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A Clarifying Moment for Conservatism (Purge Trump & Trumpism)
Commentary ^ | 08/14/2015 | Peter Wehner

Posted on 08/16/2015 12:44:47 PM PDT by nhwingut

In a compelling column, George Will – who knows a thing or two about conservatism – makes the conservative case against Donald Trump. Mr. Will refers to Trump as an “unprecedentedly and incorrigibly vulgar presidential candidate” who is coarsening our civic life. He labels Trump “a counterfeit Republican and no conservative.” And he argues that Trump is an affront to anyone devoted to the legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr., the founder of National Review and a giant in American conservatism. Just as Buckley excommunicated the John Birch Society from the conservative movement in the 1960s, so should conservatives today stand up to Trump and Trumpism.

Fortunately there are conservative commentators who are doing just that, including Bill Bennett, David Brooks, Mona Charen, Charles C.W. Cooke, Michael Gerson, Jonah Goldberg, Victor Davis Hanson, Charles Krauthammer, Matt Lewis, Rich Lowry, Michael Medved, Paul Mirengoff, Dana Perino, John Podhoretz, Karl Rove, Jennifer Rubin, Kevin Williamson, regular contributors to this web site (among them Max Boot, Noah Rothman and Jonathan Tobin), editorial page writers for the Wall Street Journal and others.

(Excerpt) Read more at commentarymagazine.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 2016election; billbennett; charlescwcooke; charleskrauthammer; commentary; conservatism; danaperino; davidbrooks; demagogicparty; democide; districtofcolumbia; election2016; georgewill; georgewillgiveitup; gope; jebbush; jenniferrubin; johnpodhoretz; jonahgoldberg; jonathantobin; karlrove; kevinwilliamson; mattlewis; maxboot; memebuilding; michaelgerson; michaelmedved; monacharen; newyork; noahrothman; notaconservate; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; paulmirengoff; peterwehner; purge; richlowry; rino; showtrials; trump; trumpnotconservative; victordavishanson; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost
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To: nhwingut

In a compelling column, George Will – who knows a thing or two about conservatism ...
++++
But that needs to be compared to the thousands of things understood by typical conservatives and the tens of thousands at the finger tips of most Freepers.

George Will and essentially all of the Fox News commentators expect Jeb to get the nomination. The Satus Quo has been very good to them. They want to keep it that way so Jeb is just naturally their boy.


21 posted on 08/16/2015 12:58:43 PM PDT by InterceptPoint
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To: Cowboy Bob

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/13/AR2006121301901.html


22 posted on 08/16/2015 12:58:53 PM PDT by BigEdLB (They need to target the 'Ministry of Virtue' which has nothing to do with virtue.)
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To: nhwingut

>>In a compelling column, George Will – who knows a thing or two about conservatism – makes the conservative case against Donald Trump. <<

George Will knows nothing about conservatives nor conservatism. He is the spokesman for the eGOP — principles are to be discarded when a little pushback happens.


23 posted on 08/16/2015 1:00:07 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Trump is the missile. Cruz is the payload. (Tagline stolen from Kid Shelleen with no attribution!))
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To: nhwingut
I do not delude myself that Trump is a Republican or a true conservative, but he might just be the tool we need to finally break the GOPe's back. His inherent narcissism might even benefit us - if he is truly running for President and not pulling a Perot on us he most likely wants to hear his name spoken with the same reverence we use for Reagan so he would have to govern accordingly.

If I had my druthers it would be Cruz, but maybe we could make the Donald work for us? Trump breaks the GOPe grip on the party, Cruz follows up and pours concrete over their graves - unlike having the Bush's come in after Reagan and undo everything he accomplished in 4 short years.
24 posted on 08/16/2015 1:00:15 PM PDT by GunningForTheBuddha (DC is like a car full of clowns off their meds.)
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To: nhwingut

makes the conservative case against Donald Trump.
......................................
Correction:

George Will makes the GOPe conservative case against Donald Trump...

Expect to see some hits coming from Trump about George Will....


25 posted on 08/16/2015 1:00:26 PM PDT by HarleyLady27 ("It's the hard working, tax paying citizens of the United States that are suffering...")
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To: AmericanVictory

I didn’t know it either. Here’s one of his remarks

Why do Peggy Noonan, George Will and David Brooks favor Obama?

http://seaton-newslinks.blogspot.com/2008/02/why-do-peggy-noonan-george-will-and.html

“(Obama) is the un-Edwards and un-Huckabee — an adult aiming to reform the real world rather than an adolescent fantasizing mock-heroic “fights” against fictitious villains in a left-wing cartoon version of this country.” George Will

There’s plenty more in the searches on George Will supporting Obama. I really had no idea he was this bad until now.


26 posted on 08/16/2015 1:01:22 PM PDT by FR_addict (Boehner needs to go!)
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To: FR_addict
I haven’t been so excited since Reagan. Trump is saying all the right things.

The question is; does he mean them?

Trump’s history is not Conservative.

27 posted on 08/16/2015 1:03:20 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: nhwingut

George Will is a liberal in many ways. He has been in the media forever. His is an ABC type who just shows up on Fox to vent like Juan Williams and Chris Wallace plus others do.


