Is Trump a ‘Real Conservative’?
Is Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump a real conservative?
Many of his conservative critics charge that he isn’t. This is a common tactic of conservatives: questioning the conservative credentials of their opponents while touting how conservative they are. As if there is any real difference between conservatives when their views are compared with libertarianism. And it is hard to take some of Trump’s critics seriously when they supported Romney in the last election.
Two things should be noted about conservatives and conservatism. One, conservative wars are phony wars. And two, being more conservative is not necessarily a good thing.
The problem with American conservatism, as Lew Rockwell explains it,
is that it hates the left more than the state, loves the past more than liberty, feels a greater attachment to nationalism than to the idea of self-determination, believes brute force is the answer to all social problems, and
Real conservatives think that Social Security—an intergenerational, income-transfer, wealth-redistribution welfare program—should be “saved” so that future generations of the elderly can be supported by the young. Real conservatives support the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and see a role for the federal government in education even if they call for abolishing the federal Department of Education, which they rarely do anymore anyway. Real conservatives believe the government should provide the poor and farmers a safety net. Real conservatives support laws against victimless crimes. Real conservatives consider every veteran and member of the military to be a hero. Real conservatives think it is okay for the government to take money from those who work and give it those who don’t via unemployment benefits. Real conservatives support the United States imposing sanctions on other countries, a form of economic warfare. Real conservatives support a government space program. Real conservatives support a foreign policy of intervention in various degrees instead of a foreign policy of strict neutrality. Real conservatives want to consolidate federal job training programs instead of eliminate them. Real conservatives believe the United States should police the world. Real conservatives want to eliminate certain tax deductions, credits, and loopholes that allow Americans to keep more of their money in their pockets and out of the hands of Uncle Sam. Real conservatives support government grants for scientific and medical research. Real conservatives think that free trade agreements have something to do with free trade. Real conservatives believe it is the job of the U.S. government to provide relief to other countries after a natural disaster. Real conservatives support the federal ban on organ sales. Real conservatives would never publicly call for the elimination of the National School Lunch Program. Real conservatives oppose LGBT discrimination laws, but support the principle of federal anti-discrimination laws. Real conservatives support the government taking money from some Americans to pay for the health care of other Americans. God save us from real conservatism.
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