Donald Trump has become, in the eyes of many, conservatism’s poisoned chalice. And many are concerned that his impending success could poison the political waters of other countries before long.
Trump represents everything conservatism as a movement doesn’t wish to be associated with, including fear, intolerance, maliciousness, arrogance, and spitefulness. He also has virtually nothing to do with ideological conservatism, in either the modern or the traditional sense. In case you were wondering why Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, and William F. Buckley Jr. have been rolling in their graves as of late.
That’s why a significant number of right-leaning Americans (and others, like me) appreciated National Review’s recent “Against Trump” editorial and symposium. It’s hard to know what the overall effect, if any, this effort will have. Regardless, it needed to be said — and I’m glad NR said it.
EDITORIAL: Against Trump
Nevertheless, there’s no denying the fact that Trump has been very successful on the campaign trail. He has mobilized certain groups and demographics to his cause. His populist charm and media persona have worked to his advantage. His largely self-created status as an outsider who is untainted by the political process resonates with some potential voters. He has earned the support of former and current legislators, prominent figures such as Conrad Black, Carl Icahn, Willie Robertson, Jeff Lord, and, most recently, former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Like it or not, Trump is the GOP presidential front-runner. Most polls and studies indicate that he has a significant lead against the other contenders. He could end up becoming the party’s nominee and, Lord help us, the country’s next president. To deny this, as some pundits have desperately tried to do for months, is to deny reality.
Trump is obviously America’s problem. But what if other Trump-like candidates are lurking in the dark political shadows?
Well, guess what? They are. In fact, one has already popped up in Canada.
#share#Kevin O’Leary has recently expressed interest in running for the leadership of the federal Conservative Party of Canada. Although there’s no cause for immediate concern — Rona Ambrose, the interim Conservative leader, will be in charge until May 2017 — the well-known financial commentator, author, and TV personality could end up being a sideshow attraction in the mold of Trump, or worse.
O’Leary said in a recent interview: “I am certainly not Donald Trump in policy — foreign policy or domestic or social. We are different people.” That’s true. He’s a much stronger supporter of capitalism and the free-market economy than is Trump. He has promoted fair trade and heavily criticized the North American Free Trade Agreement. As well, he doesn’t attack individuals and communities for pleasure, as the Donald does.
Trump’s approach is one that other political outsiders will probably use and abuse in future elections.
At the same time, O’Leary and Trump share some notable traits. Their backgrounds in business and the media are surprisingly similar. Both men have never run for political office. They have pompous and somewhat surly personalities that regularly turn off people. The nature of give-and-take in politics is foreign to them. Most important, they both enjoy standing on a soapbox, beating their chests in a macho manner, triumphantly proclaiming their views, and taking a “my way or the highway” approach to political leadership.
Alas, the early reaction to O’Leary appears to be, much like Trump’s, surprisingly positive. A Mainstreet Research poll of 4,937 participants conducted for Postmedia on January 16 asked Conservative supporters whom they would back in the upcoming race for Conservative leadership. O’Leary came in second (23 percent), just behind former federal cabinet minister Peter MacKay (25 percent).
#related#Trump might be an enigma in American politics, but O’Leary has found a way to feed off this populist, anti-authority, devil-may-care vibe in the Great White North. Perhaps it will not translate into the same sort of political success, but it’s an approach that other political outsiders will probably use and abuse in future elections.
How do we bring this dark, venomous period in the conservative movement to an end?
There’s only one way to do it. Rational conservatives must keep pointing out that Trump’s brand will ruin our political brand. He doesn’t stand for us, and we won’t stand with him and the other annoying political clowns . . . er, clones who follow his lead.
— Michael Taube, a Troy Media syndicated columnist and Washington Times contributor, was a speechwriter for former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper.