For the first time in my life (and that’s a half-century folks), I may be voting Democrat in the upcoming election. I am more conservative than liberal (on most issues), and I would argue at this point, the Democratic Party is more conservative than the Republican Party. How so, you ask? Well, let’s take a look.
You will often hear that the two parties “switched places” in the 1960s and 1970s. Prior to that, the Democratic Party was the party of rural, white, christian, conservatives. It’s why the Democrats won the southern united states for decades. But, in 1964, with the Civil Rights Act (among other things), those conservative rural folks felt betrayed, and the Republican party welcomed them with open arms using what was called “the Southern Strategy.”
That’s the basic story. However, this narrative is not quite what it seems, and I strongly encourage you to look at the video below regarding the “7 Party Systems” in US political history. It’s not really accurate to say the parties “switched,” as much as it is to say they “morphed” into different emphases.
In other words, it’s not that we have a “conservative” party and a “liberal” party, and sometimes they switch places. Rather, each party is a collection of ideas and groups, and sometimes those groups change with time, eventually becoming a “new” party system.
The New Party System
Many people believe we are in the midst of (or closing in) a new party system, one characterized not by “liberal” and “conservative,” but by “authoritarian populist” and “whatever the democrats become.”
And here’s the point – President Trump is NOT a conservative, he is an authoritarian populist, and as the leader over the last 10-15 years, he has changed the Republican party into a new system.
Some examples, regarding “traditional” conservative values:
Old Republicans – Easy, open trade
Trump Populists – Protections (high tariffs)
Old Republicans – Fiscal Austerity (balance the budget)
Trump Populists – Deficit Spending (particularly the military, but also “vanity” projects)
Old Republicans – Global alliances and leadership
Trump Populists – Isolationism (we don’t need anybody else)
Old Republicans – Strengthen govt institutions
Trump Populists – Break down and centralize power
Old Republicans – “Family” values
Trump Populists – Both marriage (mostly) and abortion have been removed from the party platform
Old Republicans – Limited Govt interferance
Trump Populists – Leveraging executive power (executive orders, etc)
Old Republicans – Laissez Faire Business (hands off)
Trump Populists – Ironically, government involvement in business
Old Republicans – Promoting immigration (for financial reasons)
Trump Populists – Banning immigration (for cultural reasons)
Old Republicans -Promotes Education (higher ed) for social mobility
Trump Populists – Vilified higher ed as “elitist”
Old Republicans – Maintain societal norms
Trump Populists – Radically change society and government
And many others. This is why people saying “I’m not voting for the man, I’m voting for the platform,” makes no sense unless your views ALSO changed in the last ten years to change with the GOP platform ( and you can draw your own conclusions on why your views might have changed to mirror the GOP). The platform IS the man now.
How Do I Vote?
Now, it’s true that not ALL of these started in 2015. It’s pretty clear the deficit spending at least has been ongoing since Reagan, but I think you can see a massive shift either way. And not all of them are bad, to be clear.
Therefore, as I ponder, I’m reaching the inescapable conclusion that the MORE conservative of the two parties is now the Democratic party, and that’s saying something about how far the GOP has drifted.
I do think one could argue that the Libertarian party is MORE conservative than the other two, however a) I don’t think Libertarian is a cohesive platform, and b) I’m not sure that “smaller govt = conservative” is always true. I mean, anarchy is small govt, and I don’t think that’s conservative. (the Constitution party is another smaller party that one could argue is more conservative).
I am not arguing that the parties have “switched” again, and now the Republicans are liberal. They aren’t. They are populist/nationalist. And the Democrats are reacting to that, which ironically brings them more inline with “traditional” conservative republicanism. Again, look at the video below.
I honestly don’t know what I’ll do in November. I’m 94% sure I won’t be voting Republican (can’t tell you how disappointed I am in our current Rep.) Maybe vote 3rd party again. I don’t know.
But for the first time in my life, my conservative drive is pushing me towards the Democratic Party.
Never thought I’d see the day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5WzNiPIQ-0
(you can also look at Vlogging Through History’s reaction to it, which I also think is good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZUgR79sFUc)