re: Where did all the Conservatives Go?

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Trump paid lip service to the national debt

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No one has enough info to say this. We don't what he will cut to fund other projects, like adding $ to the defense budget & cut other useless spending.

No one gave a shite the last 16 yrs about spending

I don't think too many people were ever under the impression that Trump was somehow a traditional conservative or even a conservative at all. I think most just viewed him as a much better alternative to Hillary.

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Been saying this since last night, Obama or Clinton could have easily delivered the vast majority of that speech last night. Of course, there would have been a much different reaction to it on this board......

Is this the new talking point that was manufactured this morning?

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Which is funny because effectively, if that's their talking point, they're saying "we'd have loved this speech except Trump gave it"...........

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Trump paid lip service to the national debt, but then proceeded to lay out massive infrastructure stimulus, keeping prexisting conditions, no mention of meaningful entitlement cuts, increased military spending, tax cuts for everyone(to a varying degree). In short, a whole lot of spending with no cuts to balance.

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So, you missed the De-Reg part? Shrinking the scope of federal power is at the heart of conservative philosophy.

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Bush moved the window of the definition of "conservative" and "small government" leftward. Trump will catapult it further.

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Nope. Trump is to the right of Bush. Just look at the two cabinets. Hell, Trump's cabinet is to the right of Reagan's.

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It seems that its pretty universally agreed that last nights speech was a home run for Trump. No doubt about it he played the populist fiddle to perfection which is what resonated strongly in the general election. That hasn't changed and I think at this time most every American likes hearing America First. This is born out by the post speech polling.

The common sentiment in the speech thread last night is that dems should love what Trump is saying. Trump paid lip service to the national debt, but then proceeded to lay out massive infrastructure stimulus, keeping prexisting conditions, no mention of meaningful entitlement cuts, increased military spending, tax cuts for everyone(to a varying degree). In short, a whole lot of spending with no cuts to balance.

This brings me to my point, where ARE all the conservatives who used to post here because, aside from some things on immigration, I didn't hear a whole lot in this speech that wouldn't have been at home in a speech delivered by a democrat. It seems like an endorsement from Van fricking Jones should have some people concerned.

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Even though this is not going to be on the first page, I can answer this fully.

The conservative movement was based on a false premise from the beginning: People like hearing about government spending cuts.

Sure, you have some wonks or libertarians out there who want to hear politicians talk about cutting spending here or slashing that program, but most people don't. People who get a benefit or handout from program X are a hell of a lot more motivated to keep program X than the people who want to cut it. They will turn out and they will be LOUD. The program effects them directly in a tangible way, and you will never find enough people to cheer as loudly about taking it away as keeping it.

So little wonder that aside from Reagan, who by the way was more about MAGA than trumpeting specific cuts, conservatism has been a deep red district fantasy. We've mostly let go.

Now, Trump has been cutting where he can within the executive branch, and contracts. I'm sure there is more to come. But he isn't as stupid as TruCons. He doesn't go up there and talk about all the programs he's going to kill or strip away. Maybe he'll do that and maybe he won't, but no one wants to hear about it. Everything he talked about was nationalist. His whole schtick is "American Workers" and not "cut programs". He's intentionally vague on what programs or departments he is going to cut, because if you really want to cut something, you do it Friday night and in the dark.

I definately wonder how we will pay for all this, and I don't think we can without a deficit.

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Response thread. Weak.

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Well, I did play off of those thread titles, but it is a point of discussion that was going on yesterday which I think deserved a thread. Perhaps you'd care to comment on the actual content.

whats your job, being online all the time spreading your BS

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I can respect this answer for sure.

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Thanks.

And just to be clear. This isn't my Johnny Come Lately answer.

Anyone who was on this board during the primaries knows, I was anti-Trump right up until a key turning point.

And, I made it very clear what changed my mind.

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And, I made it very clear what changed my mind.

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Aren't you glad you did?