“I am defining ‘Conservative’ as ‘classical enlightenment liberalism’, the sort the country was founded upon, which expounds individualism and limited government. “
I always wonder if people who post stuff like this know anything at all about early American history and the conflict between founders like Alexander Hamilton and those like Jefferson, George Mason, and Patrick Henry.
The nationalist faction’s first victory was when the Constitution replaced the Articles of Confederation. This victory of the national government became permanent a generation later with Lincoln, the very essence of a nationalist who advocated big government programs like the Transcontinental Railroad and Land Grant colleges. He also supported the Morrill tariff.
As for protectionism, Sasha needs to read Hamilton’s Report on Manufactures that was the model for our economic policy. It was expressly protectionist. He needs to take a look at the tariff bill passed by the First Congress and signed by President Washington, which put into effect Hamilton’s protectionist ideas.
Putting aside this nonsense about “Nationalist” vs “Conservative”, if anything Trump is a milder version of Andrew Jackson, who was elected by the vulgar rabble and hated by the entrenched elites. Trump, like Jackson, is a patriot.
Hamilton was never my favorite founder. Just because he lived back then doesn’t mean he ‘got’ Liberty. Hamilton was, in many ways, the founding father of Big Government. Radical Progressive Woodrow Wilson was a big fan of Hamilton’s, too. Perhaps Trump is, as well. I, however, am not.
Two thumbs up, Pelham! :-)