Jonah Goldberg: Will The Right Defend Economic Liberty?

Editor’s Note: This is a work of progress.

Jonah Goldberg:

“In the immortal words of Buffalo Springfield, “There’s something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear.” ‘

No, it is crystal clear.

Do you see this map of the 2016 electorate?

1.) Virtually the entire Republican Party is now united by social conservatism and authoritarianism, NOT economic liberty. In fact, the Republican Party is divided on economics.

2.) The GOP establishment is committed to social liberty and economic liberty, but the Republican base has moved on from Reaganism. This is why there is such an enormous gulf between the “Republican base” and the “Republican establishment.” The latter is out of touch.

3.) Donald Trump won the 2016 election by running on a platform that appealed to Republican voters who are Left Authoritarian populists and nationalists. He won the election by appealing to swing voters in the middle of the electorate who are populists and moderates.

4.) Finally, the Republican establishment and Conservatism, Inc. refused to accept the verdict of the 2016 election, and have spent the last 3 years successfully blocking the populist and nationalist aspects of Trump’s agenda and steering the Trump administration back into the policies of mainstream conservatism. In doing so, it will reap the whirlwind when White populist voters begin to defect back to the Democratic Party.