politics

Conservativism is, and always has been, exactly the same. There are no objectively conservative values. Conservativism is defined by first defining the Self, and then drawing a circle around the Self to identify the policies and positions most important to the self. These policies and positions are negotiable at any time, and anything done or said by a conservative that benefits the Self is good. Anything said or done by the Other in opposition to the Self is bad. This includes taking any policy position that doesn't necessarily help the Self directly, but does not hurt the Self and drives voters or donors to support the Self.

There has never been a Conservative for whom these guidelines did not apply. Not one. They dress their views in stoicism or austerity or nationalism or xenophobia or bigotry, but they are always at their core a form of malignant narcissism. That's why Conservatives get abortions, raise taxes, support immigration, support government handouts, increase government spending, promote federal power, or find themselves on the progressive side of any particular issue when it is good for them.

It's how they can lie or cheat or steal or kill, and claim to occupy the moral high ground. They commit these sins in the name of the Self, and the Self is good, so their actions are good. When the Other does those same things tomorrow, they are evil because the Other is evil because they are not the Self.

That's it. There's no additional logic, no metrics or thresholds or tolerance or foundational beliefs. Just Me.

It has always been thus.

Me too, and her endorsement. Maybe some more conservatives follow her lead and recognize that Harris winning is in their own best interest. That's good for everyone.

Cheney supported Trump in 93% of her votes, including voting against his first impeachment. She doesn't have principles, she has ambitions.

The Conservative oligarchs support Trump because he's captured the definition of Conservative identity and laid bare the grift. He is the most pure narcissist to have ever ascended to the top of their party, and to deny him now is to risk drawing his ire. Those who oppose Trump are cast out, and become the Other. They are no longer protected by the machine, and must either retreat from politics and the public eye, or languish in the cold long enough to start making amends through groveling and humiliation.