In Stranger Things, one of the boy's fathers says, "We have to trust them; this is our government." The line feels better suited to a 1950's setting. How did public perception of the government look mid-1980's?

by chikindiner

This could be characterization of the particular father, but he's sort of a throwaway character to begin with. I could be wrong, but it seems more like a "Member when government was good?" thing that fits better with stereotypes of the 1950s. Am I wrong in assuming that type of optimism wasn't exactly status quo in the decade immediately after Vietnam?

There's a demographic factor that makes the line ring a little more true to me. The family is a nuclear, white, middle-class family. How does my assumption of that being a more believable source of a "trust the government" sentiment hold up for this time frame?

ChipChippersonAMA

A follow up question/thought for discussion could be the demographics of the town itself. It seemed to be a small town in Indiana. Was that a republican stronghold in the 80s? If so would reagan being president influence that thought