The End of Conservatism (1 Viewer)

[calamity]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night? It can be argued that one most certainly has.

These are all good reasons to be alarmed, but there is also a fourth reason for alarm that is perhaps the most alarming of all for conservatives: His nomination could signal the death of orthodox conservatism as one of the two main forces in American public policy, since he is running away with the nomination despite being exposed as a nonconservative.

Trump is the candidate who finally figured out how to exploit the fact that much of the Republican voter base does not share the policy preferences of the Republican donor class, and that it is therefore possible to win the nomination without being saddled with their unpopular policy preferences.

He will not be the last candidate to understand this.


...it gets worse.

Donald Trump and the GOP's crisis - Business Insider

 

[Howler63]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night? It can be argued that one most certainly has.

No, of course not. It's just been relegated to the back burner while Trumps works on his Populist Nationalism bouillabaisse.

(Made with Brawndo!)

 

[azgreg]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night?

Nope.

It can be argued that one most certainly has.

This forum has proven that you can argue anything.

The GOP isn't going anywhere. It may change. It may fracture. It may do any number of things, but it ain't going anywhere.

 

[NoLeftNoRight]

No, I don't think it is. Teaching is only one aspect of human development.
There will always be a great deal of people who feel less liberal and less accepting of the Progressive/Socialist trends currently underway in America.

There were no viable, trust worthy candidates available and the Trump choice is showing that Americans are tired of business as usual in Washington.
Whether Trump turns out to be a turncoat is yet to be seen (if he gets that far).

Trump was simply considered "the best possible" choice of the available choices to try to help stop the Progressive train.

Again, it is possible this could backfire spectacularly.

 

[poweRob]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night? It can be argued that one most certainly has.

I think both sides of the political spectrum are dying and in need of being born again. They are dying as the only two parties we apparently can choose from fight for the same corporate dollars and then we get to watch them pretend that they represent anything other than who gave them those dollars.

 

[LowDown]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night? It can be argued that one most certainly has.

No, you might as well argue that pessimism is dead. Conservatism reflects a natural human attitude or personality. It will never go away.

The Republican Party, on the other hand...

 

[poweRob]

No, of course not. It's just been relegated to the back burner while Trumps works on his Populist Nationalism bouillabaisse.

(Made with Brawndo!)

Brought to you by Carl's Jr.

 

[gdgyva]

there wasnt a good conservative running against him....hence he won

part of the issue is that we lack good candidates on the GOP side of the aisle

they all seem to meet a few of the qualifications, and suddenly they are called conservatives

bullcrap....

trump is not a conservative....never will be

but he is a flame that hopefully will ignite the kindling and put some fire back into the GOP

i was getting tired of the same old politician with a different name every cycle

maybe just maybe this will reignite the passion that the GOP needs

 

[justabubba]

hope not

it is the needed yin to the progressive yang

there just needs to be a charismatic statesman who can articulate the benefits of conservatism for the public to again rally around that approach to public policy

 

[azgreg]

there wasnt a good conservative running against him....hence he won

part of the issue is that we lack good candidates on the GOP side of the aisle

they all seem to meet a few of the qualifications, and suddenly they are called conservatives

bullcrap....

trump is not a conservative....never will be

but he is a flame that hopefully will ignite the kindling and put some fire back into the GOP

i was getting tired of the same old politician with a different name every cycle

maybe just maybe this will reignite the passion that the GOP needs

In your opinion who was the last "good" GOP candidate to run for the nomination (not necessarily win it)?

 

[jmotivator]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night? It can be argued that one most certainly has.

No. Why must everyone claim the opposition dead every time they lose a vote? The Republicans were supposed to be dead in 2008, then the won big in 2010, The Democrats were supposed to be dead in 2010 then the won in 2012, the Republicans were supposed to be dead in 2012 and then the won big is 2014.

Conservatism is alive and well even if they haven't had a president since Reagan. Right now the movement in state and local politics has definitely been towards more conservative politicians. If you look at state and local and congressional elections of the last 10 years you'd be declaring liberalism dead...

 

[cpwill]

No. Why must everyone claim the opposition dead every time they lose a vote? The Republicans were supposed to be dead in 2008, then the won big in 2010, The Democrats were supposed to be dead in 2010 then the won in 2012, the Republicans were supposed to be dead in 2012 and then the won big is 2014.

Conservatism is alive and well even if they haven't had a president since Reagan. Right now the movement in state and local politics has definitely been towards more conservative politicians. If you look at state and local and congressional elections of the last 10 years you'd be declaring liberalism dead...

It’s not too early to start rebuilding from the ashes.

First, it is absolutely vital that conservatives stay firm in their opposition to Trump. For at least a generation, the Left has been arguing that American conservatism is shot through with racism, sexism, and xenophobia. And now millions of Americans will face the difficult task of rebutting charges of hateful bigotry while supporting a man who gives aid and comfort to avowed racists, incites violence, and can’t even consistently disavow the Klan. Trump is the destroyer of conservatism, and he will taint all who take his side.

Next, donors, activists, and volunteers must go all-in to preserve the Republican majority in the House (the Senate as well, but that’s a tall order). Hundreds of millions of donor dollars are sitting on the sideline, along with tens of thousands of demoralized volunteers. If the House falls, we’ll potentially see cap-and-trade, card check, expansive new gun-control regulations, and amnesty. Moreover, if the House falls, don’t assume it can be retaken with ease. A GOP that nominates Trump and potentially loses its congressional majorities risks wandering in the wilderness for years — assuming it even survives as a viable political party.

