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NR seems to have decided it’s safe to point out the obvious again
HHusky
Member Posts: 19,183
https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/10/gop-pressure-president-trump-long-overdue/
But there’s a part of the equation that has been forgotten. Thanks in part to the polarized climate, the near-banishment of critical voices from pro-Trump media outlets, and the psychological need to defend the leader of their “side,” conservatives forget that many of these wins are the result of Trump’s hand having been forced in a political transaction. Until Trump launched his hostile takeover of the GOP, he was pro-choice, pro-gun-control, and utterly unconcerned about fidelity to the Constitution. He became pro-life and pro–Second Amendment because that was the price of widespread conservative support. He agreed to outsource his judicial appointments to the Federalist Society and Heritage Foundation precisely because no one trusted his judgment.
Once elected, however, Trump used his ability to influence his core supporters — who have outsize power in primaries to punish GOP critics. By taking the scalps of politicians such as former GOP senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, Trump also took the spines of countless others. As a result, the GOP lost control of the House in 2018 and may be on the cusp of losing the Senate and the presidency in 2020.
But there’s a part of the equation that has been forgotten. Thanks in part to the polarized climate, the near-banishment of critical voices from pro-Trump media outlets, and the psychological need to defend the leader of their “side,” conservatives forget that many of these wins are the result of Trump’s hand having been forced in a political transaction. Until Trump launched his hostile takeover of the GOP, he was pro-choice, pro-gun-control, and utterly unconcerned about fidelity to the Constitution. He became pro-life and pro–Second Amendment because that was the price of widespread conservative support. He agreed to outsource his judicial appointments to the Federalist Society and Heritage Foundation precisely because no one trusted his judgment.
Once elected, however, Trump used his ability to influence his core supporters — who have outsize power in primaries to punish GOP critics. By taking the scalps of politicians such as former GOP senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, Trump also took the spines of countless others. As a result, the GOP lost control of the House in 2018 and may be on the cusp of losing the Senate and the presidency in 2020.