NeverTrump Is Over. So What Does It Do Next?

[corbe]

http://thefederalist.com/2016/11/16/nevertrump-is-over-so-what-does-it-do-next/

NeverTrump Is Over. So What Does It Do Next?

What to do now that Donald Trump is going to be president? Skip the five stages of grief and go straight to the five stages of NeverTrump.



By Robert Tracinski
November 16, 2016


 NeverTrump is over.

I don’t mean the idea was invalid or has been discredited. Certainly not by the election results, partly because it’s clear Donald Trump squeaked by without a majority against a particularly unpopular and unloved opponent. Heck, he didn’t even get a plurality, since Hillary Clinton edged him out slightly in the popular vote. But NeverTrump was never about whether Trump could win the election, it was about whether he deserved our support.

That is no longer the question. Trump is no longer the nominee but is now the president-elect, whether we like it or not. Unlike the febrile children on the Left, we’re not going to protest the outcome. The whole point of being NeverTrump is a desire to preserve the rule of law, which includes accepting the decision of the voters (and the Electoral College).

The question now is what to do when Trump is sworn in as president. I suggest skipping the five stages of grief and going straight to the five stages of NeverTrump.

1) Take What We Can Get

One of the reasons I opposed Trump is that as a man with no consistent ideological grounding, he is inherently unpredictable. He has no record in public office to judge from, but he does have a record in business. There he is known for saying whatever he needs to say to close a deal, then doing whatever he wants. But I supposed this has an upside. Although he may not do some of the good things he said he would do, he probably won’t do a bunch of the bad things he said he would do.

And who knows? He might come through on a couple of key items advocates of liberty really want.

There are four things we have some hope he will do—with the support of Congress—in his first 100 days: repeal Obamacare, make a good nomination for the Supreme Court, reject the Paris climate deal, and bury the Iran deal.

Getting rid of the Paris and Iran deals would be nice, but of limited impact. Yes, it would be good to appease Iran less, but I doubt Trump is going to take active measures to roll back Iranian power. After all, he has openly welcomed the growing influence in the Middle East of Iran’s ally, Russia.

As for the Paris climate deal, it was never an actual treaty that imposed binding obligations on the United States. What is more promising in this regard is Trump’s appointment of a “climate skeptic,” Myron Ebell, to head his EPA transition team. This is a very good, very promising appointment. They say that “personnel is policy,” and I suspect it will be even more true under Trump. All the evidence is that he has little knowledge of or interest in the details of public policy. This will probably mean that some big reforms falter for lack of presidential attention and follow-through. But it may also mean that his appointees will be free to set their own priorities without much interference from above.

But the big tests of the Trump administration are Obamacare and the Supreme Court.

Seven years after its passage, Obamacare has been exactly the disaster its critics predicted, and it has had just enough time to begin collapsing under its own weight. But that’s not the only reason it needs to be repealed. The whole Democratic calculation behind Obamacare, the reason they were willing to sacrifice their congressional majority to pass it, was the belief that once installed it would be around forever and health care would come to be taken for granted as yet another service provided by government.

If Obamacare is repealed—and not replaced by something similar, which is still an open question—that kind of calculation would be seriously undermined. Democrats would have sacrificed Congress and the presidency for nothing, and it will make them much more cautious in the future about ramming big pieces of legislation down the public’s throat. This alone would be big progress.

A decent nominee to the Supreme Court, the kind Trump has pledged to appoint, would be a permanent addition to the political infrastructure of the Right. The impact of this is a little overestimated. A five-justice conservative majority on the Supreme Court has so far not been the brake on growing government power that we might have expected. They didn’t overturn Obamacare, didn’t stop abuse of eminent domain, have done little to prevent the violation of the religious liberty of gay marriage dissidents, and didn’t stop the EPA’s power grab on global warming regulations. The rulings of a liberal Supreme Court would not have been radically different. This is part of the reason I did not regard Supreme Court appointments as the be-all and end-all of this election.

