I am talking about the ideologies in general, conservatism by nature is against progress, its a tradition based view that is slow to evolve and seems skeptical of new modes of living and being. There appears from what I have read a link between it and religiosity.
Left leaning ideas are generally more flexible, based on new modes of living and being and more secular by nature.
I am making no judgement call on which is "correct", as neither are imo. They are simply different interpretations of the same data/world and rely on each other to make sense.
This comparison between the ideology during the McCarthy era and today says a lot about conservatism.
The McCarthy era (1949 - 1954 was driven by an extreme anti-communist sentiment that was primarily associated with the right wing of American politics, and
it used conservative fears to gain political traction. While many conservatives supported the goal of anti-communism, the reckless and abusive tactics employed by Senator Joseph McCarthy and his allies were seen as extreme even by many traditional conservatives at the time.
Some of the key aspects of the era's political alignment with what is going on today are:Conservative Ideological Roots: The movement drew on a long-standing conflict between social conservatives and New Deal progressives, with conservatives often equating liberal social programs or calls for social change with communist plots.
Exploitation of Fear: McCarthy, a right-wing Republican, capitalized on widespread Cold War paranoia about Soviet espionage and domestic subversion to launch highly publicized probes.
Beyond Traditional Conservatism: Many traditional or mainstream conservatives, such as Senator Russell Kirk and President Dwight Eisenhower, were uneasy with or openly condemned McCarthy's "rabid populism" and tactics, which they felt undermined the legitimate anti-communist cause and disregarded due process and constitutional rights.
"Us versus Them" Populism: McCarthyism was characterized by a populist approach that demonized elites and political opponents as traitors or communist sympathizers, creating a culture of fear and suspicion that stifled dissent across the political spectrum.
Bipartisan Support for Anti-Communism: Anti-communist sentiment was strong across both major parties, and few politicians dared to criticize McCarthy initially for fear of being labeled disloyal.
However, the most extreme measures and the driving force of the "Red Scare" came from the right.Violation of Civil Liberties: The era saw a significant erosion of civil liberties, with blacklisting and job losses based on unsubstantiated claims and guilt by association, a consequence of the extreme methods used in the name of national security.
Trump had a close relationship with the notorious Roy Cohn for many years. In 1953 Roy Cohn became chief counsel for Senator Joseph McCarthy's committee rooting out Communists and supposed Communists from the government. Roy Cohn and Donald Trump were friends, allies, and business associates from 1973 when Trump was only 27 years until shortly before Cohn died from AIDS in August 1986. Suffice it to say Roy Cohn was Trump's mentor for 13 years. There is nothing like having the devil as your mentor.
