Posted on 03/17/2016 10:05:10 AM PDT by Kaslin
For years, conservatives have told themselves the pretty bedtime story that they represent a silent majority in America -- that most Americans want smaller government, individual rights and personal responsibility. We've suggested that if only we nominated precisely the right guy who says the right words -- some illegally grown Ronald Reagan clone, perhaps -- we'd win.
Donald Trump's impending nomination puts all of that to bed.
There can be no doubt: The Republican Party has successful killed the legacy of Ronald Reagan. By consistently moving to the left in every presidential election, by granting the left its general premise that government is generally a tool for good rather than a risky potential instrument of tyranny and by teaching Americans that the problem isn't government itself, but who runs it, Republicans have ensured that the vast majority of Americans no longer hold to conservative principles.
In fact, a significant swath of Republicans themselves don't believe in conservative principles. Trump, obviously, is no conservative. He's a protectionist on trade -- a position that smacks of populist pandering rather than informed conservative economics. He believes in an authoritarian executive branch designed to make deals that achieve a win for Americans, rather than a heavily circumscribed executive branch with prescribed powers of enforcement. He believes that judges sign bills, that legislators exist merely to bargain with the great man in charge and that the military exists to serve as his personal armed forces.
All of this attracts people.
The angrier Trump gets, the more he talks about how he's going to set things right rather than giving Americans the power to do so themselves, and the more Americans flock to him.
So, let's look at the facts. Today, at low ebb, Trump garners approximately 4 in 10 Republican voters. Let's assume that at least half of those Americans aren't conservative -- a fair guess, given that many have admitted bias in polls in favor of government interventionism in the economy, a sneaking love for government entitlement programs and a strong position against immigration -- not for safety reasons, but to prevent economic competition. Meanwhile, more than 4 in 10 Americans support Democrats outright.
This means that at least 6 in 10 Americans support a big government vision of the world.
Which means conservatives have failed.
In order to rebuild, conservatives must recognize that they think individually; leftists think institutionally. While the left took over the universities -- now bastions of pantywaist fascism hell-bent on destroying free speech -- the right slept. While the left took over the public education system wholesale, the right fled to private schools and homeschooling. While the left utilized popular culture as a weapon, conservatives supposedly withdrew and turned off their televisions.
Withdrawal, it turns out, wasn't the best option.
Fighting back on all fronts is. Republicans need to worry less about the next election and significantly more about building a movement of informed Americans who actually understand American values. That movement must start with outreach to parents, and it must extend to the takeover of local institutions or defunding of government institutions outright. The left has bred a generation of Americans who do not recognize the American ideals of the Founding Fathers. Pretending otherwise means flailing uselessly as demagogues like Trump become faux-conservative standard-bearers.
Go back and take a look at his position papers from the 1976 campaign. He was to the right of all of his opposition in the party except for Scoop Jackson, until he took office.
Yeah, much of what Trump has done in the past was based on business, not politics. Trump is running on a fairly good conservative platform if they would bother to look.
I believe a successful businessman and true outsider running on a good patriotic platform is worth the risk.
CGato
Is the constitution not the cornerstone of a free America?
What exactly is it that made America great?
Whats your problem?
Sorry, Ben.
You could have gotten away with that statement in 1992, but not today.
The American people have lived through over 2 decades of "Conservative Free Trade."
Everybody knows it was just a big scam.
Im watching a Clintonista destroy a 60 year old movement to restore our Free Republic and everyone that stands up for it.
Why are you letting paid trolls trash the strongest constitutionalist we’ve seen since Reagan, if not Coolidge?
The GOPe said the same thing about Reagan.
I think so too.
Exactly!
I beg to differ with you.
Not meant to be argumentative, but,
What part of limited government does DJT support?
How is DJT a believer in human sanctity and the value of life (with his Planned Parenthood donations)?
How can DJT believe in the family having been married thrice, and screwing every female that he finds interesting? Oh yeah, why is his youngest being raised by his scone wife? Yeah he believes in family like some believe in Santa Claus.
I don’t want to argue. Please kindly point out where I am missing it rather than just dismissing it.
THIS! we must suspend the Constitution, eliminate the Congress and FIX our country. Give Trump a few years of absolute authority. What’s the worst that can happen? We’ll go back to conservatism at some point. The Constitution doesn’t work in 2016, it was written a hundred years ago. Trump should write a new one, honestly.
Shapiro laments the rise of CINOs (Conservatives in Name Only)who are opting for a “strong man” or demagogue for President whose history and stated principles are liberal, big government or ‘flexible’.
This isn’t as surprising as it might seem. In times of stress such as Obama’s transformation of America’, the most conservative people will flock to the candidate who says he will make it go away and relieve their stress. That’s the message of successful demagogues throughout history to folks who see their way of life threatened.
We have just seen one demagogue serve two terms as President. No reason why we can’t have one from the other side.
Is that you, Gutfeld?
Think that is probably right. He certainly never became so enamored with Leftist academics as his “Cousin Franklin”—quite the contrary.
Finally, do you really believe that Ted Cruz's recent barrage of cheap & very misleading shots at Donald help the cause of restoring Constitutional Government? I am very unhappy that Ted has undermined his own credibility--I tried for many weeks to maintain neutrality between the two, in the interests of what we all have in common;--but if Ted's recent tactics do not involve definite elements of bearing "false witness," what would?
I believe that Ted Cruz is genuinely dedicated to Constitutional Government. But his willingness to play the hypocrite to smear an opponent, does not help the cause we share.
Donald Trump is not seeking "absolute authority." What he is seeking is a right to act on our behalf; to replace those who are both incompetent, as well as overreaching.
Where do your rights originate?
KMA.
Of course most of the "rights" that the Left is always demanding and babbling about--those created by Governments--are not rights at all, in that sense, but special privileges. One of the strongest things that Donald Trump has done, is to disparage, denounce & uproot the "politically correct," mindset that stifles opposition to those special privileges, falsely called "rights," that the Left is constantly promoting at the expense of a once far freer American people.
On the American understanding of legitimate Government, see Declaration Of Independence--With Study Guide.
I suspect you’ve been bought.
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