking the streets (but only for exercise 
). I work with teenagers so it keeps me young. I would even date but the last two who asked me out were republicans and I’m not that hard up.
but I come here to learn from all ages that chose to post their ideas and opinions.
Sometimes it takes me quite a while to go through it all - like tonight-
but it's usually worth it.
Your post caught my eye and I'm glad to be able to respond.
Keep going.
...of brainwashing that had turned liberal from a descriptive word to an epithet, a dirty word. It was during the runup to BushCheney’s war that I got it, and I was so upset.
I didn’t make it to DU until September of 2002, and it was here I learned of Newt Gingrich’s seminal place in twisting the meaning of words: he made a list, easily available online to this day.
Gingrich had lots of help, to be sure, but he was a bright boy. 
So I remember a different time, too. I admit I am a bit nostalgic for the way the religious and political nutballs were seriously just on the fringes of society instead of elevated and kowtowed to the way they are now.
