Final answer:
As a socially moderate voter from New York in the 1950s, you probably would have voted for the Republicans due to their progressive northern and midwestern wings. However, by the 1980s, the political landscape had shifted, and you would likely have voted for the Democrats as the Republican Party became more conservative and the moderate Republicans found common ground with Democrats on social issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you were a socially moderate voter from New York in the 1950s and 1980s, you would likely align with different political parties during those times due to shifts in party ideologies. Analyzing historical party stances, we can infer that in the 1950s, the Republican Party had a significant number of progressive members from the Northern and Midwestern regions who supported racial equality, workers' rights, and were open to social reforms. Hence, as a moderate from New York, you probably would have voted for the Republicans in the 1950s.
Moving into the 1980s, the political landscape changed significantly. The Democratic and Republican parties started to become more polarized, with moderate members becoming rarer. At the same time, social issues began to realign the political affiliations of voters in various regions. Moderate Republicans in the North and West, including New York, found it increasingly difficult to align with their party as it shifted towards small government and states' rights ideologies. This trend was exemplified by politicians like Senator Arlen Specter, who switched to the Democratic Party. Therefore, in the 1980s, a moderate voter from New York would likely have voted for the Democrats as the party became more appealing to moderates in the North, especially on social issues.