Conservatism is great for America, as its soon to be victory in getting the government shutdown to end and not budging on Obamacare subsidies shows.
The shutdown started as an attempt by Sen. Chuck Schumer to ward off a primary challenge by Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) in next year's midterm race. Instead of standing up to AOC, the senator from the state of New York caved in and ended up hurting constituencies that had often been friendly to Democrats: civil service workers and poorer people. He also ensured that the military was not paid. Even when Republicans offered to fund just the military, air traffic controllers, and other essential government workers, Democrats showed their radicalism by continuously saying no…well over a dozen times.
The leftist obstruction of closing the government and not paying even the most essential of workers (including the military) was done all in the name of getting healthcare subsidies for Obamacare funded. We were told over a decade ago, in the days of the Cornhusker Kickback, that Obamacare would essentially pay for itself—a whopper of a lie as big as the one where Americans were told they could keep their doctor. So they had to keep funding yet another failed government program. And for those who do not think there are federal benefits being diverted to those here illegally, they certainly have been.
From one unsustainability to another, Sen. Schumer then had to cave to conservatives' refusal to budge on a question of principle. It was an utter failure for the leftists, showing again that leftism is the philosophy of the immediate and the unsustainable. Yet there is an even more important development at hand.
The coming shutdown victory for the people shows what happens when conservatives stick together. As the philosophy of peace, prosperity, and freedom, the refusal of Republicans not to wishy-wash their stance painted a stark contrast to the radical policies favored by the Democrats, who have been taken over by the Left since the late 1960s.
This is an important lesson, especially as conservatives face other controversies surrounding the legacy of Charlie Kirk, Israel, and other issues. We are not a coalition and program-driven movement like leftism. Leftism requires that the latest and greatest interest group be catered to, only to eventually mess over that group in favor of another interest group. It is unsustainable and self-destructive, like its programs, which prevent progress, innovation, and freedom.
By contrast, conservativism is a beautiful consensus movement built on people. Being the vast right-wing conspiracy that Hillary Clinton said we are, conservatism truly is large, diverse, and inclusive. We have Kirkism, libertarians, Reagan Republicans, Trumpists, social Conservatives, national security conservatives, and so many others. We have a vast array of ideas, but the lines often mesh together. Further, especially under Presidents Reagan and Trump, we have united behind the most important and pressing issues.
The unity of the conservative movement is vital to continued success in presenting a clear choice of prosperity and freedom as opposed to the erosion of freedom and greater government control of our lives, from cradle to grave, that is perpetuated by the Left. This is important to remember as the desperate Left will now find other issues in a desperate attempt to split the American Right in time for 2028.
As conservatives, we have a coming victory for Americans, and there will be many more…provided that we are wise enough not to snatch victory away on future issues.
Views expressed in this article are those of the author and not any government agency.