Now that the True Cons era is over, we can look back on the Reagan era and conservative movement and see what was wrong with it. These people ruled the roost for half a century. The Free Marketeers were the governing wing of the Republican Party until Trump came along and brought in all these new populist voters who upset the demographic balance of power within the Republican Party.
Even when Trump was elected president, it didn’t magically change things overnight. These people staffed his administration. These people ran all the big conservative institutions. These people were dramatically overrepresented in Congress and the federal courts. They were the donor class. Donald Trump also spent four years deferring to Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell who used him to rubber stamp their own agenda. In the end though, True Cons voters voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 election because they wanted to get rid of Trump and go back to the way things were before 2016.
Who are these people?
Why did they conserve nothing of value for half a century? When you get to know them and grasp what they believe (it is diametrically opposite of what we believe on social issues and economics), you can better understand why things got so bad and why marginalizing them is the solution.
“Free Marketeers (25 percent) They are small government fiscal conservatives, free traders, with moderate to liberal positions on immigration and race. Their vote was a vote primarily against Clinton and not a vote for Trump.
Although they are a loyal Republican voting group, Free Marketeers are the most skeptical of Trump. A minority voted for him in the early primaries, while Ted Cruz was their other favorite. For the general election, most say their aversion to Clinton, not support of Trump, was their true motivator.
More likely to come from the West, Free Marketeers skew male, are middle aged, and are the most educated and highly paid of the Trump groups (and non-Trump voters).
They are the most likely to be working full time, own their own homes, and have private health insurance. They are more cosmopolitan, the most likely group to know LGBT people, and they are least likely to watch TV or to smoke. Along with Staunch Conservatives, they are one of the most politically engaged and informed voter groups.
They align with Staunch Conservatives’ steadfast fiscal conservativism — except that they are even more supportive of free trade. Nearly 100 percent of them believe that the free market better solves complex economic problems than strong government. They are, however, more liberal than Anti-Elites when it comes to matters of immigration and identity. Immigration is not their priority, they have warm feelings toward immigrants, and they only tepidly support a temporary Muslim travel ban. Their own racial identity is not salient to them, and they are similar to Democrats in their warm feelings toward members of minority groups. They also reject nativist conceptions of American identity.”
The True Cons are our opposites.
They are libertarians on social issues and economics. They have modernist, antiracist and cosmopolitan values. We have traditional values and populist views on economics. These people dominated the Republican Party for half a century and used their power to implement neoliberalism. It is not exactly true that they conserved nothing. They conserved the things that are most important to them like open borders, political correctness, cultural degeneration, tax cuts and deregulation for Wall Street.
Who has been in power all this time?
“The Free Marketeers (25 percent)
The Free Marketeers are small government fiscal conservatives and free traders who take moderate to liberal positions on immigration and race, and were the most hesitant Trump voting group.
What is most peculiar about this group is that many of their policy preferences are highly at odds with both Trump campaign rhetoric and the policy priorities of key Trump constituencies. Furthermore, they were the least likely group to have very favorable feelings toward Trump (26 percent) and least likely to have voted for Trump in the early primaries (34 percent). Instead, two-thirds cast their ballots for another Republican candidate, with a plurality going to Republican Senator Ted Cruz.
Part of their vote may be explained by their near universal dislike of Clinton with an astonishing 99 percent who felt unfavorably toward her. Indeed, a slim majority say their November vote was against Clinton rather than for Trump. Furthermore, like the Staunch Conservatives, Free Marketeers are loyal Republicans with 56 percent saying they almost always vote for Republicans in elections, and 94 percent saying they voted for Romney in 2012.
Despite Paul Ryan and Ted Cruz vocally criticizing Trump throughout the campaign, the Free Marketeers maintain the most positive views of both men, 72 percent and 73 percent respectively, about 20 points more favorable than any other cluster. …”
These are the new Biden Democrats:
“These are not the type of voters that a candidate like Bernie Sanders could have won. Only 13 percent report positive views of him. Further they are ardent fiscal conservatives who support free trade. Like the Staunch Conservatives, 8 in 10 Free Marketeers oppose raising taxes on households earning more than $200,000 a year and feel cool toward unions. Further, 9 in 10 think government regulation has become excessive, that free markets best solve economic problems, that government does not need to provide health insurance, and that Congress should repeal the health care law. Free Marketeers are nearly 40 points less likely than the American Preservationists to say that Medicare, Social Security, and paid family and medical leave are very important issues. …”
I can’t wait to see how neoliberal unification with the Red Dogs backing the Democratic establishment works out in practice. Remember, we are the “far right,” not them.
“Sixty-two percent support increasing trade with other nations and only 9 percent are opposed. These numbers remain nearly unchanged from 2012, thus indicating that Trump had less of an impact on their views of trade. They are also the most likely group (63 percent) to believe that free trade agreements help decrease the cost of products — higher than any other Trump group or non-Trump partisan group. …”
The new Democratic coalition of politically correct suburban PMCs is going to work out fine. You will see. Joe is on the verge of FDR-like accomplishments now.
