"And here I thought it was the liberalizing of our economic policy that was costing us so dearly.'
You were WRONG!
The lowering of our social mores ALWAYS costs us - not just emotionally but financially as well - remember the dirty needle trade in program for drug users? The same kind of think.
Maybe but Bush was elected as a strong social conservative and hasn't succeeded in turning back the tide much. I would rather hold the dam as it were on the social side if we could get someone in office who knows how to live within their means.