Posted on 09/18/2020 5:19:51 AM PDT by Kaslin
At this time four years ago, the "Never Trump" movement was alive and well. Birthed in earnest by National Review in its infamous "Against Trump" issue in February 2016, Never Trump consisted of conservatives and Republicans who vowed, even if he were to become the GOP presidential standard-bearer for the general election, to never, ever support Donald Trump. Never Trumpers supported other candidates throughout the presidential primary season, pushed to "free" committed delegates away from Trump at the Republican National Convention and continued to oppose his candidacy through Election Day. The hashtag #NeverTrump became ubiquitous on Twitter as a mark of protest against the unorthodox candidate.
I would know because I was a part of the Never Trump movement. And, much to my shame, I was not a silent but, at times, a vocal and quite brash part. In retrospect, four years later, (hopefully) four years more mature and with the benefit of knowing what we now know about how Trump has governed, I will gladly fall on my sword: I was mistaken. Never Trump's concerns largely did not materialize, and the president has pleasantly surprised his erstwhile skeptics in a myriad of ways. Whatever purported "conservative case against Trump" may (or may not) have existed in 2016 has completely and unequivocally dissipated.
Many feared that Trump, who had spent little time as a registered Republican or a traveler in the labyrinth of hoary institutions constituting Conservatism Inc., might govern as a Manchurian candidate liberal; in reality, the 45th president has presided over one of the most dynamically conservative administrations in a century. Many feared that Trump, the bull in a china shop brimming with machismo and braggadocio, might inadvertently start World War III; instead, the president has overseen a wildly successful foreign policy, especially in the Middle East, premised around the time-tested, common-sense principle that it is best to punish one's enemies and reward one's friends. Many feared that Trump, who had once graced the Playboy magazine cover, might accelerate a hegemonic cultural progressivism; actually, he has been a consistently courageous, stalwart friend of religious and traditionalist Americans.
Given Trump's record, given how much the left has become utterly radicalized over the past four years -- Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, the Women's March anti-Semitism, anarchist antifa, Marxist Black Lives Matter, the toxicity of intersectionality and cancel culture -- and given Trumpian heterodoxies' "sunk cost" effects upon the American presidency's putative institutional norms, the "conservative" case against Trump has simply not withstood the test of time. Prudence and humility suggest that one must be willing to acknowledge error and change course; the Never Trumpers of 2016 are perfect archetypes. In 2020, the only viable "conservative" vote is an affirmative vote for a second Trump presidential term.
Alas, not everyone agrees. Many of 2016's leading Never Trumpers have instead chosen to further dig in their heels. Bill Kristol, perhaps the most recognizable of the original 2016 crew, is now involved with any number of 2020 anti-Trump initiatives, including the Republican Voters Against Trump group. George Conway, Rick Wilson and Steve Schmidt spew anti-Trump vitriol under the banner of the (grotesquely misnamed) Lincoln Project. Jennifer Rubin and Max Boot haven't budged a millimeter away from their anti-Trump predilections -- Trump's historic pro-Israel/anti-Iran record and the harrowing, (literally) burning state of our leftist-overrun progressive cities notwithstanding.
But many of 2016's other leading anti-Trump conservatives have not yet publicly indicated whether or not they will support Trump in 2020. Examples include any number of figures associated with the aforementioned "Against Trump" magazine issue, David French, Ross Douthat and some religious conservative figures such as George Weigel. To point this out is not an exercise in attempted public shaming; these leaders, who opposed Trump from within their own party and their own movement four years prior, merely owe their readers and followers transparency as to where they stand on the binary issue of whether or not they will vote for Trump this time. A case can be made that Trump, notwithstanding his sundry accomplishments and notwithstanding the ascendant threat from the leftist mobs now setting the nation aflame, is still unworthy of conservative support. It is a markedly unpersuasive case, to be sure, but the least we can do is ask adherents of that argument to publicly make it.
Four years ago, Trump managed to secure an Electoral College victory despite battling a fifth column from within the Republican Party. I was, unfortunately, part of it, so I would know. Many erstwhile Never Trumpers from 2016 have made a prudential judgment this time around, while many others have only doubled down in anti-Trump defiance. But at a bare minimum, four years later and amidst a roiling cold civil war between the proud Americanists and the embittered civilizational arsonists rioting in the streets, it is at least worth clarifying where everyone stands.
The NeverTrumpers have been exposed as fake phone fraud “conservatives”.