Third, conservatives should double-down on their commitment to state-level political action. Multiple red-state legislatures are now stocked with constitutional conservatives who are ready and willing to implement conservative ideas in state governance. Conservatives still have an opportunity to enact policies that will preserve liberty and liberate the free market for millions of Americans — all while presenting sharp contrasts with blue states that are choking on public-employee pensions and suppressing economic activity with high taxes and burdensome regulations.

Fourth, reject the cult of celebrity in favor of building enduring, meaningful conservative cultural institutions. If the current election cycle has revealed anything, it’s demonstrated that large chunks of the celebrity Right — you know, the people who spent most of the last ten years or so calling out “RINOs” and proclaiming themselves the true arbiters of American conservatism — have proven that they’re little more than populist audience-whores, following where the lowest common denominator leads...

 

[Redress]

Nope.



This forum has proven that you can argue anything.

The GOP isn't going anywhere. It may change. It may fracture. It may do any number of things, but it ain't going anywhere.

It is also important to note that the GOP is not conservatism. One is a political party, one is an ideology. Not the same thing. Even if the GOP where to collapse, conservatism would still be around.

 

[tres borrachos]

It is also important to note that the GOP is not conservatism. One is a political party, one is an ideology. Not the same thing. Even if the GOP where to collapse, conservatism would still be around.

Exactly.

 

[Redress]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night? It can be argued that one most certainly has.

Any stupid thing can be argued, and the idea conservatism is dead because of a nominee for a party is really stupid.

 

[longview]

Was a stake driven through the heart of conservatism last night? It can be argued that one most certainly has.

I think people completely misunderstand what Trump is.
From a social standpoint Trump is mostly moderate to liberal, which I could care less about.
From a fiscal standpoint I think Trump could be very conservative, which is something the US needs.
It is really difficult to tell what kind of president he would be,
everyone who gets the job is untested in the role.
I do think all the campaign rhetoric is just that, and (hopefully) will temper the tone
for the next phase of the election.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

In your opinion who was the last "good" GOP candidate to run for the nomination (not necessarily win it)?

In my opinion the Dole's

 

[poweRob]

No. Why must everyone claim the opposition dead every time they lose a vote? The Republicans were supposed to be dead in 2008, then the won big in 2010, The Democrats were supposed to be dead in 2010 then the won in 2012, the Republicans were supposed to be dead in 2012 and then the won big is 2014.

Conservatism is alive and well even if they haven't had a president since Reagan. Right now the movement in state and local politics has definitely been towards more conservative politicians. If you look at state and local and congressional elections of the last 10 years you'd be declaring liberalism dead...

I don't think there is a question of the GOP being alive. But conservatism within the GOP is what's in question. Liberalism within the Dem's can be questioned as well. Thanks to Bernie I think there is a wing/movement within providing somewhat of a spark in the dems for the liberal cause but at the forefront... we can pretty much expect Clintonian corporatism.

 

[jmotivator]

It’s not too early to start rebuilding from the ashes.

I think their analysis is rather overwrought. Trump is a threat to the GOP, but not to Conservatism. The only way that Conservatism is defeated is by better ideas. To fear Trump as a conservative is to fear that he has better ideas.

 

[cpwill]

I think their analysis is rather overwrought. Trump is a threat to the GOP, but not to Conservatism. The only way that Conservatism is defeated is by better ideas. To fear Trump as a conservative is to fear that he has better ideas.

Conservatism has been defeated by Trump. It just hasn't been ended. Hopefully he loses, and we can rebuild.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Conservatism may not be dead but the GOP as I knew it died years ago. Today's GOP, or rather what's left of it, is a cluster**** of Teabaggers, religious crusaders, corporatists, white supremacists and people too stupid or too insecure to get the hell out of the party.

Organized true conservatism will find another place to live. The GOP brand has been permanently fouled and has been shat upon so often by fringe crazies (see above) that GOP no longer means conservatism. It means bat-**** crazy.

 

[X Factor]

there wasnt a good conservative running against him....hence he won

part of the issue is that we lack good candidates on the GOP side of the aisle

they all seem to meet a few of the qualifications, and suddenly they are called conservatives

bullcrap....

trump is not a conservative....never will be

but he is a flame that hopefully will ignite the kindling and put some fire back into the GOP

i was getting tired of the same old politician with a different name every cycle

maybe just maybe this will reignite the passion that the GOP needs

He and his idiot voters have convinced me I want nothing more to do with the "GOP".

 

[Redress]

In my opinion the Dole's

I had a ton of respect for Dole, but I am not sure I would call him a good candidate. He was a good man, but not so good as a candidate.

 

[jmotivator]

I don't think there is a question of the GOP being alive. But conservatism within the GOP is what's in question. Liberalism within the Dem's can be questioned as well. Thanks to Bernie I think there is a wing/movement within providing somewhat of a spark in the dems for the liberal cause but at the forefront... we can pretty much expect Clintonian corporatism.

Conservatism in the GOP is alive and well, it is just in short supply in congressional and national leadership who are more enamored with the trappings of big government power than they are in responsible government. The Conservative wing of the GOP has driven the astonishing GOP takeover of state and local governments over the last decade, and was largely responsible for the Congressional takeovers in 2010 and 2014. The conservative GOP has captured thousands of seats once held by Democrats over the last decade.

The tree is not growing fast but the roots are digging deep.

 

[Redress]

Conservatism may not be dead but the GOP as I knew it died years ago. Today's GOP, or rather what's left of it, is a cluster**** of Teabaggers, religious crusaders, corporatists, white supremacists and people too stupid or too insecure to get the hell out of the party.

Organized true conservatism will find another place to live. The GOP brand has been permanently fouled and has been shat upon so often by fringe crazies (see above) that GOP no longer means conservatism. It means bat-**** crazy.

The GOP(and the Democratic Party) have changed continuously through its existence. It will change again, and again, and again.