The changes we've seen are probably a mix of a lot of factors. I have seen how insanely right some people have moved because of Fox News in the US. But the internet has also allowed mono-cultures to form where people just communicate with people who have similar opinions to them.
My family is/was Republican and I grew up with it. But it was what is now called Eisenhower Republicanism. A fairly libertarian social view mixed with fiscal conservatism. The Republicans have become the complete opposite over the last 30 years. Socially there are quite a few Republicans who want to turn the US into a theocracy and even though they still talk about fiscal responsibility when they get into power, that usually isn't what they do. I've become very disgusted with the American right.
Generally I believe in personal responsibility too, but there are always some people who, through no fault of their own, can't make it on their own.
A meme has cropped up in the US to make government much more like business, but the two are fundamentally different with fundamentally different goals. One reason Donald Trump is floundering is because government and business are two different animals. There may be some lessons from business that could be incorporated into government on a case by case business. But the "business model" for government is fundamentally different.
Governments are the only entity that can do big things that won't have a direct payoff for a while. But ultimately many big works projects do help the overall economy which in turn raises tax revenue. The US is still benefiting from many big projects done to put people back to work in the 1930s. Just one example: Los Angeles can only exist because of major water projects of the 1930s that brought water there from other places. Having a city that large in Southern California would be impossible otherwise. If something catastrophic were to happen to any of the major water sources into Los Angeles, the region would be in crisis within weeks. Much worse than the drought.
