From Ben Howe over at RedState.com:
The party is already destroyed simply by his nomination. #NeverTrump intends to at least salvage conservatism.
The mantra? That’s from Alexander Hamilton and it’s quite apropos.
“If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures.”
(source)
That’s pretty brilliant. A good strategy, and a good quote.
RedState.com as a conservative community understands the situation the GOP has gotten itself into. I am doubtful that they can get themselves out of that hole, given their proclivities and politics. They don’t seem to understand that their mission to destroy Barack Obama through bluster and substance-free rhetoric, bashing even his (formerly) centrist and even Republican policies because they didn’t like the fact that he existed as a Democratic president, led directly to Trump being the GOP nominee.
Until RedState conservatives can embrace good government and governance, instead of just chasing short-term good politics by casuistically attacking a personality that happens to be a Democratic president, they’re going to find themselves in the same position again and again. Heat without light is a recipe for a self-immolating furnace.
Democrats need to fight for both 2016 (we can’t lose to Trump, many on both sides now agree with this), but we also can’t lose sight of 2020 either. And that long-lasting set of victories will come through a platform designed for the next few decades, and the demographics and interests of the new American electorate that’s made its voice heard this election season — on the winning or losing side.
We need to plan ahead for now and then.