To Save Conservatism From Itself, I Am Voting for Harris

The New York Times ^ | Aug. 11, 2024, 6:00 a.m. ET | David French

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I believe life begins at conception. If I lived in Florida, I would support the state’s heartbeat bill and vote against the referendum seeking to liberalize Florida’s abortion laws. I supported the Dobbs decision and I support well-drafted abortion restrictions at the state and federal levels. I was a pro-life lawyer who worked for pro-life legal organizations. While I want prospective parents to be able to use I.V.F. to build their families, I do not believe that unused embryos should simply be discarded — thrown away as no longer useful.

But I’m going to vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 and — ironically enough — I’m doing it in part to try to save conservatism.

Here’s what I mean.

Since the day Donald Trump came down that escalator in 2015, the MAGA movement has been engaged in a long-running, slow-rolling ideological and characterological transformation of the Republican Party. At each step, it has pushed Republicans further and further away from Reaganite conservatism. It has divorced Republican voters from any major consideration of character in leadership and all the while it has labeled people who resisted the change as “traitors.”

What allegiance do you owe a party, a movement or a politician when it or they fundamentally change their ideology and ethos?

Let’s take an assertion that should be uncontroversial, especially to a party that often envisions itself as a home for people of faith: Lying is wrong. I’m not naïve; I know that politicians have had poor reputations for honesty since Athens. But I have never seen a human being lie with the intensity and sheer volume of Donald Trump.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Let’s take another assertion that should be relatively uncontroversial: Political violence and threats of violence have no place in the American democratic process. Yet threats and intimidation follow the MAGA movement like night follows day.

Yes, David, we know your non-violent. That' why you tried to blow Trump's head off and then pretend it didn't happen.

[Disambiguator]

Babylon Bee, New York Times, it’s all the same.

[motor_racer]

Reminds me of “We had to destroy the village to save it”.

[ClearCase_guy]

He’s dumb enough to fool himself. He fools no one else.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

You’re

[MinorityRepublican]

the MAGA movement has been engaged in a long-running, slow-rolling ideological and characterological transformation of the Republican Party.

If that did not happen, we'll be like the Conservative Party in the UK. Basically, we were like that in 2012 when Romney ran for President.

[The_Media_never_lie]

At best, David exhibits twisted logic.

[wildcard_redneck]

Faggoty French has been playing this despairing Republican siding with democrats for 30 years now. Who even believes him anymore?

[wardamneagle]

Same fake BS as Republicans for Harris….

[Steve_Seattle]

"Political violence and threats of violence have no place in the American democratic process. Yet threats and intimidation follow the MAGA movement like night follows day."

French is a lunatic. It was Donald Trump who was recently the target of an attempted assassination. It was Scalia and ten other Republicans who were the target of an assassin on a Florida baseball field. The left rioted hundreds of times compared to one riot by Trump supporters. What is this idiot talking about?

[lasereye]

He predictably links to an article (Washington Post) that tabulates Trump’s alleged lies, according to the liberal fact checkers. Those are total garbage.

Labeling Trump’s opinions as lies is one of the tricks they use. I’m sure Trump saying the 2020 election was riddled with fraud is considered a lie, to give one of many examples. That is in fact an opinion that is held by many people.

[Jonny7797]

I’m voting for Trump to save the USA from communism. This guy is voting for Harris to promote communism.

[Michael.SF.]

To save the nation from the Democrats I’m voting for Trump.

[for-q-clinton]

To save the democrats I’m voting for Trump.

[kiryandil]

David French, Assistant Democrat

[Dan in Wichita]

French acts like someone who is being blackmailed. I wonder what they have on him.

[falcon99]

Boy talk about rationalizing “facts” to make them say what you want them to say. Appears Mr French longs for the Republican Party that did nothing for conservatives and repeatedly bent over and gave the Democrats everything they wanted. French’s Republican Party never fought for anything and that is why our country is in the shape it is in - almost full blown socialism/communism with Americans being pitted against each other. That is not Trump that has done that, it is the Rinos and Democrats. Trump’s popularity is that he fights and that is what real Republicans have longed for for decades.

[lee martell]

Mr. French, your reasoning is faulty.
Swallow your pride and give Donald Trump a phone call.
When he knows you are serious and ready to listen, Trump will explain whats going on with conservatism, and set your mind right. Be not afraid of learning something new and unlearning a bad habit of retreat and surrender.

[Deaf Smith]

The guy is acting ROLCON…Roll-play Conservative.

[jeffersondem]

Mr. French is disturbed by references to “traitors.” For him the term is make or break at the ballot box; he becomes a one-issue voter. And his vote, he announces, is for Kamala.

Does anyone have Mr. French's written response to the link below?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/10/27/trump-betrayals-stand-out-even-next-to-benedict-arnold-column/6040603002/