Modern Conservatism is an Utter Failure

“pretty cushy jobs, prints some magazines, hosts some websites, publishes various books, and puts on conferences”

I’m a 65 y.o. RETIRED “old guy”, who has no need for any of those things, and still believes that old time conservatism is exactly what the doctor has ordered, for the turn around of my country.

The Democrats have inflicted over 40 years worth of damage, so it won’t get repaired none too quick.

One mind at a time.

but you should have no trouble understanding what a Constitutionalist

A constitutionalist is now a revolutionary because the Courts will never voluntarily ceed back the power they now have.

Those dumbazz judges that shut down Trump's immigration plan set the course of this Presidency because he refused to defy them. He could have denied their authority and forced hem into the supreme court which I think just today set aside the latest hold up on his plan, even though I don't have a clue what that is anymore.

I said before Trump took the Oath he would have to be just as fierce and determined as Obama was to have any hope of restoring the Constitution and saving the Republic. So far I like almost all the things he has done, some not so much, that does not make me an Anti-Constitutionalist or a #NeverTrumper. The Constitution cannot save us with the Judges we have in place now because they just simply ignore it, and the Justice department just seems to ignore the law.

Retired appeals court judge: 'I pay very little attention to legal rules, statutes, constitutional provisions'

Yet the fact remains, other than communal ownership of assets, much of what the socialist and communist parties desired in 1900 has become reality in one form or another.

First of all, that's a pretty big "other than": state or collective ownership of the means of production was the heart and soul of socialism.

Secondly, what are we talking about here? Social Security? Medicaid? Workmen's Comp? Is it a surprise that rich countries adopted some social programs?

Is there -- other than a complete collapse of the economy -- any realistic chance that the country or the world would willingly go back to how things were in 1900?

Rich countries, like rich people, don't willingly do without things they think they can afford (whether or not they really can afford them).

Maybe expecting that to happen is setting the bar too high and inviting disappointment.

The author rants a lot but fails miserably in his objective.

Who represents “modern Conservatism”; so we can judge their “Conservative positions? He fails to say.

Who are the advocates of “modern Conservatism”; so we can judge their Conservative positions? He fails to say.

What exactly is “modern conservatism”; so we can judge “modern Conservatism” against some Conservative standard? He fails to say.

If, instead, his argument was that Conservatives - of which I think there are million in the U.S. - were not winning often enough on their Conservative agendas, in their chosen political vehicle(s), I’d say he is right, in a “hardly often enough sense”.

I think that may be a tide that is turning or going to turn.

The main obstacle has been that all the national information distribution sources in the U.S.- from the media, the intelligentsia, the permanent regulatory state and academia - have been arrayed and deployed against Conservatism, particularly and increasingly since World War II & FDR.

In spite of Barrack Obama’s election, or maybe because of it and what understanding Obama’s views teaches most logical thinking - it’s possible the information tide is turning, going to turn or is about to turn.

The one thing I am not is a defeatist, and I think some of the most important fights we Conservatives have, and have in us, are ahead.

The one thing to NOT believe and rely on is any idea that the GOPe (long time incumbent elite in Washington D.C.) represents MOST of the millions of GOP party members, among which I think a very good many are more Conservative than many of the GOPe leaders. The GOPey represent their own positions of power more than anything else and fail, consistently, to honor and live up to ANY of the promises that get them elected - promises made on Conservative ideas. That is an institutional failure a ton more than any philosophical failure.

I don’t confuse those phony leaders as representing “modern Conservatism”. It might represent some element of politics, but more of political organization than political philosophy.

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