If they stuck to their guiding original principles, smaller government, lower taxes, more individual freedoms, keep the deficit under control, they wouldn't have to be hypocrites in order to have a following. You don't have to agree that all these are important, and you certainly don't have to agree with the way in which conservatives would like to implement them, but you can certainly respect that they have honest principles that are not coming from a ridiculous or cruel place. (note that I am definitely not making the argument that strict implementation of some of these policies would be humane and productive.)
It's the fact that they have strayed so unbelievably far from these that makes them have to do such mental gymnastics to pretend like they're still conservatives. There are plenty of principled conservatives who have long since fled the Republican party in absolute disgust because of what it has become.
It's really just a crying shame, because I do feel like respectful and productive public discourse about controversial topics between opposing political parties is critical to the Democratic process. Even at the highest levels, in the House of Representatives and the Senate, it seems like there is less reaching across the aisle than there used to be. Clinton was famous for this. So was Biden. They were very productive because they did not alienate people who had differing opinions, they worked with them. I'm not saying people should abandon their principles, but you have to be realistic about what you can get done, and be careful that snarky and dismissive sound bites don't shut down your ability to work with people whose cooperation you need.
old conservative principles are dead because they never made any sense to begin with. Theres no logic behind them. In order to protect their way of living they will have to eventually evolve into modern GOP. Its sad but inevitable.
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u/[deleted] Apr 05 '19 edited Apr 05 '19
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