Sounds to me like your brother doesn't really know what a conservative is, or he doesn't understand the disconnect between Trump and conservatism.  Or maybe he's not paying attention?

Last edited by Just Fred (2/06/2019 8:53 am)

tennyson wrote:

GOP and Conservatism is JUST A SLOGAN -- that is ALL. 

And a gross oversimplification.

There are a number of on-line quizzes (in depth, not blogthings) that can plot an x - y axis of positions ranging from libertarian to totalitarian.   One axis is for social issues and the other is for economic issues.

Even that doesn't bring into account what I would label as a z axis, a dimension ranging from theism to extreme humanism/atheism.

And, for the record, if such a plotting could be made I'd basically be a theocratic libertarian...essentially a monarchist.
 

Tarnation wrote:

I'm not at all sure how to do 4-D mapping and modeling, but there is (at least) one more axis to bring to the matrix.

This gets complicated because typically axes are labelled x, y, and z--so for the additional do you go to "aa" or move backward from "x" to "w"?

The aa or w axis is for historical consciousness/appreciation.  I have met some people who have absolutely no appreciation for history, no interest, and even less desire for preservation.   The present moment is all that matters....or, perhaps, the present into the near future.   At the opposite extreme are persons who are so entrenched in the past that there is little appreciation for the present and still less for the future.

This axis is very strong factor of influence on politics.   Just consider the question of the US Constitution:  a static document, subject only to amendment at long intervals or an "organic" document constantly evolving at the hands of the judiciary?   Or something in between?

Don't forget another group, those who have a reverence for a past that might be less than completely historically accurate.

Enjoying a great read just now on that subject that I will share in the book review section when I finish it.