Was considering responding to his post, but the "why" could take a thesis to do justice. In the time you mentioned, America has endured HUGE changes from being very rich => world's largest debtor nation. That is fact. The political aspect of it all has sacrificed fiscal reality/responsibility for ideology... and we're much worse off for it.
There's not much to say to a male nurse in drag who lies about flying lessons and a $1 journal either.
Yeah the good ol' days when A man's word was his bond, Lawyers were shot instead of allowed to sue everyone, People took responsibility for themselves instead of relying on government, People helped their neighbors instead of relying on government, Churches helped the poor instead of government, People were more charitable than relying on the government, Government supported your right to protect yourself, The U.S. was respected around the world, Muslims didn't have a lot of oil money spent to commit mass murder to others, Christians were treated fairly and not reviled by government, The press was even handed and not biased in their reporting, The government enforced fair trade with other countries, Government and Teacher's unions didn't exist, Our education system was the envy of the world, Government regulations didn't choke people and business, Laws and regulations were based upon common sense, Government didn't make classes of people with special rights based on their skin color, Government supported business instead of punishing it, Crimes were treated as crimes regardless of motive or reason (hate?), Etc., etc.
Yes Sir. You have your views and you are entitled to them. Other people, such as blacks, jews, italians, mexicans, chinese, japanese, native americans, women, gays, and progressive white men might see things a bit differently.