Posted on 02/09/2024 5:43:48 PM PST by CFW
The article below (except the author's note) is from 2018.
Author's Note: Originally published to great acclaim in the American Spectator on 6/29/18, my essay provoked a furious response from the GOP’s “intellectual” class and led to a serious of articles from both sides of the political spectrum including: Jonathan Chait, Michael Gerson, Michael Doran, Mark Bauerlein, and Jonah Goldberg of course. After my article appeared, the Weekly Standard shut down, the National Review kicked out Jonah Goldberg (who now works at CNN) and David French (who now works at the New York Times). As for Bill Kristol, he went to work for the Democrats — as did Jennifer Rubin and George Will. In hindsight, this article didn’t merely predict the collapse of the Never-Trumpers so much as initiate their collapse by publicly exposing this particular group of neo-liberal frauds to the American public.
With the installation of Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, and a yet-to-be-named reliable replacement for the unreliable Anthony Kennedy, Donald Trump will have confirmed himself as the most consequential conservative president of the modern era (or a close second to Reagan if you’re nostalgic). This will be complete vindication for Trump supporters, which means it’s really the end for the so-called Never-Trump conservatives. Of course, there have been so many humiliating defeats for that crowd that we are spoiled for choice. What was your favorite blunder, or blown prediction, which marked their ignominious end?
For some, it must have been in March when Bill Kristol, longtime editor of the conservative magazine the Weekly Standard, showed up in New Hampshire telling people he would run against President Trump in 2020. Or in April when the conservative website RedState was taken over and purged of writers who were “insufficiently supportive” of the president.
(Excerpt) Read more at emerald.tv ...
It is hard to select a favorite paragraph, but this one certainly holds true:
“The sad truth was that the Never Trumpers were not safeguarding the ideas of conservatism so much as themselves. Carlson nailed the heart of the matter: “If Trump is leading a populist movement, many of his Republican critics have joined an elitist one. Deriding Trump is an act of class solidarity, visible evidence of refinement and proof that you live nowhere near a Wal-Mart.” That is why the continuing success of the Trump Presidency has been met with escalating anger and vituperation from the Never Trumpers — the news cycle is a daily reminder that they were wrong about everything. Can you be wrong about everything and still be part of the elite?”
I’m a big fan of Emerald. I miss her on Newsmax.
Excellent dissertation, and spot on.
I used to subscribe to National Review for years.
When they turned out to be constant Trump bashers, I have canceled and never read them again!
I can tolerate many different views and in the beginning, it was just annoying, but eventually, it just got to me. The whole paper was unceasingly bashing Trump, forever, even when he became the nominee.
Maybe they changed now, I do not know.
Many people mistook their policy positions for principles, and Trump has made them look foolish.
That's rich coming from Mr. "Please drink Bud Light again!"
Zowie! So who do you support braveheart?
The ones she mentions were Democrats IMO.
Well, I was an outspoken supporter of Governor DeSantis, an actual conservative and someone I didn't have to abandon every conservative principle I'd ever held to rally behind.
But, what can I say. The majority of GOP primary voters would rather rally behind a geriatric bloviating old-fashioned New York liberal circus clown.
You are pathetic.
“Well, I was an outspoken supporter of Governor DeSantis, an actual conservative and someone I didn’t have to abandon every conservative principle I’d ever held to rally behind.
But, what can I say. The majority of GOP primary voters would rather rally behind a geriatric bloviating old-fashioned New York liberal circus clown.”
You are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, your “circus clown” will indeed close the border among other things. So are you going to cry and mope and sit out the election?
LMAO! Thanks for your honesty. Well, you can always shift to Nikki :)
Brilliant insight and foresight. She nailed it. I hope Emerald Robinson has a long career helping to shape conservative opinion.
IT's the "among other things" that worry me.
Will we get more gun control? Trillion dollar spending? Handing the country over to Dr. Fauci and signing everything that Nancy Pelosi puts in front of his face?
DeSantis would've closed the border as well.
And, nope, I will not sit out the election. I will vote for the old New York liberal with all the enthusiasm and confidence that I had when I voted for Bob Dole, John McCain, and. Mitt Romney.
Trump will probably win though and my guess says he throws MAGA under the bus as soon as he moves into the White House (he'll have no more use for them). He'll go full libtard and give the Democrats everything they ask for in exchange for throttling back on the lawfare.
Great read.
“Classic Takes: The Collapse of the Never-Trump Conservatives”
there’s no such thing as a never-trump CONSERVATIVE!
Great article and she’s great herself. Id like to see her run for political office.
ping
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