Ditch allegiance to Trump if you want to make any lasting conservative gains
Kimberly Ross
Video Embed
One month after President Donald Trump lost his reelection bid to Joe Biden, the New York Times published an article titled “Donald Trump Lost His Battle. The Culture War Goes On.” Two-and-a-half years later, that headline is somewhat amusing. The former president still contends the 2020 election was quite literally stolen from him. And unsurprisingly, the culture war rages on with no sign of slowing down. The 45th president may have stirred American political discourse up as never before, but those cultural conflicts have always been simmering. Social media fans the flames. Trump did not create the tension but certainly encouraged it.
In the digital world, there’s a tendency to believe the loudest, most aggressive behavior is best. Perhaps this is true in terms of confirmation bias. But when it comes to actually affecting change and spurring reconsiderations, the scorched-earth approach isn’t wise. Take, for example, the abortion matter. The subject is one of the nation’s most divisive topics and has been for decades. A shift in attitude is rare since both sides are so entrenched. But since it is possible to change minds, facts and measured discussion should take center stage over haranguing. This is easier said than done. Still, there must be an attempt.
DESANTIS GAINING GROUND IN GOP PRIMARY MATCHUP AGAINST TRUMP
Tone and demeanor are important. But if the speaker or side lacks legitimacy, changing minds is mostly a futile effort. And right now, the Republican Party falls short on moral authority.
Declaring the GOP is in need of fixing is akin to blasphemy. At least, this is the perspective of too many on the Right. Criticizing political allies is unacceptable to those who believe we should only train our negative analysis on Democrats. This foolish tactic is how the GOP has largely been operating over the last several years. If the presidential loss in 2020 and midterm losses in 2018 and 2022 should do anything, it’s to push Republicans away from nonstop self-congratulation merely for existing. The loud and smug qualities aren’t helping. Combine those with a dishonest former commander in chief, and there’s little doubt as to why gaining ground in the culture war is a struggle. There’s no way anyone would accept interior decorating advice from someone whose house is in ruin. The same applies to Republicans who unquestioningly support and glorify Trump.
One big, glaring problem is Trump’s refusal to accept his 2020 loss to Biden. Trump continuously claims he actually won despite all evidence to the contrary. His most ardent supporters say the same. Well-known Trump sycophants such as former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (with specious claims about her own lost election) loudly make the same declaration. The exercise in falsehoods goes against all verifiable evidence. Why, then, would an unmoored voter choose to listen to Trump or the MAGA crowd on matters they deem less important when they are waging a yearslong campaign against reality? If facts show Trump to be wrong about allegations of a stolen election, why would voters even consider another perspective on things such as the growing militancy of the transgender movement, surgery and/or puberty blockers for children, or abortion? News flash: They wouldn’t.
The recent classified documents indictment against Trump complicates matters further. The Alvin Bragg indictment is a political stunt built on shaky ground. This latest indictment concerns matters of national security and involves recorded and physical evidence. In a recent interview, John Bolton, former national security adviser to Trump, said, “If he has anything like what the complaint, what the indictment, alleges, then he has committed very serious crimes. This is a devastating indictment. I think it should be the end of Donald Trump’s political career.” In response to the indictment, Trump did as Trump always does: acted as an innocent party and painted everyone else as corrupt and bent on revenge. It is infuriating, to say the least. No matter the political party of the accused, criminal conduct must be prosecuted. The standard is lacking when it comes to measuring Democratic politicians with the same ruler, but this is no reason to excuse any of Trump’s behavior.
Trump may not be a liar in all things, but his frequent dishonesty and willful dismissal of norms is evident. He is so ill-mannered that he inspires not the least bit of confidence in any but his most devoted fans who wouldn’t think twice about abandoning him, ever. As the de facto leader of the Republican Party, he harms most, if not all, the persuasive arguments someone to the right of center might make. His control over the Right exists at the worst possible time, when the cultural zeitgeist is so fraught.
On June 10, at the White House Pride event, trans activist Rose Montoya went topless in a viral video. The White House called Montoya out, but it’s a good example of the growing extremism among the LGBT. On Twitter, Lambda Legal, the country’s largest LGBT legal advocacy group, tweeted: “Pronouns aren’t preferred. They’re required.” Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 26% of high schoolers now identify as LGBT. In 2015, the percentage was 11%. Results of a recent Harvard/Harris poll show 22% of respondents believe “surgery to change gender and puberty blockers should be allowed for minors under 18.” Twenty-three percent of those polled favor “a law that would allow gender-changing surgery and puberty blockers for minors without parental permission.” Additionally, 36% of respondents favor “a law that would allow abortions right up to birth” in their states.
Social contagion is real and documented. Since that’s the case, it is best to select competent, even-tempered leaders for whom duplicity isn’t a main feature of their character. Those brief qualifications rule Trump out entirely.
Trump’s reduced presence on the national stage is a reminder that one person alone does not perpetuate cultural conflict. However, one person can severely damage the mission. The social battles and the severity of the cause should be a wake-up call to right-leaning voters: Ditch allegiance to Trump if you want to make any lasting gains.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner‘s Beltway Confidential blog and a spring 2023 visiting fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum.