Our Conservative Principles Have Gone The Way Of The Dodo. Should We Start Something New?

There's been a long-simmering debate in official Washington and elsewhere about the fate and future of conservatism. There are, broadly speaking, two camps: so-called “national conservatives” and the response to this group, the self-described “freedom conservatives.”

Each one asserts that it is the one true path toward a brighter, more free, more conservative future. Personally, I see more familiar names – including former colleagues, associates and contacts, in the “freedom conservative” listing than in the “national conservative” listing.

But that doesn't mean either one is right – on politics, morals, economics, private or public virtue and so on. (RELATED: Both Parties Favor Statism In Their Own Way)

While the debate between the two sides appears to be, and genuinely is, over the limits of state power and how the remainder should be used, both miss a critical point: conservatism is dead.

The cause of death: widespread indifference to the principles of limited government and personal responsibility. Coupled with the ugly side effect of careerism.

There have been instances, some more recent than others, which indicated how doddering conservatism had become. The Bush II years were a case study in how self-described conservatives rationalized state power to wage war (without declaring it), curtailing individual rights (indiscriminate spying on the people in the name of rooting out terrorists…good times) and expanding the reach, power and cost of government (hello Department of Homeland Security and that always delightful Transportation Security Administration).

There were sign of decay before then, of course. But conservatism, as a government ideology, officially died when Donald Trump ran roughshod over the professional conservatives class to win the GOP nomination, and the presidency, in 2016.

Since Trump's election, it is Trumpism populism – not conservatism, that's been the organizing principle of the right. Being that Trump, himself, has little in the way of a governing philosophy, others have rushed to fill in the massive gaps the once and possibly future Republican standard bearer left in his wake. (RELATED: Senate Republicans Endorse Romney's Plan To Force Out ‘Lost-Cause' GOP Candidates)

That's why we see “national conservatives” embracing ideas like a more interventionist state on personal liberty, moral issues, the economy and more rise to prominence. 

In that regard, they have more in common with the left they say they detest than the right they seek to lead.

But can one lead a right that is more on board with expansive state power, not allergic to economic interventionism – things like tariffs or industrial policy or is happy with pursuing identity politics and social issues with the same zeal as the left?

That sort of right-wing lends itself to the rule of strongmen and demagogues – both of which are fleeting.

I have no idea which side –the “freedom” or the “national” conservatives will carry the day. But the debate they have is worth following if for no other reason than nostalgia…memories of a time when conservatism wasn't just ascendant and vital, but could win thumping victories at the ballot box. (RELATED: Do Republicans Have The Courage For A Genuine Reaganesque Move?)

Until then, we always have F.A. Hayek's famous essay, “Why I am Not a Conservative:”

The task of the political philosopher can only be to influence public opinion, not to organize people for action. He will do so effectively only if he is not concerned with what is now politically possible but consistently defends the “general principles which are always the same.” In this sense I doubt whether there can be such a thing as a conservative political philosophy. Conservatism may often be a useful practical maxim, but it does not give us any guiding principles which can influence long-range developments.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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