But a few key rulings have been important, such as upholding the First Amendment in the Citizens United case and breathing life back into the Second Amendment in the Heller and McDonald rulings. Moreover, Trump won’t be choosing the replacement for just any Supreme Court justice. He will be replacing the intellectually influential Antonin Scalia, and we can hope that with a friendly Republican majority in the Senate, he will have the leeway to appoint a justice of similar stature, if he chooses to do so.

But what happens on these two issues is not just a matter for Trump to decide. Both depend on the Republican Congress, which reminds us of our real hope for the next four years.

2) Remember: the Republican Congress Won Some Elections, Too

Trump may be the winner of this presidential election. But the bigger, longer-term winner of the last eight years is the Republican Party in the statehouses and in Congress. They managed to take back control of the House in 2010, take back the Senate in 2014, and hold on to most of those gains under difficult circumstances this year.

Now is the big moment for that Republican Congress. After 2010, House Republicans explained that they had limited power to achieve their agenda because Republicans didn’t control the Senate. After 2014, House and Senate Republicans explained that their power was still limited because they faced a recalcitrant president. There was a lot of truth in this, by the way, but now they are out of excuses. They have everything they wished for: majorities in both houses and the presidency. So they have to deliver on at least a few big promises.

That means we should look to congressional Republicans to keep the party on track ideologically. We should look to them to make sure Obamacare is repealed and not just “amended,” as Trump has suggested, and to make sure it doesn’t get replaced by anything like what Trump has endorsed in the past, which would just be Obamacare under a different name.

The same thing goes for the Supreme Court. The Republican Congress needs to keep in mind the Harriet Miers precedent, in which a Republican Senate rejected George W. Bush’s nominee because they did not regard her as sufficiently substantial and intellectually powerful. Bush was forced to withdraw her and put forward Samuel Alito, instead. They should be prepared to mount another such rebellion if necessary.

That irony is that part of what fueled Trump’s rise in the Republican primaries was frustration among the Republican base at the party’s failure to make good on promises like repealing Obamacare. Yet to actually fulfill those promises, the Republican Congress may have to oppose Trump. If that happens, NeverTrump alumni need to support them—and point out the irony.

3) Don’t Make Partisan Excuses for Trump

Trump is going to be attacked unremittingly by the Left, often for stupid, made-up reasons. As a result, people on the Right are going to develop a natural reflex to defend him and to assume that all such attacks are invalid.

Actually, I shouldn’t put that in the future tense. This is what made his victory possible in the first place, both in the primaries and in the general election. Whenever Trump did or said something that was truly, legitimately awful, many on the Right would refuse to acknowledge it because it was reported in the media and “the media lies.” So they would claim that this wasn’t what he said “in context” and go on to explain to me what Trump “really” meant, just in case I happened to believe my lying ears.

I’m already seeing this particular disease spreading, and NeverTrump alumni should make it our job to resist it. We need to keep reminding everyone that winning the latest 24-hour news cycle is not worth losing sight of what you stand for.

We will need to repeat this especially loudly because we can expect the Trump White House to be obsessed with winning the latest news cycle at all costs.

<..snip..>

4) Be the Loyal Opposition

5) Be the Mustard Seed



http://thefederalist.com/2016/11/16/nevertrump-is-over-so-what-does-it-do-next/

[corbe]

If Obamacare is repealed—and not replaced by something similar, which is still an open question—that kind of calculation would be seriously undermined. Democrats would have sacrificed Congress and the presidency for nothing, and it will make them much more cautious in the future about ramming big pieces of legislation down the public’s throat. This alone would be big progress.


    This is not possible.

[INVAR]

NeverTrump will do what it has done as NeverObama: Stand up against each and every violation of the Constitution, our principles, the rule of law and our heritage.

I do not know why people think we are supposed to suddenly stand down and support everything Statist and destructive as long as it is "our guy" doing it.

