Most jobs like that, or really any pay scheme other than piece work or an hourly wage usually has the process of:
- You can take as much PTO as you like.
- You can take as much PTO as you like...provided you get all your work done.
- You work like a dog, get all your work done, and take time off.
- Since you were able to get everything done and have time left over to not work, your boss increases your workload, so now you have to work like a dog, all the time, or else you'll never get everything done.
It's like playing chess, and while the other player can't change the rules as they go, but a condition for playing with them is that they get two moves every turn.
That quote has been changed a bit, but in it's original form I think it was Churchill.
And the general idea is that as you age your idealism is tempered by practicality, as well as having adapted to the situation and built something of a life of your own, so you've gradually moved from the camp of "very little to lose/give up in exchange for all these benefits" and toward the camp of, "you know what, I'm doing okay, I've figured out a way to make it work, and I'd rather 'the system' just leave me alone at this point, since I'll be footing the bill for things that aren't even going to benefit me that much".
Obviously it's a lot more complicated than that, but that's the gist.
It's also worth remembering that "liberal" and "conservative" meant something different mid century than they do now. Especially with the MAGA influence.