![]() It’s what healthy politics should look like, not reductionist yes/no, right/wrong, us/them tropes, but something more honest and profound about a topic that really matters. It’s required viewing for my side of the aisle. Which brings me to the third point: Watch Sen. It makes the RNC look like a mob boss, not the upholder of conservatism in the public square. In my college debate class, this RNC loyalty test would be met with a “for shame” table thump. Even within in conservatism, there are a lot of differing paths that can be taken, not to get in line before you even get out of the gate. Campaigns are a time to put forward new ideas, showcase an array of perspectives on the way forward. ![]() If we’re doing the loyalty pledge thing, I’d rather it be to the Constitution, or conservative principles, or democracy. Maybe it’s just me, but this makes the whole thing feel small. When the RNC was asked by former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson if candidates still need to support him ifthe eventual nominee is a felon - ah-hem, Donald Trump - the answer was yes. In the newly announced RNC rules governing GOP debates this summer, a candidate must pledge to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee to get on the stage. Policy has taken a backseat to a cult of personality. In the “old days,” (as in the 20 cycles when I helped run policy for two presidential campaigns), we’d fly policy experts in from around the country to brief the candidate in meetings that lasted a full day, often more, pulling insights from a broad group to build a platform. ![]() And policy in general has seemed to increasingly take a backseat in campaigns. Do it too early, you give your opponents something to attack. To be sure, there’s always a debate within campaigns about when to introduce policy specifics. ![]()
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