# Ex-Republican strategist: Republican Party conservatism was always a lie **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 23, 2020, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812 "2020-08-23T10:29:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/101 "2020-08-29T23:42:05Z")
> [@Dark\_Sponge](#): > > The politicians on the left are not “good guys.” Their primary motivation is power Prove it. Right here. Put your money where your mouth is. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/102 "2020-08-30T12:15:04Z")
Here’s another good article about how Romney exemplified the continuing moral degradation of conservatism. > **[The Long Con](https://thebaffler.com/salvos/the-long-con)** > > Mitt Romney is a liar. Of course, in some sense, all politicians, even all human beings, are liars. Romney’s lying went so over-the-top extravagant by this summer, though, that the New York Times… ETA- I just now realized that Perlstein authored this piece as well. In 2012 ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/103 "2020-08-30T12:51:41Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There are no fiscal conservatives, no cultural conservatives, no religious conservatives, there are just racists who hate the very notion of freedom for anyone but themselves. They would rather destroy this nation instead of living as equals among people they don’t like. I think religious conservatism is authentic (a lot rests on the details). The religious zealots and the racists are happy to work together when they don’t outright overlap. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/104 "2020-08-30T13:15:44Z")
Indeed, I read recently that the rise of religious conservatism in politics was grounded in anti-desegregation. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/105 "2020-08-30T14:49:53Z")
It’s more of the same. The religious wing of the Republican party has no basis in religious belief, in fact they are incredibly amoral. It’s already been noted the party has not even tried to deliver on their promises to the religious right, and they never will because it won’t line their pockets. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/106 "2020-08-30T15:03:12Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s more of the same. The religious wing of the Republican party has no basis in religious belief, in fact they are incredibly amoral. If we’re talking about Republican Party leadership then I agree. If we’re talking about rank-and-file, I think most of them are serious about their beliefs. I find many of their beliefs nutty and unsupported by the texts, but I don’t doubt they are following some internally consistent system that squares the circles they need. > [@TriPolar](#): > > It’s already been noted the party has not even tried to deliver on their promises to the religious right, and they never will because it won’t line their pockets. I didn’t see that part, but I disagree with it. The Republicans have really done a number on the federal judiciary and the Supreme Court by packing it with Federalist ideologues. An ordinary polity might see this narrow focus as political malpractice. But Evangelicals correctly the see judiciary as central to their interests. (Their interests mainly involve violating people’s religious freedoms and hoping SCOTUS will wave them past third base to score the winning run). ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/107 "2020-08-30T15:56:49Z")
Basically over 50 years “conservatism” has been redefined as “to reverse whatever changes in the world have upset my Single-Issue Voter Demographic” and never mind what other things the politician may be doing with their power. The Republicans’ quest to create a coalition of everyone who has a single-issue objection to something identifiable as liberal – be it racial diversity, sexual freedom, secularism, gun control, public benefits… Hell, the \*&^%$ FDA – and the “movement conservatives”'s unwillingness to say “OK this is too far” at any point because _OMG, sweet, sweet court seats within reach!_, fed on each other perfectly. But of course long ago the monster took on its own life and turned on its creators – Stevens and others like him were simply in denial for a long time and really IMO what scares them now is the realization the monster is not even waiting to finish off the “adversaries” before going after _ **them** _ . ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/108 "2020-08-30T16:01:03Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > If we’re talking about Republican Party leadership then I agree. If we’re talking about rank-and-file, I think most of them are serious about their beliefs. Who knows what the rank and file actually believe. Many of them are serious yet don’t notice the disconnect between words and actions. > [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > I didn’t see that part, but I disagree with it. The Republicans have really done a number on the federal judiciary and the Supreme Court by packing it with Federalist ideologues. You are right about the courts, but it hasn’t been backed up with legislative action. And it won’t be because it doesn’t serve their ends. They are well aware that success in this area leads to electoral loss broadly across the country. It’s about as useful to them as gun control is to Democrats, nice rallying cry in limited areas but a long term loser at the polls. And also note, most of these so called anti-abortion judges are actually federalists who like the main party hate the power of democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/109 "2020-08-30T16:34:44Z")
The tank and file Republicans are otherwise known as marks. The President of the US is a con man, literally - he ran a massive get rich quick scam that stole the life-savings of people that put their trust in him. It’s so pervasive I don’t know where to start. Read the “long con” article. Mike Huckabee Ben Carson and Herman Cain sold miracle cancer cures via email. Orrin Hatch made it legal for them. Liberty U and the NRA have been exposed as self-dealing frauds. Fraud is rampant among conservative fund-raisers. Here’s a National Review article outlining several scams targeting conservatives. > **[The Right’s Grifter Problem | National Review](https://www.nationalreview.com/the-morning-jolt/the-real-problem-conservatism-faces-today/)** > > No, the answer is not David French. I’m not saying that Democrats are totally uncorrupt but non of them have done anything approaching the scale of Republican fraud. In my research on scam PAC’s, I found one scam Bernie PAC and one scam Hillary PAC - but these were started by a guy that also started multiple fraudulent conservative PACs. I found dozens of cases of scam conservative PACs. I’m putting out a challenge. I dare anyone to find fraud on this scale targeting liberals. Bring it on. