Conservatives, not conservatism.
Conservatism has not changed. Despite a sudden, brief stint as a cult of personality behind a very flawed politician, the goals of conservatism have not changed. But conservatives have fallen too hard for that flawed candidate, and it is dictating their irrational actions in this post-Trump era.
It is one thing to be upset that Donald Trump lost or that Joe Biden won. You voted, wished for a particular outcome, and it didn’t happen. I get that, and I understand. I didn’t vote at the top of the ballot, but I was not pulling for Biden to win by any means. I am not thrilled with Biden’s cabinet picks so far, and I am hoping the Georgia Senate races end with Republicans holding both seats.
I fully understand why a person is upset at the outcome. What I do not understand is this: At what point did conservatives get more sensitive than progressives when it came to getting news they didn’t like?
If you so much as suggest Biden’s win was legitimate, the screaming of a thousand angry conservatives will descend on you faster than you can prepare for. They are angry and bitter and will come after you with a vengeance if you dare suggest the election was anything less than stolen from Trump.
If you point out that there’s no evidence, they will hurl link after link of claims ade by people who either retracted or were never even called to a witness stand by Trump’s own lawyers. They will claim the voting machines were rigged when there is no proof, and when all the vote counts match up.
The lawsuits have all been tossed. Trump didn’t have anything remotely close to a strong case throughout the whole ordeal.
But God forbid you actually say any of that out loud, because you’ll hurt the poor Trump supporters’ feelings. They are so delicate they can’t handle losing an election without having a complete meltdown. And, if you try to rationally explain why they are wrong to believe the conspiracy theories, they will simply shout that you are part of the conspiracy that stole the election.
Over the years, we have seen multiple media outlets toss news stories, opinion columns, and even reporters and writers for daring to believe something different than the vast majority of the rest of the outlets’ staff. Those outlets have been routinely (and rightfully) mocked for their behavior.
But now, if you dare to suggest Trump actually, legitimately lost the election, you are treated the exact same way, because now you are the wrongthinker. If you write for a conservative outlet, they demand you be fired or loudly proclaim they will no longer read that site because of a piece they didn’t like.
They did it to me for saying it. They continue to do it to folks like Jonah Goldberg, the folks at National Review, and elsewhere. All for not going along with their conspiracy theories.
The same way liberals at liberal outlets don’t want actual disagreement, conservatives are fast becoming the exact same. Rather than wish to be informed, many want their delicate egos lovingly caressed as they are told everything will be okay and that Trump will still be President when it’s all over.
And I am very sorry, but that’s not how I work and that’s not how the world works. You can whine and moan about the “unfair” election results, or you can get out and fight to make your side better and stronger for the next election. I am going to do the latter, and I suggest other conservatives stop acting pathetic and actually get it together. If you think Joe Biden is about to destroy America, then get your ass up, stop bitching, and do something about it.
Or, you can get out of the damn way.