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Farewell to the ‘Conservative Movement’
Hot Air / Journal of American Greatness ^ | 10 Aug 2018 | Michael Walsh

Posted on 08/13/2018 3:54:17 PM PDT by oblomov

The #NeverTrumpumpkins define themselves by their visceral distaste for the president. He offends their fastidious sensibilities, outrages them with his unfiltered Twitter musings, and violates their sense of propriety with his secular hedonism and sheer joy in his own vulgarity. That he’s also delivering the most conservative administration in history is, to them, beside the point—because Trump neither represents nor embodies “movement” conservatism. And therein, for them, lies the problem.

Movements are, almost by definition, attractive to the young and the emotionally immature. Followers love to follow; even more, they love to memorize catechisms and rote talking points, which they parrot on the air and in column inches, as if by simply asserting their “principles” they are proving them as well.

Eventually, though, both content and context are lost and only the talking points remain. The argument from authority becomes as circular and self-referential as any obscure religious contretemps, and of interest only to the anointed. Which is why they fall upon each other with the glee of zealots who have been given orders to purge the heretics by any means necessary.

I have coined a portmanteau term for this state of affairs: “preenciples.” You know what they are: smaller government, less regulation, free trade, federalism, etc. It’s a creed, constantly professed, acolytes of (fill in the blank: Mises, Hayek, Strauss, Buckley) reassuring each other that by consulting the sacred texts they will always have the correct views on the issues, and thus ensure their place among the elect.

(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Philosophy; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: 2018election; 2020election; billnelson; conservatism; conspiracynut; election2018; election2020; florida; nevertrump; nevertrumper; nevertrumpers; rickscott; trump
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To: camle

You may not be. And if you’re not, then you’re more of a unicorn than you might think. While not knowing your age, there are millions that are, Young and Emotionally Immature.

Watch Bernie luring thousands into an arena, promise the moon, yet can’t explain how to pay for anything.

Or the thousands that show up for ANTIFA/BLM. Or the thousands that vote for Ocasio.

Or those that get interviewed on the street to talk about the virtues of Socialism from the sidewalks of their uber white, hipster neighborhoods and when asked how all their fantasies will be paid for the answer is always: raise taxes on the rich and corporations. The very same corporations that they might work for and don’t think those costs will ever cost them a job. Or the fact that they don’t know they’re pay checks will be taxes at 70% or more.


41 posted on 08/14/2018 3:04:16 AM PDT by qaz123
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To: oblomov

bump


42 posted on 08/14/2018 4:14:48 AM PDT by foreverfree
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To: oblomov

The last 40 years of “Conservatism” and “Liberalism” were simply a manufactured binary intended to suppress the Americansim Trump’s election heralded.

The former “Conservative-Liberal” uniparty has united in opposition to America


43 posted on 08/14/2018 4:21:42 AM PDT by mo ("If you understand, no explanation is needed; if you don't understand, no explanation is possible")
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To: oblomov

I have a simpler analysis:

The real Conservative Movement is alive and well - thriving as never before under the able leadership of Donald Trump.

The only “conservatives” suffering a setback are the MSM anointed “conservative leaders” who are jealous of Trump’s success and resent him for it.

Self-appointed Conservative leaders have essentially the same problem as self-appointed black leaders - they are creations MSM.

The MSM has always ordained who will be the “black leaders”, like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, etc., bringing them on as guests, handing them a microphone as if they represent African Americans - but the AAs never had a say in this - it’s all a fiction created by the MSM, and the so-called black leaders are seduced by the media attention into believing it themselves.

The same is true of so-called “conservatives” like George Will, Bill Krystol, etc.. - 100% media creations - they are and always were nothing more than useful idiots for the Leftist media - they were not chosen by conservatives to speak for them - they were hand picked by the Left as token conservatives - they have no conservative following, but due to their vanity, they think they do.

In 2015-2016, their “leadership” was put to the test when they led with #neverTrump and nobody followed. Every Trump win was a humiliating defeat for them.

Conservative “leaders” have been dethroned, but the conservative movement is thriving. We have a POTUS who wakes up each morning at the crack of dawn and starts hunting down job-killing regulations, job-killing trade deals, job-killing taxes, job-killing sanctuary cities, baby-killing abortionists, truth-killing fake news outlets, 2nd Amendnent killing leftists, efficiency-killing bureaucracy, Liberty-killing judges, Western Civilization killing ISIS, America-killing globalists, etc., etc., etc...

Trump is the best thing that has happened to conservatives in a long time - he’s the worst thing that ever happened to the Left and the Left-anointed “conservative leaders”.


44 posted on 08/14/2018 7:22:32 AM PDT by enumerated
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To: Eisenhower Republican
Too many folks with some semblance of conservative credibility got enamored of ‘Nation Building’, and got tumescent over the idea of being the world's sole superpower and global cop.
45 posted on 08/14/2018 7:57:33 AM PDT by RedStateRocker (Nuke Mecca. Deport all illegals. Abolish the DEA, IRS and ATF,.)
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To: oblomov

Excellent analysis.


