Conservatives are the new RINOs

But now, I believe, NeverTrumpers can embrace the name-calling. “Yes, you’re damn right I’m a RINO,” they can say on Twitter. “This party doesn’t represent me anymore. I’m just here because right now, there’s nowhere else to go.” Such disloyalty may make them traitors to their party, but not to their country, or the principles they believe truly make America great.

Conservatives deserve a party that represents them, but that party doesn’t exist right now. So let’s settle into our new role on the margins and accept the title of RINO gladly—not just because it reflects the fact that we are Republican in name only, but because if conservatism is to survive the Trump era, we must create some separation within the party between the populists and the members who are grounded in free market principles and constitutionalism.

Millions of self-identified conservatives have backed Trump from the beginning, so to simply assert “No, I’m the real conservative!” does little to protect the brand. Besides, we have the wonderful new insult of “cuckservative,” for self-described conservatives who actually support candidates who share conservative values. It makes literally no sense, as “cuck” is supposed to mean a coward or sellout, but a conservative NeverTrumper is begging the insult by insisting on conservatism. And if Trump fans continue to describe themselves as conservative, the term is of little use to differentiate among the free marketers and protectionists, the constitutionalists and the soft totalitarians.