The surest way to build a platform for a more principled conservatism is to lift the Republican Party from the ashes of Trumpism and chart a better course, even if such a project is a long-term one.
“ There is no gentle way to state the truth. The mass exodus of Trump-skeptical conservatives, libertarians, moderates, and centrists from the GOP has not played out well. The only consequence of this exodus has been a more rapid and more thorough dominance of the party by President Trump and his allies.”
Exactly. I tend to agree with George Will on many things, but departed strongly with him on the idea that principled conservatives should vote straight D to give the Rs a shellacking. I think the evidence has borne out that he was wrong to argue this, but we still see people like Mona Charen making that argument (while also trying to simultaneously claim that there’s no gap between her and Jonah Goldberg and a huge one of Jonah’s own making, and that Jonah should obviously stand with her and vote straight D).
I think time has demonstrated two unavoidable facts: 1) The GOP isn't going to sink anytime soon, it's not going away, it is still one of two major parties in this country, and our choices for office are going to be between Republicans and Democrats for the foreseeable future and 2) The GOP ship is not going to correct itself unless someone else steers it back to reasonable and sound waters.
These two facts suggest that we will be presented with a choice between progressives and nationalists perpetually unless we engage and get better candidates through the party process.
“ There is no gentle way to state the truth. The mass exodus of Trump-skeptical conservatives, libertarians, moderates, and centrists from the GOP has not played out well. The only consequence of this exodus has been a more rapid and more thorough dominance of the party by President Trump and his allies.”
Exactly. I tend to agree with George Will on many things, but departed strongly with him on the idea that principled conservatives should vote straight D to give the Rs a shellacking. I think the evidence has borne out that he was wrong to argue this, but we still see people like Mona Charen making that argument (while also trying to simultaneously claim that there’s no gap between her and Jonah Goldberg and a huge one of Jonah’s own making, and that Jonah should obviously stand with her and vote straight D).
I think time has demonstrated two unavoidable facts: 1) The GOP isn't going to sink anytime soon, it's not going away, it is still one of two major parties in this country, and our choices for office are going to be between Republicans and Democrats for the foreseeable future and 2) The GOP ship is not going to correct itself unless someone else steers it back to reasonable and sound waters.
These two facts suggest that we will be presented with a choice between progressives and nationalists perpetually unless we engage and get better candidates through the party process.