“The true bulwark of our freedom and national independence is to be found in the souls of our people. Our greatest defense lies in their love of liberty and strength of character.” – Ronald Reagan
These words spoken by the man once considered the “best president in modern times” serve as the introduction to TheBulwark.com, a new online source of conservative news and opinion.
Launched by Bill Kristol and Charlie Sykes, TheBulwark.com is the new home for many of the writers who lost their jobs when the Weekly Standard was “murdered” by Philip Anschutz due to the publication’s criticism of Donald Trump.
In the Age of Trump, where the conservative agenda is so badly damaged that even so-called conservatives who sacrificed their principles on the altar of Trumpism are now speaking out against their orange god, TheBulwark.com is dedicated to seeing “conservatism conserved.”
In a note to readers from editor-in-chief Charlie Sykes, we get a glimpse into the motivations behind this new online publication:
“George Orwell once observed that “To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.” And what is in front of our nose at the moment is that the president of the United States is a serial liar, a narcissist and a bully, a con man who mocks the disabled and women, a man with no fixed principles who has the vocabulary of an emotionally insecure 9-year-old.
“Lots of Republicans, even the ones who defend him publicly, say these things quietly.
“Our mission will be to say them out loud and encourage others to do so as well. We’re long past the time for anonymous op-eds, or sotto voce complaints. The task now is not to continually degrade and adjust our standards to accommodate Trump, but rather to push back against the moral and intellectual corruption that now poses an existential threat to conservatism as a viable political force.”
As someone who has been critical of Trump and the GOP for abandoning conservatism, I find myself nodding my head in agreement with Mr. Sykes. Indeed, the future of conservatism and America can’t be left to the nationalist-populist ideology being peddled by Trump and his cult as the “new conservatism.”
In the past I’ve written about my decision to walk the lonely conservative road and how I will always choose liberty over tyranny and character over compromise when criticizing Trump and the GOP, even if the odds are overwhelmingly against me. While it remains to be seen, it looks like the folks at TheBulwark.com feel the same.
At least, I hope they do.
You can subscribe to receive TheBulwark.com newsletter or to listen to their podcast.
David Leach is the owner of The Strident Conservative. His politically incorrect and always “right” columns are also featured on NOQReport.com.
His daily radio commentary is distributed by the Salem Radio Network and is heard on stations across America.
Follow the Strident Conservative on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to receive podcasts of radio commentaries: iTunes | Stitcher | Tune In | RSS