They stuck a knife in our backs and slowly twisted it multiple times. Now we (the real conservatives) are supposed to forgive and forget what they did to us.
If it were up to me I would have George Will, Bill Krystal, George Conway, etc. thrown in Saddam Hussein’s human shredder machine.
These traitors deserve the worst type of torture.
Not just exposed for what they aren't, but exposed for what they are - leftwingers who are all in for a blamtifa communist takeover of America.
That list included Dana Loesch, Cal Thomas, Ed Mease and Thomas Sowell.
It's sad to see heroes become zeros.
Erik Erickson, Mona Charen, Brent Bozell, Glenn Beck, David Boaz, Ben Domench, Steven Hayward, Mark Helprin, Bill Kristol, Yuval Levin, Dana Loesch, Andrew McCarthy, David McIntosh, Michael Medved, Ed Meese, Russell Moore, Michael Mukasey, Katie Pavlich, John Podhoretz, R.R. Reno, Thomas Sowell, Cal Thomas
Must suck for them to be on the losing side of each election since 2004.
This group only makes money when a democrat wins most of the never trumpers are part of this group...on top of that never trumpers hate the working class and the people being brought into the GOP
I supported Cruz and couldn’t stand Trump. Given that Trump had never held public office before, I had nothing else to go on except personal dislike. I still don’t like Trump the person, but I think he’s doing a hell of a job as President. And that’s why he has my support.
Most anti-Trumpers are nothing more than warmongering neo-con artists who have dragged us into one war after another that makes them and their pals wealthy beyond belief.
Q: Are you publicly suggesting in an open forum the specific names of people who should be targeted for ‘executive action’? Might be good to clarify that one. It could be taken mistakenly that way.
I cannot agree with your prescription. Nevertheless, I hope a great, agonizing loss of social acceptability, career advancement and ego gratification of any kind befalls these individuals and continues for the rest of their lives. They have betrayed their country and everyone in it.
When I think of how the left’s version of “liberation” for women has reduced women to sex objects once again and trashes genuine accomplishment bt any conservative woman, George Conway in particular makes my blood boil. His wife’s singular achievement—being the first and only woman to drive a presidential election to victory, and her subsequent nearly flawless success as a presidential spokesperson and advisor—has been trashed by a man who took a solemn oath before God to honor and cherish her. His whining influence over his wayward child has been made a public embarrassment and scandal. Can there be a greater spiritual betrayal of one individual by another? All because of Trump hatred? She did not deserve this.
Katie Pavlich, Glenn Beck and Brent Bozell, too.
They claim that they have learned better.
2020 Never-Trumpers = 2020 Never-Conservatives.
In many cases, one vote is the only voice that we have and it is ours to make. We have a choice and it is clear. We can either vote for the most Christian/Jewish friendly President that we’ve had in our lifetime who has chosen a devout Christian running mate or we can vote for the other guy who doesn’t know where he’s at or what day it is, who has chosen an anti police running mate with a destructive record and both are supported by the most godless people that we’ve seen in our lifetime. Do what you will. I hope it’s the right thing.
In many cases, one vote is the only voice that we have and it is ours to make. We have a choice and it is clear. We can either vote for the most Christian/Jewish friendly President that we’ve had in our lifetime who has chosen a devout Christian running mate or we can vote for the other guy who doesn’t know where he’s at or what day it is, who has chosen an anti police running mate with a destructive record and both are supported by the most godless people that we’ve seen in our lifetime. Do what you will. I hope it’s the right thing.
In many cases, one vote is the only voice that we have and it is ours to make. We have a choice and it is clear. We can either vote for the most Christian/Jewish friendly President that we’ve had in our lifetime who has chosen a devout Christian running mate or we can vote for the other guy who doesn’t know where he’s at or what day it is, who has chosen an anti police running mate with a destructive record and both are supported by the most godless people that we’ve seen in our lifetime. Do what you will. I hope it’s the right thing.
In many cases, one vote is the only voice that we have and it is ours to make. We have a choice and it is clear. We can either vote for the most Christian/Jewish friendly President that we’ve had in our lifetime who has chosen a devout Christian running mate or we can vote for the other guy who doesn’t know where he’s at or what day it is, who has chosen an anti police running mate with a destructive record and both are supported by the most godless people that we’ve seen in our lifetime. Do what you will. I hope it’s the right thing.
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