Yes I agree with that Doug, our respective populations are much less "liberal" than the media would have us believe and the cost of a "liberal" agenda is simply not viable in a capitalist society.
Capitalism, Democracy and equality, are not happy bedfellows.

There is good and bad in both liberal and consevative ideologies, and no matter which path we take, it seems that living standards are going to have to fall
The nanny state is going to have to be replaced by personal and family responsibility. This may make our lives harder, but I would suggest, more fulfilling for many of us.