The Conservative Conundrum
Contributed by Jubilee Underwood
A Freshman’s first take on her first session….
The conservative movement prides itself on being the standard-bearer of life, liberty, and traditional values. We rally under the banner of “pro-life,” championing the sanctity of the unborn and the preservation of moral foundations. Yet, when it comes to our political battles, we often turn our fiercest weapons not on our ideological opponents but on each other. The left may throw punches, but it’s conservatives who deliver the knockout blows; to ourselves.
The infighting within the conservative ranks is more than just a distraction; it’s a self-inflicted wound that cripples our ability to advance our principles. While the left maintains a disciplined front, coalescing around shared goals despite internal disagreements, conservatives splinter into factions; each claiming to be the “true” champion of the movement. From primary purges to social media slandering, we’ve become experts at devouring our own.
I will admit, it’s quite disheartening watching the onslaught of accusations from fellow Republicans shouting out “RINOS” any time a vote isn’t taken in a lockstep binding caucus fashion (because a binding caucus isn’t an ideal Republicans hold to). There is an old Ronald Reagan quote that “The person who agrees with you 80% of the time is a friend and an ally, not a 20% traitor.” Do we believe that?
Contrast this with the left’s approach. Progressives, even with their own flaws, know how to close ranks. When one of their own strays; like a senator or representative voting against a party-line bill; they don’t unleash a public execution. Instead, they negotiate, regroup, and redirect their energy toward their common political enemy; us. Their ability to maintain unity, even when fractured, gives them a strategic edge we squander through our relentless infighting over ideological purity.
Oh, the irony. We call ourselves pro-life, yet we’re quick to politically abort anyone who doesn’t perfectly align with our ever-shifting litmus tests. This isn’t principle; it’s cannibalism. Every time we ostracize a conservative for a single disagreement, we shrink our coalition and hand the left a gift-wrapped victory. The pro-life conviction should transcend legislation, promoting unity and collaboration with partners instead of constant discord.
If we want to win, we need to stop eating our own. That means embracing spirited debate without resorting to excommunication; recognizing that a conservative who disagrees on tactics or tone isn’t a traitor but a potential ally; directing our criticism toward the left’s policies we deeply oppose, rather than fixating on our own small differences; and sometimes picking up the phone and calling to ask questions instead of reading clickbait and becoming a Facebook ninja warrior.
The left doesn’t beat us because they’re stronger; they beat us because we’re too busy beating ourselves. If we truly believe in the principles we so proudly stand upon, we’ll stop the fratricide and start fighting as one. Only then can we live up to the pro-life label we claim; and turn our values into victories. Before my dad passed, his last corporate message he gave to a group of leaders was charging them to lay down differences and unify for the sake of one cause (which was to be a light in this dark world and to leave people better than they were when you met them). It is a message I will continue to build my own life upon, and I charge others to do the same, especially in the realm of politics.