[Smokin Joe]

I mostly said what's next for me, right here http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,233460.0.html, as far as the coming administration goes. Mr. Trump has made promises, lots of promises, great promises, the best promises.

Rather than measure him by the standards I would have imposed on any primary candidate for the job of POTUS (and did), which I shall not discard, but retain for future elections, I will, in the spirit of moving forward let The Donald set his own standard.

Those promises are outlined on the thread linked above, in post number 1, post 27, and elsewhere. I will judge him by the promises he keeps, and the promises he breaks. Some will get a + if he breaks them, just because I think they would be a disaster, but that's my scorecard, not his, and we're playing on his course. So I will grade him by the promises he keeps. After all, between that and fear of Hillary, that's what got him elected.

On other fronts, I need to contact some folks and see what can be done to promote the Constitution Party, which had the platform I thought best. Some small reworking to make a couple of things more universally palatable might be in order, and I will tender those suggestions. I remain as Conservative as ever, I still want the restoration of our Constitutional Republic, smaller government, secure borders, the restoration of State's Rights, and the re-assertion of our National Sovereignty in the face of those who would have our nation subservient to a world government. NO other governmental entity should have authority over our country, our soil, our way of life. The Federal Government should have far less, and the States and local governments should be the forges where policy is tempered and refined or melted down for scrap. Beyond that, the Rights of We, the People should be re-asserted, and that government which governs best (which governs least) restored.

[Emjay]

NeverTrump will do what it has done as NeverObama: Stand up against each and every violation of the Constitution, our principles, the rule of law and our heritage.

I do not know why people think we are supposed to suddenly stand down and support everything Statist and destructive as long as it is "our guy" doing it.

Kind of disagree.  I was NeverTrump because I couldn't stand him personally.  Now that he is elected, I am willing to give him a chance.  If he will appoint a true conservative to the court and get rid of Obamacare ... without installing a version of it called Trumpcare, I will be willing to ignore his personal idiosyncracies and egregious behavior that doesn't affect the country.

[montanajoe]

NeverTrump will do what it has done as NeverObama: Stand up against each and every violation of the Constitution, our principles, the rule of law and our heritage.

I do not know why people think we are supposed to suddenly stand down and support everything Statist and destructive as long as it is "our guy" doing it.

Agree completely. This election was a real eye opener. It is now apparent that for most elections are little more than sporting events and winning is the only thing that is important no matter how  flawed the canidate and his agenda may be. We are in experiencing the decline and fall of America some will cheer to the end as long as their guy is leading the fall...

[Frank Cannon]

3) Don’t Make Partisan Excuses for Trump

This is the most exciting thing about this election. When people complain about this or that about Donny, I can just respond "Yeah. He sucks".

[ConstitutionRose]

Easy.  Continue to stand up for conservative principles.  I like the idea of judging Trump by his own standards.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

3) Don’t Make Partisan Excuses for Trump

This is the most exciting thing about this election. When people complain about this or that about Donny, I can just respond "Yeah. He sucks".

Yup, me too. People may ask why I voted for him, I can list a bunch of reasons like the USSC, etc.

[catfish1957]

Their side won, and they have my congratulations.

However, I do reserve my right to 50,000 "I told you so's"  When this turd shows his left wing stripes, and stabs you in the back.

I am a stauch conservative, and always will be.   Trump is not.

[LMAO]

Their side won, and they have my congratulations.

However, I do reserve my right to 50,000 "I told you so's"  When this turd shows his left wing stripes, and stabs you in the back.

I am a stauch conservative, and always will be.   Trump is not.

Ditto.

I'm not expecting Trump to seek and try to implement every single conservative issue. The issues that will be unacceptable for me is growing the size of the federal government, the deficits, and debt.

[Smokin Joe]

Easy.  Continue to stand up for conservative principles.  I like the idea of judging Trump by his own standards.

