How could the historical role reversal of the value systems of Republicans and Democrats be explained?

Answer 1

This is a question which opens the door to volumes of toxic comments, sniping and general snide mudslinging.

I personally don't see a role reversal. During Washington's and Adam's administrations they were known as Federalists, but were probably the true foundation of Republican. They were for individual liberties, minimal government, strict adherence to the Constitution with none of this wishy-washy interpretations we see today. Either it fit or it didn't. Look up the number of times the SCOTUS reversed itself on personal liberties based on the liberal temperment of the court rather than law. Dating from the anti-slavery tenor of the Continental Congress, it was the souther Democrats that held the Constitution and the nation hostage over slavery. It was the Democrats that literally robbed the coffers of the nation, resigned their offices under accusations of treason and fled south with munitions, ships, troops and money from the government. After the Civil War Reconstruction, former slaves were buying businesses, running for public office (and winning), owning land, voting and raising themselves up to equality with all citizens. It was Democrat Woodrow Wilson who segregated the federal workforce and the military. With that one act integration was set back 50 years, and we are still suffering the after shocks today. It has been the Democrats that enacted socialist measures to bring money into the government even after it had been proved that lowering taxes and cutting spending was far more effective. The Democrats complain about the military. They don't want national defense. Our military budget is larger than the next 26 nations combined, 25 of whom are our allies, but their welfare and entitlement spending is 6 times our military budget, and you will never hear them think of cutting that. Why? Welfare buys votes.

It doesn't matter who is in the administration. Wilson left us with a massive depression after WWI. Coolidge cut taxes and cut spending, and he brought us out of the depression in 4 years. JFK said the same thing. But recession and depressions are perfect crises that put money into the government, and as has been Geitner said in the Obama administration, "You never let a perfectly good crisis go to waste."