Conservatism would have been big business if Hillary would have won. Rush and talk radio would have gotten record listenership. CPAC would have gotten huge crowds. Groups like Club for Growth, Red State and the GOP consultants would have gotten record donations.
That's why there's a Never Trump movement. They make money by being in permanent opposition to liberalism rather than taking charge and dismantling it. The grassroots saw this in 2010, 2012, and 2014 when we elected Republicans to take back Congress and they still didn't do jack, and that begetted Trump.
True enough
I agree with your comments about that dynamic. For those and other reasons, it did/does exist.
Nailed it.