In hindsight which was the most influential Presidential election since 1960?

[Pragmatic Conservative]

Since 1960 which election do you believe had the greatest effect on both policy and future election trends/results. I have deliberately excluded 2016 as it is far too soon to say what major long term effects are yet to come from 2016.

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I would say 1988 for the following reason.

-Set up the Bush/Clinton mini dynasties.
-Contributed to the growth of the New Democrat Coalition and the Democratic parties shift to the center.
-Solidified the GOP rightward shift.
-Solidified the growth of Neoliberal economic policy.
  

[twenty42]

I would say 1968 because without Nixon's presidency we'd have never had Carter, Reagan, either of the Bushes, or either of the Clintons.

[Technocracy Timmy]

1980.

Solidified a new Republican-Southern Democratic alliance and realignment that decided to abandon most of the New Deal policies of pursuing full employment in favor of targeting price stability. We went full force with neoliberal economics after minor reforms and talks had brewing during the 70's. Nixon and Carter were some early signs of this but Reagan was the cataclyst.

My other thread goes into more detail on this.

[Sumner 1868]

1968 got the "market liberalization" ball rolling and caused a structural collapse within the Democratic Party.

[NHI]

1980.

Solidified a new Republican-Southern Democratic alliance and realignment that decided to abandon most of the New Deal policies of pursuing full employment in favor of targeting price stability. We went full force with neoliberal economics after minor reforms and talks had brewing during the 70's. Nixon and Carter were some early signs of this but Reagan was the cataclyst.

My other thread goes into more detail on this.

[Technocracy Timmy]

1968, 2000, and possibly 2008 are honorable mentions as well. I think 1968 was to 1980 what 1912 was to 1932; a foreshadowing to a future era.

2000/2004 was pivotal in that it really solidified the red-state blue-state divide from the culture wars that had been going full steam in the 1990's.

2008 is a "we'll see" eleciton. I think it'll go down as a foreshadowing eleciton (ala 1912 or 1968) but that time hasn't come yet so who knows.

[dw93]

From most to least:

1980: was to the GOP what 1932 was for the Democrats. Reagan won in a landslide and flipped the Senate to the GOP for the first time in 25 years and the GOP has won 6 out of 10 Presidential elections since. It was here where the "Greed is Good" mindset became acceptable and where deregulation, tax cuts for the rich, and privatization became the answer to all our problems. While it was Nixon and Watergate that created distrust in Government institutions, it was Reagan that exploited said distrust and made Government "the problem" for his political gain and that of his party.  The Religious Right also became a force to be reckoned with the election of Reagan as well. Conservatism became dominant and liberal became a bad word after this election.

1968: This was where the Southern Strategy was born, and while it was Nixon that crafted this strategy, for one, the south began trending Republican in 1964, and two once in office, Nixon really didn't bring about any significant realignment. Granted, in some ways he tried, but in other ways he didn't. The New Deal Consensus largely stayed in tact. At best, Nixon's election was a glimpse of what was to come with Reagan.

2008: Time may prove this one to be, as Technocracy Timmy said, a "foreshadowing election." Obama somewhat challenged the "Neoliberal"/Reagan Consensus, but was unable to or in some ways just refused to realign the country.  I would also add though, that 2008 was where Virginia, Colorado, and Nevada became "blue states." This election's influence might increase or decrease with time, but for now, it'll be here on the list.

1992: This is for the Democrats what 1952 was for the GOP.  Where the Democrats moved to the center to compete with the new dominant GOP, and in turn, the old Rockefeller Republicans officially left the GOP due to the Religious Right's increasing influence on the platform and handed the Northeast to the Democrats for the last quarter of a century. This and 1996 were also the last time a Democrat was able to win Southern states like Tennessee, Arkansas, West Virginia, and Kentucky. This and the 1994 midterms also marked the beginning of the hyper polarization and hyper partisanship we're dealing with today.

2000: More or less the end result of the realignments brought about in 1968, 1980, 1992, and 1994. Where the GOP became the rural party and the Democrats the urban party. Where Blue States and Red States became a thing.

1988: The West Coast starting to go Democratic was about all this election had going for it, but Dukakis still came short in California. The Northeast was also more Republican than not, so not much happened here.

1976: One last hurrah for the New Deal Coalition.

1960: Outside of our first Catholic President, not much changed.

2004: The least influential of the bunch. 2000 with a few states flipped.

[MillennialModerate]

1960: Influential in that it produced one of the better Presidents we've ever had and certainly the most popular President we've ever had - an iconic figure who was admired around the globe. Someone who produced so much in such a small amount of time. But as for the election ITSELF, not that influential besides the advent of the television debate and television in politics.

1964: Nothing memorable at all.

1968: Extremly influential in that it re-aligned the map. The solid south stayed solid but now it was becoming solid for the GOP - Instead of the Dems.

1972: nothing memorable at all

1976: not much memorable at all

1980: Very influential, ushered in the golden era of conservatism and renewed a sense of belief in Patriotism and sense of belief in America itself that had been missing since 11/22/63.

1984: nothing memorable

1988: What was memorable about this election was that campaigns began getting dirtier as far as how low
the campaigns were willing to go (I.e the Willy Horton ad

1992: Very influential, this election was a renewal for the Democrats. Brought them out of the wilderness so to speak. This election saw the Democrats move more to the Center. Unfortunately this election also saw the beginning (or spurred on the beggining in 94)  of the GOP going from a Center-Right party of Rockefeller, Romneys of the world to the extreme far right and a constant strategy of pushing grievance politics.

1996: Least memorable elections ever

2000: Influenrial in so many ways - really began bringing electoral reform to the forefront. It brought to light some weaknesses in our election system. This is the election that made blue state and red state really stick

2004: Not much influential

2008: The candidate was influential but the election itself wasn't so. Ugh except for the fact it ushered in the Dems moving slightly left (not as big a jump as the GOP move right in mid 90's)

2012: Not much influential

2016: Need I say anything? Just the way conventional wisdoms would be turnt on their heads and not in a good way

[OSR stands with Israel]

Just using Presidential :
 

1. 1968
2. 1992
3. 1980


Overall

1. 1968
2. 1994
3. 1992

[Tekken_Guy]

Safe to say it's already 2016.

Out of the ones here I'd have to say 2000. It largely set up the modern day "liberal democrat"/"conservative republican" factions and helped shape the 21st century's political landscape.

1980 was influential because of Reagan, but that has less to do with the election itself than Reagan's actual presidency.

[darklordoftech]

What about 1964? The GOP took a hard turn to the right, Reagan's political career (besides his failed attempts as a Democrat) began, and the Solid South was smashed into oblivion.

[DKrol]

1976. If Ford had beaten Carter, the GOP's right-ward shift would have been either much more delayed or occur on a far weaker scale.

[SingingAnalyst]

1992. Clinton's candidacy rebuilt the Dem party, neutralized the crime/"law and order" issue, and put the GOP on the defensive. The GOP had won a majority of the PV in 4 of the 5 preceding elections. Beginning with 1992, the GOP has won a (bare) majority in just 1 of 7.

1992 is also when the GOP lost the northeast. Even in 1988, with the Dem nominee from MA, the Dems won only 3 of 9 northeastern states and NH was tied for 2nd most GOP state in the US. Beginning with 1992 the Dems virtually shut out the GOP in every election, until 2016.