“Like the Staunch Conservatives, Free Marketeers have a strong sense of personal agency, perception of a just world, and they reject the idea that the deck is stacked against them. Three-fourths (74 percent) disagree that our economic system is biased in favor of the wealthy, and 86 percent believe that wealth is distributed fairly in this country. Further, they are the most likely group (of Trump and non-Trump groups alike) to believe they have a say in government (60 percent) and that elections can influence the way government works (see Figure 14). Strong majorities also disagree that women often miss out on good jobs because of discrimination (74 percent) but rather have equal opportunities with men (64 percent). This cannot be explained by this group’s greater male composition: 6 in 10 women in this group share these views.
In contrast to every other Trump voting bloc, the Free Marketeers believe that most people try to be helpful rather than simply look out for themselves (52 percent) and a plurality believe that most people try to be fair (47 percent) rather than take advantage. This higher level of trust exceeds even non-Trump voters by nearly 15 points.
Free Marketeers tend to align with the Anti-Elites in taking a more moderate approach toward immigration. In some cases, they take a more liberal stance than partisan groups who did not vote for Trump, but take a firmer stance on illegal immigration. Free Marketeers are about half as likely as American Preservationists and Staunch Conservatives to say that immigration is a “very important” issue (46 percent). Similarly, they are 20 to 30 points less likely to oppose a citizenship path for unauthorized immigrants. Even still, they remain about 10 to 20 points more opposed than non-Trump voters.
Free Marketeers take a more liberal stance, however, when it comes to legal immigration. They are the least likely group to say we should make it harder to legally immigrate to the United States (40 percent) — about half the share of American Preservationists — and the most likely group to say we should make it easier (30 percent) similar to non-Trump Democrats. They also are the only group in which a majority have warm feelings toward immigrants (55 percent), similar to non-Trump voters.
Free Marketeers align more closely with other Trump clusters on the temporary ban on Muslim immigration to the United States with 63 percent who support it. This share is near double that of Republicans who did not vote for Trump. Nevertheless, Free Marketeers support the temporary ban with far less zeal than other Trump clusters. Only 14 percent say they “strongly support” the policy compared to 85 percent of American Preservationists and 82 percent of Staunch Conservatives. They are also about four times as likely to report warm feelings toward Muslims compared to Staunch Conservatives and American Preservationists, but still only 36 percent do so.
Like Anti-Elites, the Free Marketeers are as warm or warmer than non-Trump voters in their feelings toward Latinos (76 percent), Asians (78 percent), and African-Americans (74 percent). Less than 5 percent report having cool feelings toward any of these groups. They are as likely as non-Trump Democrats and about 10 to 20 points more likely than other Trump clusters to agree that opportunities for African-Americans has significantly improved the quality of life in the country (64 percent).”
The new Biden Red Dog Democrats are individualists.
They are libertarians in the sense that their view is that they don’t owe anything to anyone else. They don’t feel a sense of solidarity with their race or ethnic group, but they don’t feel a sense of solidarity with anyone. Their politics is essentially free trade, tax cuts for wealthy people and virtue signaling about how much better they are than everyone else. Don’t Tread On My Illegal Alien Cheap Labor.
“Two-thirds of Free Marketeers say race does not shape how they think about themselves. They are the least likely of Trump and non-Trump groups alike to say that their race is important to their identities (17 percent). This is 50 points lower than the 67 percent of American Preservationists who said it was important to them. Further, Free Marketeers are the least likely (11 percent) to believe that what happens to members of their racial group impacts their own lives a lot. …”
Once again, it is very important to them that they DO NOT care about their race. What they care about is their money as Democrats will soon find out about their new allies.
“Free Marketeers reject ethnocultural and nativist conceptions of American identity, and do so at higher rates than even non-Trump voters. Only 2 percent think that being of European descent is important for being American, compared to 47 percent of the American Preservationists. Two- thirds also say it is not important to have been born in America, to have lived here most of one’s life, or to be Christian to be truly American. Instead, 88 percent say accepting diversity is essential to being an American, similar to the Anti-Elites and non-Trump voters.
They are the most likely group to describe themselves as “traditional” (60 percent). A majority (58 percent) call themselves “pro-life” and 50 percent oppose same-sex marriage. Further, more than two-thirds (66 percent) believe that religious liberty is a very important issue. At the same time, they are the least likely group (46 percent) to say that the death penalty is not imposed enough — nearly 30 points lower than Staunch Conservatives and American Preservationists. They are also the most likely group to disagree that women should return to traditional gender roles (85 percent), and the most likely group to know someone who is gay (88 percent).
Free Marketeers are the least likely to watch TV of the Trump voter groups — they are about half as likely as American Preservationists to watch more than four hours a day. When they do watch TV, they are most likely watching Fox News. Like the Staunch Conservatives, the Free Marketeers also have a high level of interest in politics, with 75 percent saying they follow it “most of the time,” and they have the highest level of political knowledge.
This group is disproportionately male (63 percent) like the Staunch Conservatives and is slightly younger. Free Marketeers have the most education, with 39 percent being college graduates, more than double the rate of American Preservationists and Staunch Conservatives. They are one of the most likely groups to be employed full time (52 percent). They earn higher incomes with a quarter making over $100,000 a year — compared to 9 percent of Anti-Elites and 5 percent of American Preservationists. They are one of the least likely groups to have government-provided health insurance, with only 6 percent reporting it among those under age 65.”
