National Review: Dump Trump

The National Review has brought together multiple conservative writers in an issue of Bill Buckley's magazine to launch a mega attack on Republican frontrunner Donald Trump. The crux being that they believe he is not a conservative.

Says who? Them?

Who gets to determine what someone's political ideology is at any given time. By today's standards adhered to by the extreme forces which are dominant in the so called conservative movement would reject many of that modern movements iconic figures including Bill Buckley. When Buckley changed his mind on the Iraq War and came out against it he was villified by those strident voices.

Ronald Reagan was a liberal Democrat and staunch supporter of FDR before changing his views and becoming a conservative. He was not embraced by the conservative establishment, who believed he was nothing but an empty suit and could never be elected President. In fact they worked against him. Even though he is invoked frequently now, he could never survive the hard right no compromise voices of today.

Mr. Republican himself, Barry Goldwater, the author of "Conscience of a Conservative" and spiritual father of the movement was burnt to the ground and cast aside later in his life because his views were considered too soft. This is the same person who is legendary for his statement, "extremism in defense of liberty is no vice..."

Winston Churchill started off as member of the Conservative Party, he then crossed the aisle to the Liberal Party under Prime Minister David Lloyd George. Remember the phrase "...charm the birds out of the trees?" Those words came from Churchill talking about the political persuasion of Lloyd George. Churchill then rejoined the Conservatives. Many of them distrusted him and considered him nothing but an opportunist and self serving blowhard. That's not how he's viewed now but it was in his own time.

Trump has expressed many different political views over three decades of public life. Who is he really? That's up to the Republican voters to decide. In an era dominated by a distrust of the elite thinkers and alleged leadership class, the National Review's condemnation of Trump will have zero negative impact on his campaign, in fact it may help him.