The Dichotomy of Political Thought

It seems to me, the political philosophies of "conservatism" and "liberalism" yield the following world views:

Conservatism: Our best days are behind us. We must work to conserve the status quo while fighting for a return to those better days.

As a result, many conservatives advocate the return of Christian prayer in schools, the rollback of public welfare programs, and a regression of civil rights.

Liberalism: Our best days are ahead of us. We are a privileged people, but there are many inequalities and injustices, so we must fight for change.

As a result, many liberals advocate progressive secularism, new public welfare programs, and extended civil rights.

I'm sure my bias is showing, but this dichotomy between conservatism and regression on the one side and liberalism and progression on the other side seems obvious. And the choice between the two philosophies seems just as obvious.