I do, too. He made those promises. The question remains one of if he will treat the voters like so many other 'establishment Republicans' and conveniently forget or renege on the promises that got him elected.
I would think even Trump supporters could get behind the idea that the same promises that won their support should be fulfilled, but the willingness to express discontent about any failures in that regard versus those who will make excuses for him will indicate who made decisions based on policy as opposed to those who merely worship the man or think his wife is hot or whatever.

[Wingnut]

Orange Lives Matter.

[Bigun]

I made my decision to oppose Trump for the Republican nomination based on the facts and evidence before me at the time. I did the same in deciding not to vote for him in the general and I will continue to follow that same course now that he is President elect. When he does something I approve of he will get my praise and when he doesn't he will get my scorn.

[Night Hides Not]

Ditto.

I'm not expecting Trump to seek and try to implement every single conservative issue. The issues that will be unacceptable for me is growing the size of the federal government, the deficits, and debt.

Although the annual deficit may be lower under Trump than today, I hardly expect the federal government to be smaller in several years than it is today. Of course, there's no doubt the debt will be trillions larger.

[Rivergirl]

Sit back and cry for America and the rest of the free world.

[rodamala]

#NeverTrump will never be over.

[the_doc]

#NeverTrump will never be over.

So, what's next for us?  I say we just need to keep bragging about our decision.  I believe that will eventually pay off.

[Cripplecreek]

I plan to wait for reality to settle in and Trumpers to admit to themselves that they were conned into electing a NY liberal.

They'll never admit it but it will show.

[Smokin Joe]

So, what's next for us?  I say we just need to keep bragging about our decision.  I believe that will eventually pay off.

If we get int their faces about that, it will just make them angry. No one angry will ever admit an error in judgement. Better to know we stood for what we stood for and let that vengeful bit go.

That's why I listed as many of his promises as I could round up in short order and challenge him to keep them. ( http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,233460.0.html post 1, 27, and others)

Those were the things that got him elected (aside from fear/loathing of Hillary), so let those be the yardstick his performance is judged by. As for the person, the one I couldn't vote for, maybe he'll perform, maybe he will be a disaster, but none of us have much choice but to see how this plays out, and call 'em as we see 'em, without rubbing anyone's nose in it.

[Smokin Joe]

#NeverTrump will never be over.

No, because the same principles which compelled many of us to be #nevertrump will remain, and should be the metric by which future candidates are graded.

The greatest single danger in having Trump elected is that there will be a mentality which will redefine 'conservatism' as Trump.  Trump has never been a conservative, even though, at this point I hope and pray he acts like one, at least for the duration.

By his fruits shall we know him.

But my principles remain.

[geronl]

I do not know why people think we are supposed to suddenly stand down and support everything Statist and destructive as long as it is "our guy" doing it.

 

[Cripplecreek]

No, because the same principles which compelled many of us to be #nevertrump will remain, and should be the metric by which future candidates are graded.

The greatest single danger in having Trump elected is that there will be a mentality which will redefine 'conservatism' as Trump.  Trump has never been a conservative, even though, at this point I hope and pray he acts like one, at least for the duration.

By his fruits shall we know him.

But my principles remain.

The man has been a celebrity for more than 30 years and he's always been a sleazeball. I don't have any expectation of him being anything more than he's always been.


I've been NeverTrump for 30 years, that isn't likely to change either.

[Hoodat]

NeverTrump over?  Did Trump magically transform into a Conservative in the last 24 hrs?

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

I never did pick up on the definition of NT.

I think Trump's a lib, and I didn't vote for him (nothing to do with the man in particular, I just made the decision several years ago that I'm done voting for whomever wins the R primary just because I want to stop the Ds).

I hoped that he would win anyway, go on to govern as a Conservative and be so awesome that I could support him in 2020.  If he does it, I'll have to admit I was wrong, but it's still the best outcome available.  If not, I'll look to a Conservative alternative, going third party again if I have to.

So, am I NT? On one hand, I do tend to agree most of the time with those who call themselves such.   OTOH, "Never" is like half the word -- does NT really mean never, under any circumstances, including a (potential) future record of Conservatism?