Can’t argue with much of that. I haven’t read much political history, but if JFK and Truman were essentially conservatives back then (I agree), what were Eisenhower and Nixon like politically? Abortion, gun rights, and gays weren’t big topics.
As for the parties moving left - I think the vocal minority have moved the Democrats way left, but instead of resisting, it seems to me the current Republican Party leadership went along. The message I’m seeing to the ones left behind is to follow the Party, regardless of the platform, or lose your voice altogether.
Nixon was a Big Gubmint liberal. You can thank him for the EPA, OSHA and about 11 other useless Gubmint agencies that exist to this day.
I was 5 when he was President. Thank God for history books. Never thought I’d say that.