I've read Reed for many years. And you either have never read him or you do and you're trying to pigeonhole him into what you think a conservative should be. That's identity politics, friend. It's unforgiving extremism just as the self-styled liberals are doing.
Fred Reed is a rare bird. I don't think he's against Trump per se. Just hoping for the best while bracing for a reality which may or may not be. Reed despises Obama, despises the Clintons, despises McCain, TOTALLY despises the Bushes especially 43, despises feminists, despises liberal academics, despises a LOT of the sort that's brought this country to the brink of ruin. Reed is jaded, and I don't really blame him. Better to be cautiously pessimistic and vigilant now so as to be delighted with surprise later, than to NOT be vigilant. Trump is still just a man. And as Tolkien elaborated upon, power and glory has a way of tempting and corrupting any man.
The sole item that Reed has against Trump is his stand on illegal immigration. And the probable reason for that is that Reed retired to Mexico so his retirement funds would go further and married a Mexican after being there awhile. Reed contends that conservatives are “anti-immigration” rather than “anti-illegal”.
“Whether Trump proves to be the catastrophic buffoon he apparently aspires to be...”
“Whether Trump proves to be the catastrophic buffoon he apparently aspires to be...” My brother loeves this guy. To me he’s a crank.