Political cycles, and why the Dems will be in power for a generation.

[Odin2005]

There seems to be 4-phase cycle in American politics featuring a shift back and forth between liberal and conservative periods, with each phase being between 15 to 25 years long.

Liberal Era 1: Liberal revolt against conservative aspects of the political establishment (1890s, late 60s-70s).
Conservative Era 1. Conservative revolt against liberal aspects of the establishment and react again the liberal revolt (1920s, 1981-2006).
Liberal Era 2: Liberal reaction against the conservative revolt leads to the creation of a new political establishment (FDR, Obama)
Conservative Era 2: Conservatives are absorbed into the new establishment (1950s)

[Odin2005]

1. Afternoon Kick. n/t

[rampart]

2. the old pendulum

liberal cycles are shorter and shallower. what did this one last? 2 weeks?

prepare for another long cold winter.

[leftstreet]

3. Obama is no FDR

Not bashing him, just pointing out that this is hardly a "liberal" era.

Season of the DLC maybe.

[Odin2005]

4. In 1933 FDR wasn't FDR either.

FDR positioned himself as a centrist until 1934.

And the next person who spews the "Obama is center-right" Naderite lie is gonna get a punch in the face.

[leftstreet]

6. hehe you said Nader

[Fumesucker]

5. After the foul taste of Richard M Nixon

We got exactly one term of Jimmy Carter..

Society oscillates faster and faster as information flows ever more quickly.'

[Odin2005]

7. Today the GOP would condemn Nixon as a Liberal.

Which just goes to show the difference between liberal and conservative parts of the cycle.

The political oscillation is not speeding up, it is a generational pattern, each phase is about 20 year long, about the time from birth to adulthood.