I'm guessing everyone here stayed the same and politics changed. I think Bill Maher was the one that said something along the lines of "the left moved to the right, and the right moved into a mental institution." And it's been fairly recent too.
Also, we've been getting older. People move to the right as they get older. That doesn't mean it's a good thing; it's also a sign of dying idealism. Politics needs young people who believe very strongly in liberal ideas.
...I can't see myself voting for Romney, but I'm not terrified of him like I was by McCain. Once I'm back home I'll have to try and find the website again, but I saw one that showed various politicians' publicly-stated opinions on various issues. Aside from a small handle of social-freedom issues (which admittedly really pushed my buttons), it looks like some of his policies over the years are things that I really agree with. I mean...god, we NEED a president who's going to take a hard stance on immigration reform by going after businesses and letting things play out from there. I don't think he's a moron when it comes to foreign policy, he
really doesn't seem like the kind of guy who has something to prove where wars are concerned, he seems to have a good grasp of American states' rights as individual social experiments (like they were originally intended), and for the most part he's willing to keep his hands off of things that I don't want his hands on. He implemented some health care stuff as a governor that was pretty novel, for a Republican at least. In fact my biggest beef with him is that he willingly associates himself with the Republican party. If he didn't owe them anything, and I could trust him not to get into partisan politics, he just might get my vote after all.
...Though I do wish I could find a politician who wants to raise my taxes. I'm not in a low bracket, and I can take it; we need more social services, and I don't want to burden people who make less than I do. Give me more taxes. *grabby hands*