Identity and Cultural Shifts in Political Orientation

Political orientation in the United States and globally has shifted towards new issues centered around identity, culture, and openness versus the opposite. The Tea Party in the U.S., often perceived as libertarian, actually focused more on cultural concerns like immigration, assimilation, and diversity. This shift is evident in the messaging of figures like Donald Trump, whose focus on job loss to Mexicans, factory loss to Chinese, and perceived threats from Muslims diverged from traditional conservative values of low taxes and spreading democracy.