As Republicans struggle to unite behind Trump, they face a fundamental question about what it means to be a Republican and a Conservative in the United States today. Many people have long observed that while Republicans call themselves “conservatives,” the beliefs and actions of many their leaders and a large number of the members of their party do not meet the definition of the word “conservative.” Below is the actual definition of the word “conservative,” as well as two highly accurate definitions of the word “Republican.” Then, based on those definitions, I wrote a short poem to explore the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement called “The Reckless Lunatic & the Future of the So-Called Conservative.” Enjoy.
Definitions
- Holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.
- A reckless radical who is focused on a hatred of government and taxes, yet claims to be a patriot, starting disastrous wars, yet claim to believe in strong defense, hatred of poor and marginalized people, yet claims to follow Christian values which say to love and care for such people, and an all consuming obsession with banning abortion and birth control, yet they claim to believe in freedom.
- Someone who claims to be conservative, but does all the things in definition 1 and who votes for an erratic, immoral lunatic like Donald Trump.