True, if each individual were to write a one page essay containing the author’s notion of conservatism, there would likely be significant variations. Nevertheless, a coalition of sorts clearly exists if those variations result in a large number of voters turning out for Republicans. While that is wonderful for the formulation of the base, the politicians attempting to strengthen that group of people find themselves in a defensive posture more often that not, which ultimately harms the base. I think the key is to remain on the offensive.
AOC in my view, is an incredibly stupid person and yet it is lost on so many why she is effective. She is immune to mockery and ridicule, because her base of support is totally insulated from the sensation. Part of the reason for that is the Democrats absolutely fight for their constituency. Generally, Republicans (politicians) fail to live up to expectations, do not stick together and the result is a base that can be dispirited, censored or made into a societal pariah.
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Fair enough.
Yet I assert there are serious consequences in conflating Conservative Principles w/politics.
Consider the likes of Cato and his fellow Roman, Cicero, who proclaimed the vital
importance of civic virtue, self-knowledge and restraint, as critical virtues necessary to sustain the nation/state, allowing Rome to survive and thrive for 12 centuries; creating w/Greece, Western Civilization.
In the 18th century, John Locke and Edmund Burke asserted that the Natural Law, derived from logic/reason thru an examination of human nature, is the foundation of governance
and certainly not cultural/societal laws created from political argument.
Surely the Empires of Rome and Britain were the result of ideas and certainly not politics.
Are we not mired in our pervasive malaise because we no longer possess ideas grounded in
human nature, having abandoned the values/virtues of our Founders?
Ironically, the Southern Agrarian & Rural Democrats of Jefferson, Madison and Monroe was
our only Principled Conservative Party; sadly destroyed by slavery.
Our modern political parties are little more than shallow embarrassments, we sadly tolerate.