Which way, Republican?
Former Vice President Mike Pence recently wrote a crucial op-ed for the Wall Street Journal titled “A Republican Time for Choosing.” He points out that the Republican Party is engaged in an internal clash: the conservatism of President Ronald Reagan versus the populism of President Donald Trump. Conservatism is represented by the principles in Reagan’s three-legged stool: Christian values, free markets, and an internationally engaged foreign policy. Pence defines populism as “progressivism in disguise.”
TL;DR
- Mike Pence's op-ed, "A Republican Time for Choosing," highlights a clash within the GOP between Reagan's conservatism and Trump's populism.
- Conservatism is defined by Christian values, free markets, and an internationalist foreign policy.
- Populism is characterized as an ideology dividing society into 'the people' (heroes) and 'the elite' (villains).
- Historically, conservatives and populists have been adversaries, with populism challenging established hierarchies.
- The article suggests that under populism, the Republican Party has abandoned its traditional principles, citing examples like embracing a pornography model and a union boss, and potentially recoiling from global leadership.
- The author concludes that conservatism and populism are irreconcilable, and populism is detrimental to remaining conservatives within the party.