DeSantis's version of "conservatism" is "authoritarian infliction of whatever damnfool ideas strike us as most pleasing to our political base at any given moment, for the purpose of keeping the power and paychecks flowing to lifelong political careerists like me."
If you're thinking to yourself that that sounds a lot like American politics as usual, you're right.
But normally we think of that approach as partisan (Republican/Democrat) rather than ideological (conservative/liberal).
The ideologies get used as excuses for the partisanship: They're the supposed "better angels of the parties' nature," which we're expected to believe sit on the politicians' shoulders and whisper in their ears, whether the politicians really listen or not.
DeSantis has made it clear beyond dispute that the only angel he listens to is the angel who keeps track of polling numbers.
Do most of the voters he's trying to bag think COVID-19 is scary and draconian measures are required? Fine, he'll issue a statewide lockdown order and stick State Troopers at the state lines and airports to force travelers into quarantine.
Uh-oh, have his voters changed their minds, and are they upset that businesses and employees have freedom of association? Fine, he'll not only lift the lockdowns but try to make those mean old businesses and employees do whatever he thinks his voters want.
Does he think he can scare the bejeezus out of his voters with Drag Queen Story Hour or trans kids playing sports? Under the bus, LGBTQIA types -- you probably vote Democrat anyway.
What Dreher is suggesting here is that the "future of conservatism" involves discarding any pretense to morals, values, or principles at all and just openly and unapologetically going full Tammany Hall.
Which I guess is kind of refreshingly honest.
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