NEWS AND OPINION:
Like President Trump, the conservative brand — the identity, traits and causes of those who espouse this ideology — has been under attack by the news media, along with liberal pundits and educators, Hollywood, progressive strategists and PR shops. This relentless team has created a negative shorthand about conservatives that suggests they are heartless, archaic, racist, etc. — and it has reinforced the rigid polarization between Americans.
Well, yes. Should conservatives adopt efficient lettered coding to designate themselves, like other communities? “LGBTQ” comes to mind. Just imagine: Start with master C for conservative, then embellish with FC (fiscal conservative), PL (pro-life), P (patriot), SA (Second Amendment), TV (traditional values), MAGA (Trump fan), SD (strong defense), TP (tea party), SG (small government), LL (libertarian leaner), CC (compassionate conservative), and so forth and so on. So are you a CPLSACC with a little SG?
Others, however, have suggestions for pushing back against the monolithic conservative image.
“The word ‘conservative’ or ‘conservatism’ has, as a brand, been destroyed. I see evidence of it every day when I endeavor to read things in non-conservative media and elsewhere. And it’s shocking. It is literally shocking. And it’s beyond my ability to comprehend what people out there, particularly college students, literally think when they hear the word ‘conservative,’” Rush Limbaugh told his 14 million listeners, suggesting a moratorium on the “conservative” label because so many people are conditioned to shut down with alarm when they encounter the dreaded conservative.
“My thought is to stop using the term. Stop describing yourself as a conservative, proudly or otherwise. Don’t label yourself at all,” he advised. “If instead of being seen as a conservative because you never identify yourself as such, you instead focus on solving problems. The left is obsessed with problems. They genuinely don’t solve them.
“Most people want problems solved, and conservatism is actually about that. It’s about solving poverty. It’s about solving racism. It’s about solving bigotry. But look at what the branding has said of conservatism, that conservatism is racism, that it is bigotry, that it is bias, that it is discrimination. Yet the truth is, we want to solve all those problems. We want to wipe them out. We want a color-blind society. We want everybody to be as content and happy as they can be. We want everybody, as many people as possible, realizing their human potential,” Mr. Limbaugh noted.
He also had a clarification.
“I never said back down, and I never said not to get in their face. I simply said do not use a term to describe yourself that makes it impossible to have any kind of solution with these people. That’s all. I’m not saying don’t be a conservative,” he told an irate caller.
REAGAN NATIONAL DEFENSE FORUM ON RADAR
The annual Reagan National Defense Forum fires up on Friday, staged at the magnificent Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The two-day, bipartisan event touts the theme “Peace through strength in an era of competition” — and a guest list that includes Secretary of Defense James Mattis plus top military brass both active and retired, administration officials, lawmakers, defense industry leaders, intelligence folk, analysts and friendly media.
Onstage moderators and panelists include Fox News stalwarts Bret Baier, Bill Hemmer, Pete Hegseth and Jennifer Griffin plus CNN’s Barbara Starr. The many forums cover such ideas as “How are the American people looking at our military and the Pentagon after the midterms?”, “Winning in the gray zone: Countering Russia and China below the level of armed conflict” and “Iran, Syria, and ISIS: Does the military have the right footprint in the Middle East?”
Some 650 attendees will be along for the big doings, which will be live-streamed on YouTube via the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation channel. Find the overview of the event at RNDF.org.
THE OBAMA TOUCH
The Atlantic has published a new in-depth analysis titled “The beginning of the end of the Korean War,” certainly an event that millions of people have waited for.
“How long before Obama jumps up to take credit?” asks “Instapundit” founder Glenn Reynolds, referring to former President Barack Obama‘s recent claim that his policy was behind the American oil and gas boom — famously declaring “That was me, people.”
YES, BE A WHITE HOUSE INTERN
The White House is now accepting application for its Summer 2019 Internship Program, which begins in late May and ends in early August. Online applications are available until Jan. 11. Applicants must be over 18, U.S. citizens and enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at a college, community college or university, or have obtained a degree within the last two years. Military vets who have served on active duty and have a high school diploma or its equivalent are also eligible.
“Applicants are selected based on their demonstrated commitment to public service, leadership in the community, and commitment to the Trump Administration,” the White House says. Find the details here.
WEEKEND REAL ESTATE
For sale: The Henry Horton House, built in 1912 in Miles City, Montana. Six bedrooms, seven baths, formal dining and siting rooms, library; 5,016 square feet. Original oak floors, majestic paneling, molding; grand staircase, beveled glass windows, forged steel chandeliers, tiled fireplace. “Meticulously restored,” completely updated chef’s kitchen and baths, screened sitting porch, lilac and elm trees. Priced at $650,000 through DaveSmithRealty.com; find this historic home here.
POLL DU JOUR
• 72 percent of Americans say protecting the U.S. from terrorism should be a top policy priority; 84 percent of Republicans and 61 percent of Democrats agree,
• 71 percent say protecting jobs of American workers should be a top priority; 81 percent of Republicans and 65 percent of Democrats agree.
• 49 percent say maintaining U.S. military advantage over other countries should be a top priority; 70 percent of Republicans and 34 percent of Democrats agree.
• 46 percent say dealing with climate change should be a top priority; 22 percent of Republicans and 64 percent of Democrats agree.
• 42 percent say reducing illegal immigration should be a top priority; 68 percent of Republicans and 20 percent of Democrats agree.
Source: A Pew Research Center poll of 10,640 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 7-16 and released Thursday.
• Kindly follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin
