Worse, actually. Because, according to Gerson at least, the movement is based on two flawed ideas. The first, he summed up like so: “Reform conservatism affirms that there is a crisis in modern capitalism.”

Modern capitalism is always the problem, isn’t it? As opposed to capitalism in 1936? Or capitalism in 1979? When, exactly, did America hit that sweet spot when free markets functioned flawlessly to produce guaranteed jobs and equitable results for all? Never, I imagine. The “crisis in capitalism” is as old as Marx; consisting of various myths that excuse reallocation of wealth in ways that please those who happen to be running things at that moment.

It’s not surprising that Republicans are looking for a populist agenda that might appeal to more middle-class voters – although, according to most polls, concern about inequality is vastly overrated as a political issue. What is surprising is Gerson’s progressive framing of the dilemma. Blaming free markets – markets that function in an environment that is already larded with cronyism, regulatory regimes, and distorted incentives – rather than an overbearing state has a distinctly un-conservative feel to it. As practicality goes, it seems like a counterintuitive way to try and win converts in a Republican Party that’s turned increasingly libertarian on economics.