This is, sadly, a pretty reasoned position among some political analysts. Having the USSR as an easy counterpart to point to forced the US to actually bother with addressing social issues and not totally allowing employers and the rich to run roughshod on society.

Yep. Being unable to treat people different from themselves as animals under the law, really broke a lot of people. So obsessed with continuing it through any loopholes or systems they could implement. It cost us the labor movement and Manufacturing. So much science and culture as well. Finally even our ability just to maintain the lives we've had. All so a few ignorant insecure people with no personal achievements of their own to be proud in. Can take pride simply in the conditions of their birth.

So normalized and accepted. That a lot of culture was Rewritten and woven into it. It's why despite living in the midwest I despise most modern country music. Suburbanite sock puppets pretending and singing about thank god they're a country boy, or how good the country is, or how great it is to be from the country. Unvarnished pure processed jingoism. And nobody bats an eye.

I refuse to let go of hope, if that makes me delusional, so be it.

If you really want to go back in time, let's not forget Andrew Jackson.