How Never Trumpers Can Save Conservatism

   I have been thinking a lot about Never Trumpers lately. Max Boot, Jennifer Rubin, Rick Wilson, Tom Nichols and others like to talk about how conservatives can rebuild in the post-Trump America. This may be overly optimistic. I'm not sure we can count on a post-Trump America being a pluralistic society in which there is room for any point of view but that of the ruling clique of corporate elites. For the purposes of this thought experiment, however, let's be more optimistic. The United States does not descend into Bonapartism. Some sort of Republican and Democratic parties, some form of conservative and progressive politics, still exist after Trump leaves office and we still conduct elections. What will the Never Trump Conservatives have to do in order to forge a conservative movement that can be relevant in 21st Century American politics?

   I doubt they will listen to a left winger like me, but I've been kind enough to make a list.

1. The Race Thing

   This may be the most difficult. American conservatives have never been willing to take a self-critical and unflinching look at race in this country. Trump's supporters are obvious racists and this gives Never Trumpers a lot of opportunity to virtue signal. The Republican Party has to do more than virtue signal if they want to attract the kind of voters they need to compete in the future. The National Review's David French is a good example of this. He showed us in August that he didn't grasp the difference between "racism" and "prejudice." In order to claim they are against white supremacy the conservatives in America need to demonstrate an understanding of what white supremacy is.

   So the first thing that a future, post-Trump Republican Party will need to do is learn to embrace the real and vibrant American culture all around them rather than sustain white supremacy and an illusion of White American Culture.

2. It's The Economy Stupid

   Look at the Bush tax cuts. Look at the Trump tax cuts. Look at the havoc corporations have wrought on American business with the twin neoliberal vices of supply-side economics and the belief that a corporation's primary duty is to maximize investor profits. If corporations are "people" as now Senator Mitt Romney ridiculously declared then they have the same social and legal responsibilities as any other "citizen." Since corporations are not people their executive officers need to be held civilly and criminally responsible for the crimes they commit.   

   The stock market is not the economy. We're not going to see real economic growth without a major redistribution of wealth. The "job-creators" you have been spoiling all this time have been sitting on their assets and let them earn capital gains. They have more incentive to raise rents than to increase payroll or start hiring new employees. Just look at GM.

3. Bipartisanship Starts At Home

   Lots of Never Trump Republicans are hoping conservative Democrats will adopt their ideals without meaningful change. The Problem Solvers Caucus and other neoliberal power centers press liberals and progressives for bipartisanship without cease. Yet not one Republican Senator voted with Democrats to prevent the disastrous tax cut. Even most Never Trumpers were in favor of the tax cut in principle. Conservatives who want to have a meaningful place in post-Trump America are going to need to understand that their first loyalty is to country and not party. The win at all costs mentality has got to fall by the wayside. 

   Those who don't compromise die.

   This is a short list but I'm not convinced any Never Trumper conservatives can manage it.