63 Comments

Eight years ago, a very sensible and prescient conservative friend of mine said Trump would destroy the conservative movement. I laughed at him then, but I'm not laughing now. Trump needs to make a good VP choice, like he was forced to with Pence in 2016. Either Haley or DeSantis, for example, would be fine. But an unfettered Trump will probably go with a crackpot like Vivek or a hottie like Noem or Gabbard. Trump has no wisdom or discernment. I truly fear the Republicans will go down in flames this November...

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Nailed it Mr Erickson!!

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Both parties need to hose out their wackos. They're all stinking up the joint.

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Said, but necessary to point out.

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JaPro didn't just originate the Taylor Swift nonsense, he was the primary behind Pizzagate. Someone DIED because of him, but his clicks went up.

Maybe now Fox News will finally ignore this stupid event. The last time it was relevant, the date definitely start with a 22, maybe not even with a 21. It's just a place for young activists to get laid who can't get any action out in the real world.

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All the more reason for Erick to keep having 'The Gathering'

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Fact is she took money and is a pro-war Rino. Taking money from Reid Hoffman and Dems tells us all we need to know. She’s worn out her welcome and will never be President or VP. Never.

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Just yesterday I got a text that said if we can just get 50,000 signatures on a petition we can get Trump back on the ballot. And the best part? That there are people who are that dumb.

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Just send money so he can pay the lawyers! (if he does actually pay them...)

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I got that text despite’s being “barred from Maga” for giving to Nikki.

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We let corruption run our government with liars cheats thief’s for so long that a lot of institutions and organizations assume this is the norm so they help themselves to the cash on hand the msm has helped cover for all of this hopefully the new media will have the guts to point this out and avoid the grift but I don’t hold breath on that

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Meanwhile, democrats are arresting and firing anyone who they perceive poses a threat to them, and confiscating any property or documents that might shed light on their nefarious acts. But republicans are going to sit around hollering about who is and is not a "genuine" conservative. I, at least, won't be shocked or disappointed at the results in November.

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Perhaps "The Gathering" is poised to emerge as the sane alternative to CPAC, et al?

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I looked at the list of speakers yesterday and the only ones I really recognized were Mark Levin and Michael Knowles. CPAC used to be something that I would watch a number of speakers on the live stream over the course of the weekend.

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Did Mark Levin get called a “warmonger” or some other slur?

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Never doubt a political party's ability to go nuts. The Democrats have gone hard socialist left. The Republicans have gone hard grifter right. People are leaving the parties and becoming independent. What's left in the parties is slowly becoming extreme and turning off those in the middle. If I vote Republican, it's not because I want to vote the party. It's because the Democrat is too extreme for me as compared to the Republican who might only be a flake. Or I just sit the vote out because I find both candidates nauseating.

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I disagree. Republicans and conservatives have not gone “hard right” that’s a media lie who calls anyone waiving an American flag or owning a gun “hard right”. Or anyone that stands up and says NO to men wanting to play in women’s sports is also labeled hard right.

So there is no venerable evidence of a hard right turn. However there is plenty of that on the left. From the recent transgender shootings to the summer of riots. Or go to any blue city.

Nope. It’s not hard right. It’s just people who disagree with them.

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The wonders about post, we can disagree without getting offended. I believe, my opinion, is that the parties are driving some of their voters away, to become independent, like myself. What remains for the parties is a more conservative group for the Republicans, and more socialist for the Democrats. Just my opinion.

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Joe,

As a Marine that pleads guilty to being a part of the “military machine”😉; As I was deployed early and often in “the Global War on Terror,” I am wary of endless wars. But never forget that our national security is the first priority of the government in securing and protecting our precious country.

If we don’t spend on national security, the China, Iranian, Russian etc threats won’t magically disappear. I hate the 34T debt too but defense isn’t the place to start balancing the budget.

Semper Fi

Ps Mitch McConnell will always have a warm spot in my heart for holding that SCOTUS seat open— brilliant!

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Some seem to think we can be like a bigger version of New Zealand. Like we’re thousands of miles from any threat with Australia to protect us and the United States to back them up.

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Thank you for your service Sir.

Agree about the SCOTUS seat, but that is about it.

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Your globalist biases are showing Erick. As someone at the forefront of the Tea Party movement this is sort of surprising. I remember CPAC as a staid boring conference run by a different older set of “grifters”. From what I understand, CPAC is doing conferences in Japan, the EU, South America, etc. not sure about your accusations regarding their leader, but from my vantage point, they seem to be drawing the folks driving national populisms forward and exposing the underbelly of corruption.

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National populism is not conservatism is the point.

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But it’s also not “zombie” conservatism. Frankly, the “conservative” movement in the U.S. as defined by many has failed. They have been complicit in helping to deliver $34 Trillion in debt and endless wars thanks to being on the “payroll” of the military machine (see Nikki Haley as case in point). Their day has come and gone. Now it’s time for them to get out of the way so we can fix what they’ve helped destroy. Any “conservative” that supports Mitch McConnell is not worthy of a position representing the American people.

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If the guy who promoted Pizzagate is on the stage, Zombie would be an improvement.

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Feb 23·edited Feb 23

I kind of scratched my head when I read "Zombie Conservatism". I know Erick's right about many grifters, but are they all? I have to trust him to do due diligence. Kathy's comment asked about the nefarious actions of the democrats. I've come to think that nefarious is a kind word in describing their actions. Joe, have you heard Tucker's interview with the guy about the military/state/ngo , 'Blob', I think he said, attempts to quash unapproved free speech? I've asked Erick the last two days to comment. Will you, if you have heard the interview?

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I did watch the interview with Mike Benz. He basically confirmed what folks like Matt Taibbi have been reporting for months. Our government has taken tools we’ve used to subvert sitting governments around the world and are using them against us. Don’t think there is much question about that as evidenced by just what was discovered in the Twitter files. Not sure why Erick isn’t commenting.

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Others do comment and I can read about it from them, but I’ve wondered for a long time while Erick leaves this alone.

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Not sure why that is. Erick leaving it alone.

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As far as your case in point, Nikki Haley resigned from Boeing in 2020 after less than a year because she disagreed with their accepting a federal bailout. In her resignation letter she said: “I cannot support a move to lean on the federal government for a stimulus or bailout that prioritizes our company over others and relies on taxpayers to guarantee our financial position.” Ironically President Trump supported the $60 billion dollar bailout.

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True conservatives that believe in the Constitution do not have a home in the Republican or Demacrat parties. I know Erick has thrown ice water on the idea of a thrid party, but it would be nice to have that choice. Personally, I am sick and tired of being offered two dung piles and being told to stand in one because the other one stinks.

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CPAC is a microcosm of what is happening to the GOP, and the GOP a microcosm of the general population: They have lost their values and stand for nothing but the outrage du jour. It has left the ship without a rudder. For this reason, I take a dim view of this election cycle regardless of who wins.

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