Donald Trump has now made clear that the thrust of his campaign will not be conservatism. It will instead be populism and nationalism.
For those looking for a governing philosophy of The Donald, his checkered political history has provided little guidance. Hes seemingly endorsed single-payer healthcare; hes said he rejects Obamacare. Hes blasted money in politics; hes talked about the necessity for government use of eminent domain to help private parties. Hes ripped overregulation of capitalistic enterprises; hes talked about tariffs on foreign goods. Trump isnt conservative, and he never was.
Senator Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Trumps chief challenger in the next primary state of South Carolina, is utilizing that lack of coherent conservatism as a club against Trump. His latest ad blitz features a small boy holding a Trump action figure, shouting, Look, I got the Trump action figure! He pretends to be a Republican! He then uses the action figure to brag about giving money to Democrats and engaging in eminent domain.
Trump wont be able to trump Cruz on conservatism. So now hes making clear that he isnt running a conservative campaign hes running a nationalist and populist campaign. His enemies include both Republicans and conservatives:
According to Trump, then, conservatives helped bamboozle the Republican base, along with the Republican establishment. So the establishment sucks and so do conservatives.
Trumps move here is calculated. Hes going to campaign as a post-ideological candidate. All he wants, as he said in his next tweet, is to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. If that means bigger government, that means bigger government. If that means more interventionism in the economy, that means more interventionism in the economy. Trump believes he can restore American greatness in his personage he can make terrific deals, he can win on behalf of America.
Many of his followers believe that, too.
Trump stands up for America; Trump Hulk Smashes for you. He cares about America, and thats enough he wants to restore American greatness, and thats enough. How will he do it? He just will. And he wont be held back by any conservative vision of a small government nation founded on individual liberty. Sometimes hell do conservative things. Sometimes he wont. But hell act with common sense and do what needs to be done.
None of this should be comforting for conservatives, but Trump doesnt mean for it to be. Hes hoping that there are enough aphilosophic Americans to push him forward to victory.
He may be right.
Even if he is, thats no victory for conservative principles. As Trump says, thats not a priority.