Well Yellowfin, the "shift left" seems more to be a function of the phenomenon that in the last 50 years or so the left has done a better job of inspiring the vast middle. What constitutes the middle is subject to change, and these days, it seems more inclined to align itself with the left.
I suspect that the messages of the left, i. e., "we will take care of you and solve the problems of the world and protect you", illusory though they may be, resonate with the middle. And I guess the messages of the right, i. e., "it's up to you to make your way in the world" haven't been very attractive to an increasingly timorous and uncertain middle.
There are those of us who believe that the messages of the left are indeed illusory and essentially bankrupt and that the messages of the right offer opportunity. But the messages of the right are fairly unpalatable. We've had very few leaders who have been able to inspire the middle with what to many are harsh and frightening notions. And so the middle tends to shift toward the left.
And I agree that it would be desirable for this shift to change, but you won't get anywhere demanding that it change. Why would the middle accede to your demands? No, the middle must be inspired.
And the reason that the middle, whatever it may be at any given time, is so important is simply that neither the left or the right itself is a majority. Each must seek the "swing" votes to prevail. Look at many of the democracies that have adopted a parliamentary system. So often they rely on coalitions to form a majority capable of electing a prime minister.
The basic political model is, and has been, relatively small groups firmly entrenched on each side of an issue and a center that must be won, by one or the other, to decide how that issue will be handled.
Do you propose to change that? How do you propose to do that? Do you really think that you can demand that state of affairs change?
We need to understand the middle and its importance. We need to look for ways to inspire them. We will not gain the middle by reviling them for muddling the purity of our conservative thought.