They are Christians in the sense David French is Christian.
Look at me … I’m the biggest, best and truest and most politically correct Christian in the room. Just don’t raise my taxes, okay? Jesus Christ was a fiscal conservative who loved wealthy people.
“Religion is an important part of many Free Marketeer’s lives with 65 percent identifying as Christian, and 52 percent saying their faith is very important to them. They are also the most likely Trump group to attend church weekly (40 percent).
Free Marketeers are nearly as Republican as the Staunch Conservatives. While at first 58 percent identified as Republican, after independents were asked if they lean toward one of the parties, a total of 85 percent identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. They are the most likely group to self-identify as libertarian (19 percent) and are the second most likely group to report involvement with the Tea Party movement (35 percent).”
Everything is going to eventually come tumbling down.
The whole structure of taboos that was enforced by PMCs in the Republican Party before they became Red Dog Democrats. The neoliberal economic policy agenda which catered to Free Marketeers for a generation. The gerontocracy in Congress that is no longer standing on solid ground. The whole galaxy of illegitimate Conservatism, Inc. institutions which was ruled by these people. The voters who all of this was built around are no longer the overwhelming majority of Republican voters.
Note: Now that the Red Dogs have left and support Joe Biden, they can be replaced by people who they repulsed with their extreme neoliberalism and warmongering.
“Two-thirds of Free Marketeers say race does not shape how they think about themselves.
Rush Limbaugh: I’m 98% always right.It’s genes primates are 95% and negro 98% it’s the 2 % that makes big difference.
Jewish population in US is approx 2% oddly enough.
Probably much less.
You’re celebrating too soon. Not a single Republican voted in favor of the stimulus bill. They don’t care what the polls say. They answer to their donors, not the voters.
Even Hawley? It would have cost him nothing to abstain. Are they planning on campaigning against the dole out of cash? Wtf…
Or their voters don’t even care as long as the Republicans make some sort of poison pill excuse for it. Which is exactly what “populist” Hawley did
It’s not surprising that this is a small demographic, this definition of “True Con” is very specific.
Many former Cruz supporters aren’t as bad as this definition on identity issues. They may have a sense of White victimhood at this point. But they are nonetheless heavily influenced by decades of exposure to professional conservatism, which existed to launder True Con views and present them in a more palatable form.
They switched from condemning Trump for not being libertarian enough in the primary to… slavishly supporting him and interpreting his rhetoric as compatible with their version of True Conservatism.
This is the Limbaugh type populist. They want to “save America” but they understand saving America in terms that are largely defined by movement conservatism. They are useful to the establishment, they are self confident in their (wrong) views and they aren’t going to evolve spontaneously.
Limbaugh type populism does have a bright future, as strategy for getting donor friendly conservatives elected.
Ronald Reagan was an actor – a bimbo, owned and controlled by the mobster Lew Wasserman and organized crime, who made his career in Hollywood and later in politics. By the end of it he could barely read the jokes off of the cue cards they wrote for him. Michael Moore dug an an old clip of his Treasury Secretary Donald Regan barking out orders to Reagan, telling him to hurry up and read the lines faster.
But the Boomers just ate it up. The reason people complain about the Boomers isn’t because of Woodstock, it is because Boomers literally could never tell the difference between what they saw on the Television screen and real life. So they put this washed up actor Reagan in front of the TV camera, had him read a couple of jokes about the USSR, and the Boomers thought he was a “true leader standing up to Communism.”
But that isn’t even the worst part of it – Ronald Reagan was the first to bust the unions, start offshoring jobs to the third world, and “financializing the economy” – meaning, print money to allow Wall Street to buy up productive businesses on margin and sell off the pieces.
But the Boomers were watching all those 80’s movies about how “greed was good” and they thought they were all going to be millionaire Wall Street stock brokers, driving around in limos, snorting cocaine and banging supermodels.
In reality? They laid them off and stole their pensions. Suckers!
Good job, Boomers. Enjoy watching FOX news before your Latina nurse gives you the “My Pillow” treatment as soon as your social security runs out.
“The reason people complain about the Boomers isn’t because of Woodstock, it is because Boomers literally could never tell the difference between what they saw on the Television screen and real life.”
A person would only think Woodstock was really important if they thought TV conveys political and cultural reality.
HW is celebrating too soon as usual. Trump himself is a neoliberal, which should not be surprising because he’s a literal billionaire.
I’m looking solely at the voters here.
Not at Trump. Not at the donor class. Not at conservative institutions. Not at elected Republicans and the policy agenda. At the ground level, the True Cons demographic is shrinking within the party and resorting over to the Democrats. Many of these people held their nose and voted for Trump in 2016 because they were anti-Hillary. They voted for Joe Biden or didn’t vote in 2020. This is why there was such a huge shift toward Biden in places like Johnson County, KS. Republican establishment voters who live in highly educated, wealthy suburbs voted for Biden.
Why are the anti-elites so low on white ethnocentrism?