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1. In a piece yesterday morning -- https://thebulwark.com/american-conservatism-b-1955-d-2020/ -- I suggested American conservatism might not be salvageable. The excerpts from Bob Woodward's book yesterday provided a new opportunity for conservatives to liberate themselves from Trump and Trumpism.
1. In a piece yesterday morning -- https://thebulwark.com/american-conservatism-b-1955-d-2020/ -- I suggested American conservatism might not be salvageable. The excerpts from Bob Woodward's book yesterday provided a new opportunity for conservatives to liberate themselves from Trump and Trumpism.
2. After all, better late than never!
Well, Never seems to be winning hands down. For when another moment of judgment presented itself, American conservatives once again chose not to rise to the occasion.
Well, Never seems to be winning hands down. For when another moment of judgment presented itself, American conservatives once again chose not to rise to the occasion.
3. I won't go through the tiresome litany of sophistry, excuse-making, and misdirection we've seen since the Woodward excerpts--based on tape recordings of the president (!)--have appeared. Suffice it to say that conservative elected officials have ducked comment...
4. ...and that conservative commentators seem more upset about the mistake of talking with Woodward than about what Trump said to Woodward. The most cynical preachers on the right assured us real people don't care about any of Woodward's reporting (or anyone else's, apparently).
5. So much for any hopes that today's conservatism might rouse itself from its Trump-acquiescent stupor in light of the latest outrages.
6. I wrote yesterday that Trump's "authoritarianism is as far from Burke as from Hayek. As far from a concern for liberty as for virtue. As far from American greatness as from decency. And 'conservatism' now rides along with this authoritarianism in a nicely cushioned sidecar."
7. What we've seen in the hours since the Woodward excerpts is that just as today's conservatism rides along with authoritarianism, so today's conservatives now ride along with Trump, also in a nicely cushioned sidecar.
8. It turns out, unsurprisingly, that the collapse of conservative ideas goes hand in hand with the collapse of conservative character. So what that's worthwhile is left to conserve?
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