The issue with pragmatism in politics. (Clinton, Obama, March, politicians)

[branh0913]

The word "pragmatist" have been thrown around a lot in the last week. Most done by Trump supporters when they need to defend the action of their man. The key thing here, is with Trump elected as president, so-called conservatives have to really evaluate whether or not they actually hold conservatism as a value. Trump, under no definition is a conservative. So in that respect you have to ask if anyone who promotes Trumps idea an actual conservative as well? The response is always he's a "pragmatist".

See on the surface pragamatism seems cool. You're not some ideologue, it shows some flexibility in thinking, and it shows a willingness to just "get things done". In my personal life, I'm a pragmastist, and you should be one too. You see if I do something and I fail, I'm usually failing alone. I'm not really dragging anyone down with my inability to succeed.

But you see pragmatism is different when it comes to politics. Because when you are a pragmatist, you are on the hook for a lot of people. This is why principles matter. This is why when I say someone isn't conservative, it isn't to make them feel bad. It is to let them know they need to reevaluate their principals. A pragmatic politician is only pragmatic when it comes to his/her own interest. Clinton was a pragamatist, Obama was a pragamatist. They just weren't pragmatic in ways you agree with.


If anyone is pragmatic they don't respect anything. They can just as soon expand their "pragmatism" to the constitution. I mean it's a pesky document that gets in the way of things, and things need to get done. Oh yeah, just bypass it. That's a pragmatic way of thinking.

This is why we need people who respect and adhere to principals. What we have in America is a succcession of pragmastist. Not sticking to the principals of why America is great. It's easy to pump your fist and wave the American flag and talk about how great we are. It's another thing to know these principals, believe in them, and hold them up in the highest esteem. Even when it's uncomfortable to do so. you know the system is being respected and never being abused.


When you see Trump signing executive orders, threatening to march into Chicago with "feds", trying to tell businesses who to hire, you don't go for that. That is not what conservatism is. And if you're a principled small government conservative, you won't go for it. It's because you know why these principals exist, why they work, and why they shouldn't be taken for granted. But a real conservative would have never voted Trump in office to begin with.

Leaders are principled, politicians are pragmatist.