46 posted on 08/14/2018 8:00:12 AM PDT by RedStateRocker (Nuke Mecca. Deport all illegals. Abolish the DEA, IRS and ATF,.)
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To: bkopto

>> The “conservatives” never conserved one damned thing, not even marriage or bathrooms.

You nailed it.


47 posted on 08/14/2018 8:00:14 AM PDT by generally ( Don't be stupid. We have politicians for that.)
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To: Architect of Avalon

That’s funny, because I’m a Trump supporter and I’m socially moderate to liberal. Fiscally and Militarily to the right of Rush. Right down the middle on social stuff.


48 posted on 08/14/2018 10:03:51 AM PDT by spacewarp (FreeRepublic, Rush's show prep since foundation.)
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To: spacewarp

Kindly state the social issues that you identify as moderate or liberal on.


49 posted on 08/14/2018 10:27:00 AM PDT by Architect of Avalon
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To: oblomov

Differentiate between socially traditionalist and socially conservative.


50 posted on 08/14/2018 10:29:49 AM PDT by Architect of Avalon
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To: enumerated
Self-appointed Conservative leaders have essentially the same problem as self-appointed black leaders - they are creations MSM.

I wish had come up with your statement here, because you summed up my thinking over the past 25 years. Bravo!

Jesus Christ: You can't impeach Him and He ain't gonna resign.



51 posted on 08/14/2018 6:51:36 PM PDT by rdb3 (rdb2 ~ Nov. 9, 1934 - Jun. 2, 2018)
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To: HiTech RedNeck
This isn’t how previous presidential politics has looked at all.

And I hope that we, the rank and file Right, learn from and always remembers this. President DJT has demonstrated how to play this game.

Jesus Christ: You can't impeach Him and He ain't gonna resign.



52 posted on 08/14/2018 6:58:53 PM PDT by rdb3 (rdb2 ~ Nov. 9, 1934 - Jun. 2, 2018)
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To: rdb3
Glad you like it. Of course I meant to say "they are creations [of the] MSM". Anyway you got the my point, so 👍🏻.
53 posted on 08/14/2018 10:24:27 PM PDT by enumerated
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To: Architect of Avalon

I’m supportive of religion, but I believe that it should be personal and private. That using religion as some sort of test of someone to be able to serve in our society is wrong. In converse, I believe that if you practice your religion publicly, you shouldn’t be shunned at all for it either, and so I’m basically of the “Do what you want with regards....”

As for the LGBTQ area, frankly, I don’t care one bit who you’re sleeping with, and if you’re happy with yourself, then great. Should it be shoved onto others? NO. There seem to be way too many in the Conservative movement that want to dramatically curtail the liberties of those who have their own peccadilloes.

As for our homeless population, I believe we should be doing much more, but conversely, I believe we should round up anyone here illegally and remove them from our country. If you break the law to get here, and commit as many as 6 felonies to survive here just on base (minimum of 3 to earn any cash), then you should be gone. I believe that we should be taking that money (most estimates put it at nearly 200 billion annually, I believe it is MUCH higher), and put it into helping our homeless and depressed vets, our other homeless, our crumbling mental health system, our poorest among us.

Frankly, I’m a mixed bag, and believe that I am not too terribly off target with mainstream America who gets so tired of the left or right argument, and wants a solid plan to move forward and then we do it. One of the reasons I believe Trump is so popular. He moves forward. Rarely lets anyone slow him down.


54 posted on 08/15/2018 9:52:20 AM PDT by spacewarp (FreeRepublic, Rush's show prep since foundation.)
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To: rdb3; enumerated
Yes! How people with Conservative personalities focus on issues will reflect their individual priorities. The idea of somebody trying to force their personal idea of a litmus test on others, is neither "conservative" or pragmatic--or even rational.

People who have a problem with working with others, who disagree on a few issues, but agree on most other issues, undermine rather than support conservative values. (Working with does not mean giving someone a metaphorical "blank check.")

55 posted on 08/15/2018 10:20:15 AM PDT by Ohioan
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To: Architect of Avalon

The two were identical at one time, perhaps as recently as the early 60s.

But all major social institutions, government, media, churches, foundations, and social organizations like the Boy Scouts, etc. have been thoroughly corrupted. There is very little left to conserve, and someone who is merely standing athwart history, yelling ‘Stop’ is living in an alternate universe.

A traditionalist, or maybe neo-traditionalist is the right term, is practical and aggressively counterrevolutionary. While Nevertrumpcons worry about Trump’s ‘tone’, trads are fighting for victory, which unavoidably means casualties for the cultural and moral radicals.


56 posted on 08/15/2018 2:04:09 PM PDT by oblomov
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To: oblomov

Good explanation.


57 posted on 08/15/2018 2:09:09 PM PDT by Architect of Avalon
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To: qaz123

Bernie was a blessing in disguise. The way he was treated by Hillary and the DNC caused a lot of disillusionment for many young people. They no longer trust the Democrats.

Having seen a very different kind of ‘conservative’ president in Trump, and one who is not a professional politician, many of them may grow up, get wise, and vote for him in 2020.


58 posted on 08/19/2018 8:38:17 PM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it")
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