If You Are Still Voting for Trump, You Are Not a Conservative
You’re a Trumpist
Ideological terms have a fluid quality. They typically emerge in the lexicon as a literal definition of a political perspective before serving as tribal labels with entirely new connotations. History also tells us that extremists on both ends of the spectrum tend to behave similarly; think of The Troubles of Northern Ireland in the latter part of the 20th century, in which Protestants and Catholics, two groups originally defined by their belief in Christianity, were reduced to decades of killing each other. This is all to say that the brand of a political ideology has a tendency to wander from its origins in service to its tribe, and nowhere is this divergence more striking than today’s brand of American conservatism.
Regardless of one’s personal beliefs or preferences, the orthodox ideology of conservativism is deserving of respect and inclusion in any dialogue on proper governance. While liberalism originates from a philosophy of collectivism and the importance of the common good, conservatism honors the individual as its starting point, giving high priority to the constitutional rights of individuals to pursue happiness with maximum freedom and minimal government obstruction in an imperfect world.
