Conservatives only: If trump loses, will you still support Trumpism or will you abandon it?

[RINO Tom]

"Bushism" and "Trumpism" only mean something concrete to very vocal (and very annoying) minorities.  The GOP is, at its core, a vehicle for maintaining class hierarchy to whatever extent seems reasonable/stave off excessive leftist redistribution actions (i.e., "economically conservative") and maintaining societal norms and cohesion to whatever extent seems reasonable/stave off rash and flavor-of-the-month cultural movements (i.e., "socially conservative").  Beyond that, it goes where the winds are blowing.

My prediction after Trump likely loses in 2020 is that the GOP will try to dress a "moderately-conservative-but-still-minimally-egalitarian" economic package with a decidedly more articulate, less bombastic and unsophisticated version of social conservatism and traditionalism.  You can support upholding our immigration laws and defending traditional American cultural norms without sounding like a yokel, and you can support maintaining economic stability without being a Randian who doesn't care for anyone but the 1%.  Think John Kasich, without the current flare for anti-Trump-related attention.

[RINO Tom]

"Bushism" and "Trumpism" only mean something concrete to very vocal (and very annoying) minorities.  The GOP is, at its core, a vehicle for maintaining class hierarchy to whatever extent seems reasonable/stave off excessive leftist redistribution actions (i.e., "economically conservative") and maintaining societal norms and cohesion to whatever extent seems reasonable/stave off rash and flavor-of-the-month cultural movements (i.e., "socially conservative").  Beyond that, it goes where the winds are blowing.

My prediction after Trump likely loses in 2020 is that the GOP will try to dress a "moderately-conservative-but-still-minimally-egalitarian" economic package with a decidedly more articulate, less bombastic and unsophisticated version of social conservatism and traditionalism.  You can support upholding our immigration laws and defending traditional American cultural norms without sounding like a yokel, and you can support maintaining economic stability without being a Randian who doesn't care for anyone but the 1%.  Think John Kasich, without the current flare for anti-Trump-related attention.

This mentality will set the gop back

Care to explain?  Seems like the kind of weak ass quip I’d throw together at 2:00 am to get a response in...

[RINO Tom]

What is Trumpism?

Ding ding ding

[RINO Tom]

They need to move more in that direction.  Trump has governed as a social conservative, but needs to be more populist on foreign policy and economic policy.  Not saying move left, the GOP should be non-interventionist from a nationalist perspective, that logic will get the base on board with being more anti-war.  On economics, supporting tax cuts for the middle class, lowering education costs, and moving to the center on healthcare would greatly increase appeal.  These policies might not only appeal to the white working class, but also college whites and minority voters.  Republicans need to expand their coalition while maintaining their core base.  Those who suggest the GOP become a "fiscally conservative and socially liberal" party are out of touch with the Republican party and honestly the country as a whole. 

Zero people have suggested that.  All that's been suggested is that the GOP restores some dignity and class to its message.

[RINO Tom]

Trumpism is here to stay, and thank God for that.

Meaningless term if it can’t be defined ... I think Trump’s appeal as he rose was much broader and more ideologically diverse than his hardcore supporters OR his detractors want to admit.

[RINO Tom]

Dead Prez ... you can still be a populist man of the people and use the damn shift key.

[RINO Tom]

literally what is a populist foreign policy

fifteen years ago it meant you wanted to fight the terrists. now it means you dont. what gives

This is the danger of some more, err, "populist" conservatives like Dead Prez and other Trump supporters defining conservatism through some type of identity.  The people THEY live around and care about and think like they do are "conservatives" ... different people aren't.  Period.  If the 75-year old woman down the street wants higher taxes on businesses, an increased social safety net and more funding for public schools, so what?  She's White and old and religious and patriotic and therefore a conservative!  A patriotic farmer from South Dakota who has voted GOP his entire life with stridently conservative views and opposes the displaying of the Confederate flag on government property, seeing it as a celebration of treason and an insult to the Stars and Stripes might genuinely called "less conservative" than some lady from Alabama who has Confederate sympathies but voted for Democrats until 2012 and still votes for "the right kind of Democrat," lol.  I mean, that's insane ... but I'm sure many here would unironically say that.

This obviously and naturally leads to a figure like Trump, who can effectively hold any stance and still be adored as a "true conservative" because he's *standing up for me and mine* to many of these people.  Political ideologies that hinder too closely on identity (i.e., White, rural and traditionalist) and not on philosophy or policy (i.e., cautious approach to societal change or suspicion of the mob rash populism) is a toxic recipe for the current divide we have.

[RINO Tom]

literally what is a populist foreign policy

fifteen years ago it meant you wanted to fight the terrists. now it means you dont. what gives

This is the danger of some more, err, "populist" conservatives like Dead Prez and other Trump supporters defining conservatism through some type of identity.  The people THEY live around and care about and think like they do are "conservatives" ... different people aren't.  Period.  If the 75-year old woman down the street wants higher taxes on businesses, an increased social safety net and more funding for public schools, so what?  She's White and old and religious and patriotic and therefore a conservative!  A patriotic farmer from South Dakota who has voted GOP his entire life with stridently conservative views and opposes the displaying of the Confederate flag on government property, seeing it as a celebration of treason and an insult to the Stars and Stripes might genuinely called "less conservative" than some lady from Alabama who has Confederate sympathies but voted for Democrats until 2012 and still votes for "the right kind of Democrat," lol.  I mean, that's insane ... but I'm sure many here would unironically say that.

This obviously and naturally leads to a figure like Trump, who can effectively hold any stance and still be adored as a "true conservative" because he's *standing up for me and mine* to many of these people.  Political ideologies that hinder too closely on identity (i.e., White, rural and traditionalist) and not on philosophy or policy (i.e., cautious approach to societal change or suspicion of the mob rash populism) is a toxic recipe for the current divide we have.

Categorically rejecting identity politics is an utterly insane strategy when your opponents clearly do not (and clearly want to permanently destroy everything that comprises your identity).

I wouldn't say that I endorsed "categorically rejecting identity politics" ... but it's a losing recipe to define a very narrow subset of American (e.g., a White, rural, evangelical Christian in the American South) and tailor working definitions for conservatism to match HIS views rather than judge his views for what they are.

Josh Hawley is less conservative than Mitt Romney, and to say otherwise is redefining the word beyond any intellectual credibility to effectively mean, "Conservatism is what I like, and that is all."