Some have suggested that WFB was controlled opposition. His assignment was to purge conservatism of nativists, protectionists, and isolationists. This he did.
He did separate out and wall off the John Birch Society.
just like the Republican Party, and Con Inc.
Their function is gatekeeping the right and disrupting / ostracizing any genuine resistance.
WFB’s thesis was that Conservatives had to accept a massive military and deep state to defeat Communism.
Even if you accept that questionable premise as true, the Cold War ended a long time ago. The Commies lost. There was never any justification for the Neocon holy crusade to spend America’s blood and treasure going around the world fighting every battle for others. There certainly isn’t any justification for an entrenched bureaucracy which thinks it and not the people should determine America’s foreign policy nor for having an open border, nor for outsourcing American manufacturing to the point that its a threat to national security.
National Review has become irrelevant. Its their own fault - and I grew up in the 80s and my dad had a subscription to National Review. I grew up reading it.