Quote (thundercock @ Mar 4 2021 08:06pm)
What is the difference between a right-winger and a conservative in your eyes? bogie was, at one point, the prototypical conservative IMO.
A conservative has an ideology that they defend. There's ideas and principles behind what they argue. They are willing to criticize politicians from either side who support contrary viewpoints. They aren't members of a political tribe.
Sure, it's natural that they'll give more leeway to one side or the other that agrees with them, but they won't completely ignore a politician who violates some of their principles because of other ideological goals.
That's the basic test. If you're going to defend and not attack a politician who violates many of your core beliefs, but also furthers those core beliefs, and offends the opposition, you're no longer a conservative, you're a member of a political tribe.
I think at the end of the day these people are more comfortable attacking the libs and defending what they think to be their tribe. It's hard to be someone who does not have a political home.