28 posted on 08/16/2015 1:04:29 PM PDT by Lumper20 ( clown in Chief has own Gov employees Gestapo)
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To: Jim Noble
Take a look at Trump Gives a Glimpse of the Golden Arrow Targeted Toward McConnell/Donohue’s Achilles Heel.... It outlines the Establishment's plan to elect either Bush or Clinton. Trump can stop this plan. In fact it has already been derailed by his candidacy.
29 posted on 08/16/2015 1:04:33 PM PDT by SubMareener (Save us from Quarterly Freepathons! Become a MONTHLY DONOR!)
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To: BigEdLB

Your link is better then mine:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/13/AR2006121301901.html

“New Hampshire was recently brightened by the presence of Barack Obama, 45, who, calling the fuss about him “baffling,” made his first trip in 45 years to that state, and not under duress. Because he is young, is just two years distant from a brief career as a state legislator and has negligible national security experience, an Obama presidential candidacy could have a porcelain brittleness. But if he wants to be president — it will not be a moral failing if he decides that he does not, at least not now — this is the time for him to reach for the brass ring. There are four reasons why....”

and on and on


30 posted on 08/16/2015 1:04:40 PM PDT by FR_addict (Boehner needs to go!)
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To: nhwingut

I think most of us understand that Trump is not the perfect conservative, but what Will and the GOPe doesn’t get is that many of us don’t care right now because the GOPe has betrayed us so often that people will support anyone who threatens or pisses the GOPe off! If the GOPe doesn’t lay off Trump then they are not going to win the presidency and they will likely lose Congress. I am convinced the GOPe will do the same thing to Cruze if he ever gets to the top of the polls.


31 posted on 08/16/2015 1:05:30 PM PDT by Jay Redhawk
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To: Cowboy Bob

“George Will supported Obama in 2008.”

2006, from what the search shows. But you have a point...I don’t see Will ever retracting that endorsement, even in the 2008 home stretch, when he declined to chose between Obama and McCain.

Will simply has DRIFTED and must now be ignored. He’s an INSIDER. He lives a SHELTERED LIFE. He has NO CLUE how much this country is ‘transforming’. Has he been to Vermont, where most of the people now building homes likely are not here legally? Or Texas, where it is literally IMPOSSIBLE too build a home strictly using legal labor, as the young legals simply had not taken the time to learn any plumbing skills in between their sessions of Grand Theft Auto V?

Ignore him.


32 posted on 08/16/2015 1:10:32 PM PDT by BobL (REPUBLICANS - Fight for the WHITE VOTE...and you will win (see my 'profile' page))
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To: nhwingut

Trump is not even close to being a conservative...

Supported Planned Parenthood on Hannity
Supported a single payer option in the recent debate
Supported TARP
Supported assault weapons ban
Supported extending waiting period to purchase guns
Supported taxing the wealthy to pay down debt
Supported the Clinton Foundation, consulted Bill before running


33 posted on 08/16/2015 1:10:41 PM PDT by socal_parrot (I hate to say I told you so, but...)
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To: FR_addict

“I haven’t been so excited since Reagan.”

A candidate that I knew who ran for US Senate was once described as: “Being more like Reagan than Reagan.”. Basically it meant that he seemed identical to the best in Reagan but would not make some of the same mistakes as Reagan...the biggest being the 1986 Amnesty plan that he signed into law.

Trump seems to also fit that bill. I understand your excitement, totally.


34 posted on 08/16/2015 1:14:23 PM PDT by BobL (REPUBLICANS - Fight for the WHITE VOTE...and you will win (see my 'profile' page))
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To: nhwingut

Let’s be honest here Mr. Wehner. Donald Trump is most likely not a conservative, but the people we elected to congress, mostly the GOPe, haven’t been governing as conservatives either. Don’t blame Trump or the conservatives voting for him. Blame yourselves in the GOPe. Now in desperation you seek to claim the conservative mantle when for the past decade and longer you’ve been trying to repudiate the ideology, and for good measure you tried to distance yourselves from Ronald Reagan. No, we’re tired of the game. Conservatives know Trump is not one of the fellows, but then he isn’t establishment like the GOPe. If he wins the presidency and proceeds to bust up the establishment’s grip on the Republican Party then let it happen.


35 posted on 08/16/2015 1:14:45 PM PDT by dowcaet
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To: nhwingut

Don’t give us any ideas that might backfire, priggish George....


36 posted on 08/16/2015 1:15:09 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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To: nhwingut
To the GOP establishment, or GOPe for short:

Shame on YOU for making a Donald Trump candidacy possible. You don't like it that Trump is popular? He never would have been a blip on anybody's radar if you people had ever given a moment's attention to A) your constituents, and B) your party platform.

GOPe, for your information Donald Trump doesn't amount to a pimple on Ronald Reagan's backside... and NEITHER DO YOU.

37 posted on 08/16/2015 1:18:31 PM PDT by Oberon (John 12:5-6)
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To: dowcaet

AMEN.


38 posted on 08/16/2015 1:19:40 PM PDT by Oberon (John 12:5-6)
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To: nhwingut

How about we purge Willow and Petey? I used to like Wehner, but he’s a total RINO bootlicker.


39 posted on 08/16/2015 1:20:50 PM PDT by LS ("Castles Made of Sand, Fall in the Sea . . . Eventually" (Hendrix))
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To: socal_parrot

Your definition is different than mine.

As far as Planned Parenthood he said he would not support abortions at Planned Parenthood. He further clarified his position and said he will not support Planned Parenthood if their main business is abortions. He said PP claimed 2% of their business was abortions. He said others claimed it was about 80%. He planned to find out what the truth was. He said the videos made him sick.

He’s been refining some of his positions as he campaigns. He’s not a career politician and hasn’t fully developed all his positions. I’d rather have someone who is not closed minded on issues than someone who pretends to be a conservative on all issues and stabs us in the back as soon as he’s elected.

I truly feel that Trump loves this country and is more conservative than some of the so called conservatives.


40 posted on 08/16/2015 1:21:25 PM PDT by FR_addict (Boehner needs to go!)
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