Conservatism in the GOP typically only exists as a haughty ideological conservatism—an idle intellectual exercise with no bearing on practical reality. Most of the conservative pundits are of the same mentality. They’re effectively free to speak it, believe it, even proselytize it—without ever actively applying or living it. Some will fully content themselves indefinitely, constructing mental air castles about how principled they believe themselves to be, etc.
Well said UC. That is exactly how I see it.