5 reasons conservatives should oppose Trump even if that means Hillary Clinton wins the White House

5 reasons conservatives should oppose Trump even if that means Hillary Clinton wins the White House May 4, 2016

Now that Ted Cruz and (finally) John Kasich have dropped out of the Presidential race, the #NeverTrump movement is emphasizing that they picked the word “never” purposefully.

Why is it vital that conservatives still oppose Trump even if that might mean that Hillary Clinton is elected?

For one, supporting Trump gives liberals the high road on their accusations of racism and violence. David writes, “For at least a generation, the Left has been arguing that American conservatism is shot through with racism, sexism, and xenophobia. And now millions of Americans will face the difficult task of rebutting charges of hateful bigotry while supporting a man who gives aid and comfort to avowed racists, incites violence, and can’t even consistently disavow the Klan. Trump is the destroyer of conservatism, and he will taint all who take his side.”

So what do we do?  David gives five recommendations:

  1.  … Donors, activists, and volunteers must go all-in to preserve the Republican majority in the House (the Senate as well, but that’s a tall order). Hundreds of millions of donor dollars are sitting on the sideline, along with tens of thousands of demoralized volunteers. If the House falls, we’ll potentially see cap-and-trade, card check, expansive new gun-control regulations, and amnesty. Moreover, if the House falls, don’t assume it can be retaken with ease. A GOP that nominates Trump and potentially loses its congressional majorities risks wandering in the wilderness for years — assuming it even survives as a viable political party.
  2. Conservatives should double-down on their commitment to state-level political action. Multiple red-state legislatures are now stocked with constitutional conservatives who are ready and willing to implement conservative ideas in state governance. Conservatives still have an opportunity to enact policies that will preserve liberty and liberate the free market for millions of Americans — all while presenting sharp contrasts with blue states that are choking on public-employee pensions and suppressing economic activity with high taxes and burdensome regulations.
  3. Reject the cult of celebrity in favor of building enduring, meaningful conservative cultural institutions. If the current election cycle has revealed anything, it’s demonstrated that large chunks of the celebrity Right — you know, the people who spent most of the last ten years or so calling out “RINOs” and proclaiming themselves the true arbiters of American conservatism — have proven that they’re little more than populist audience-whores, following where the lowest common denominator leads. Thoughtful conservative institutions, by contrast, contain multiple checks against extremism and demagoguery. They’re invested in the long game, not in capturing and extending that elusive 15 minutes of fame.
  4. Support the Convention of States, the Article V remedy for a runaway president and an out-of-control Congress. David writes, “If two-thirds of states submit an application for a convention to propose constitutional amendments, then any proposed amendments can be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures — circumventing the federal government entirely.”  (See more at Convention of States Project.)
  5. Live your values. David writes, “If we seek integrity in politics, we should act with integrity in politics. Advocate limited government while helping your neighbor. Have the courage to fight the small battles in your community, but do so with grace. Defend religious liberty for the purpose of living faithfully. Leave self-righteousness to the social-justice warriors. We know — now more than ever — that a great nation needs good citizens. It’s our obligation to be the citizens our nation needs.”

Read all of his piece here.


Browse Our Archives

Follow Us!