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/110 "2020-08-30T19:01:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Who knows what the rank and file actually believe. Many of them are serious yet don’t notice the disconnect between words and actions. Well, I certainly don’t know everybody, but in my life of observation, all white evangelicals support Republicans. It’s wholly a tribal identity where insiders deserve the Golden Rule treatment, and outsiders are “do unto others before they do unto you”. There’s never a moment of reflection on consistency, little serious scholarly engagement with the text. Us and them. > [@TriPolar](#): > > You are right about the courts, but it hasn’t been backed up with legislative action. And it won’t be because it doesn’t serve their ends. This must have gone over my head, because I thought the entire point of court-packing was bypassing legislative action. Much safer to have your agenda in the hands of grateful, conservative, lifetime appointees. If you’re talking about electoral losers, I think you’re referring to abortion, but that game has changed. Republicans have dropped the pretense of standing for anything except control of the government, and everybody knows that judiciary control is the golden unchallenged road to total unaccountability (if we’ve not already arrived there). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/111 "2020-08-30T19:24:58Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > This must have gone over my head, because I thought the entire point of court-packing was bypassing legislative action. Much safer to have your agenda in the hands of grateful, conservative, lifetime appointees. That’s how they sell it. It’s still part of the con though. The judges they are putting in aren’t there to overturn old decisions, they’ve actually been chosen based on a philosophy of doing nothing. Remember that the GOP is a do nothing party at the legislative level also, they aren’t passing laws that will appear before the court at the federal level. The action has been at the state level and that could grow into a dangerous situation. So far, when states get into controversial legislation that could appear before the courts their insane zealotry produces obviously unconstitutional laws. Luckily the Republican party has no real interest in helping them, this is a long con, you never actually give them the carrot. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/112 "2020-08-30T19:31:01Z")
> [@agzem](#): > > As for family values, if both Democrat and GOP candidates have bad character then you have to choose the least evil. Well, when it comes to family values, Joe Biden is the lesser evil by a zillion percent. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/114 "2020-08-30T23:06:23Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > I don’t think the whole GOP platform is “lies designed to draw in unsuspecting voters”. I think it is carefully crafted to appeal to enough people, with enough sincerety, with the aim of securing that party re-election You are aware, I hope that there is no actual GOP platform for this current election cycle. Well, there is one - it is the 2016 platform which was re-adopted. With the addition of “We support Trump in whatever he tweets.” The official GOP election platform for this election contains this statement condemning the current president: > The President has been regulating to death > a free market economy that he does not like and > does not understand. He defies the laws of the > United States by refusing to enforce those with > which he does not agree. And he appoints judges > who legislate from the bench rather than apply the > law. > We, as Republicans and Americans, cannot allow this to continue. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/115 "2020-08-30T23:07:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Well, when it comes to family values, Joe Biden is the lesser evil by a zillion percent. For current Republicans, the term “Family Values” now means “Banging porn stars - isn’t that terrific?” ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/116 "2020-08-30T23:14:17Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > > [@RickJay](#): > > > > Well, when it comes to family values, Joe Biden is the lesser evil by a zillion percent. > > For current Republicans, the term “Family Values” now means “Banging porn stars - isn’t that terrific?” - Only if the porn star is also a family member. ---
**Author:** ![agzem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@agzem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/agzem)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/117 "2020-08-30T23:51:29Z")
8 women have accused Biden of sexual assault. Biden can’t keep track of all his lies. Lied about marching for civil rights. Falsely smeared a man as “drunk” who was in the accident that killed his wife. Plagiarism that continues to this day. Caused his current wife to cheat on her husband. Need I continue? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/118 "2020-08-31T00:00:55Z")
A Trump supporter can’t credibly claim to care about sexual assault, rape, or lies. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/119 "2020-08-31T00:15:27Z")
> [@agzem](#): > > 8 women have accused Biden of sexual assault [No, they haven’t.](https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-allegations-women-2020-campaign-2019-6) > Eight women have alleged that Biden either touched them inappropriately or violated their personal space in ways that made them uncomfortable. > “touched them inappropriately” is not the same as actual sexual assault like “grab 'em by the pussy” is. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/120 "2020-08-31T00:25:36Z")
It’s absolutely no surprise that a Trump supporter would have no factual understanding of sexual assault. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812/121 "2020-08-31T00:42:10Z")
> [@agzem](#): > > 8 women have accused Biden of sexual assault. > > Biden can’t keep track of all his lies. Lied about marching for civil rights. Falsely smeared a man as “drunk” who was in the accident that killed his wife. > > Plagiarism that continues to this day. Caused his current wife to cheat on her husband. > > Need I continue? I’ll play! 25 women have accused Trump of sexual assault. > **[The 26 women who have accused Trump of sexual misconduct](https://www.businessinsider.com/women-accused-trump-sexual-misconduct-list-2017-12)** > > In May 2023, a Manhattan jury found Donald Trump liable for the sexual abuse of E. Jean Carroll. Here's who else has accused him of misconduct. Trump can’t keep track of all his lies, but the internet can. Lied about this. Lied about that. Lie, lie, lie. > **[Analysis | President Trump has made more than 20,000 false or misleading claims](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/13/president-trump-has-made-more-than-20000-false-or-misleading-claims/)** > > In just 14 months, President Trump doubled the number of claims he made in the first 27 months of his presidency. Plagiarism? Dunno; hard to plagiarize when you can’t read. Cheated on his current wife. Hell, he’s cheated on all three of his wives. > **[How Many Times Has Trump Cheated on His Wives?](https://www.newsweek.com/how-many-times-trump-cheated-wives-780550)** > > Trump's first marriage imploded on the covers of all of New York's tabloids after he brazenly took his mistress, Marla Maples, on a family vacation in Aspen. Need I continue? 🤨 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ex-republican-strategist-republican-party-conservatism-was-always-a-lie/918812.md?page=7)