My latest column for The Week deals with how modern conservatism has become defined by Barack Obama.
Rather than proactively crafting a coherent philosophy that might appeal to 21st century Americans, conservatives reflexively become the “not Obama” party.
Here’s what I mean:
“If Obama wants collectivism, then the opposite of that isn’t responsible and voluntary communitarianism, but radical individualism. If Obama wants to redistribute wealth via government, then the opposite of that isn’t to encourage private charity, but to flaunt the virtues of selfishness.”
This Obama backlash is understandable, and in many ways, predictable. But it’s also negative and unattractive.
Certainly, as we head into 2016, we should not be haunted by the ghost of Obama.