Socially things have definitely moved left. Pick $SEX_THING, consider its status now relative to 10/20/30 years ago and it should be pretty obvious.

Economically it's...weird, and you could argue that it hasn't really made leftists or rightists happy. That Nikon link the other day (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36131319) --- that doesn't seem to be what White Fascists For Swole America or Free Citizens of Stolen Native Land want. Corporatist is how I'd describe the econ policies of...since I can remember.

I agree that a lot of progress has been made with regards to sexuality. I think mostly because the sex things didn't threaten the status quo in any significant way. It was a useful distraction from the actual crimes being committed. Sub-prime mortgages, military contracts, offshoring, selling secrets, taking money from hostile foreign powers, regulating away competition, not enforcing anti-trust laws, protecting friends from the law, etc...

But what substantive changes have we made progress in on the left in the last 30 years that required even the smallest sacrifice on the part of the elite? Health care reform? Still private and more expensive than ever. Affordable housing? Ha! Improved working conditions? Nope. Expanding social programs? Nope, even less entitlements. Decreasing retirement age? Bringing equity to oppressed minorities? Reducing imprisonment?

"Even the democrats are essentially conservative now"

I can't believe you are even being serious right now. I should have also specified. We are now being ruled by the authoritarian left, which is different than the classical left.

In one comment you "don't want to discuss" politics but yet you are throwing loaded statement "authoritarian left" and are unwilling to back up such claims or discuss it because you will be attacked. What is the point?

Again, I'm not going to be goaded into discourse only to be digitally shouted down via a massive downvote. This already should say a lot about the current state of our culture (and politics).

> I am not going to be goaded into supporting my claims!

Sorry Comrade, I didn't know that the authoritarian left had taken over. You will be re-assigned to work in Ohio as a bread maker tomorrow. Please say goodbye to your family and pack your bags. The worker train will be waiting at the station at 2PM tomorrow. Good luck! Long live the great leader and the workers revolution!

Edit: It has been brought to my attention that the workers revolution has not occurred and we are ruled by capitalist dogs. Please disregard the above. Also, there is no train station because it was bulldozed to make way for the expansion of highway 19257.

Edit 2: Apparently bread was banned in Ohio because someone put a rainbow flag on it. Please disregard bread. Go woke go broke.

Edit 3: Please do not shoot the rainbow bread without making sure that the Bug Light beers you are using for a backstop is not in front of a preschool. I repeat, please stop shooting schools.