Conservatism and Republicanism, though clearly linked, are two distinct concepts. At times this truth seems obvious, but at other times the distinction is less clear. We have recently entered one of those phases where the lines have blurred.
Ever since the results of this year’s election rolled in, there’s been a raging debate over why Republicans lost and what they need to do to prevail in future contests. At times, this debate has descended into an opportunity for various factions within the party to advance their particular point of view — that social issues need to sidelined, for instance, or that Republicans need to abandon their obsession with cutting taxes. At other times, it has been a productive exercise in exploring how the Republican Party can modernize.
