services — created a dramatic political shift in America. Roosevelt "forged a broad coalition—including small farmers, Northern city dwellers, organized labor, European immigrants, liberals, intellectuals, and reformers". The Democratic party became the dominant party—retaining the presidency until 1952 and controlling both houses of Congress for most of the period from the 1930s to the mid-1990s. the Break up of New Deal coalition. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965—driven by Democratic president Lyndon B. Johnson—began the breaking off of the white segregationist Solid South from the Democratic party. Richard M. Nixon's "Southern strategy" began the process of winning white Southerners away to the G.O.P., and within a few decades created a solidly Republican south. Republican conservatives became victorious with the 1980 victory of Ronald Reagan, who campaigned on a theme of smaller government, free trade and tax cuts. These would stimulate economic growth which would then "trickle down" to the middle and lower classes (who might not benefit initially from these policies). The Republican party was now said to rest on "three legs" of Christian right/Social conservatism, fiscal conservatism/small government, and strong anti-communist military policy. Political polarization in the United States. In the last few decades (starting around 1990), the U.S. has experienced a greater surge in ideological polarization and affective polarization than comparable democracies, with a shift away from focus on political success, towards the abhorrence and domination ("owning") of supporters of the opposing party. This move away from the center and change in ideology has not been symmetrical, with Republicans moving farther to the right than Democrats have moved to the left (based on rankings of congressional roll-call votes). Republican strategist Newt Gingrich introduced a "Take No Prisoners" or "no-holds-barred" style in congress, that abandoned the norm whereby Democrats were opponents in elections but primarily colleagues to negotiate with in making good legislation. Gingrich taught that they were the enemy to be defeated, attacked as "traitors ... liars ... cheaters". Karl Rove emphasized that elections are won by energizing the party "base" (core supporters), not reaching out to the persuadable or swing voter in the middle; attacking opponents strong points (for example running ads implying decorated veterans—Max Cleland and John Kerry—were actually treasonous). Conspiracy theories also began to become mainstream among Republicans during this time (for example accusing then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of ordering the military to not protect Americans at