Just what is "Conservative" about today's Republicans? What exactly do they "Conserve"?

[Jedi Guy]

13. True conservatism is pretty much dead among the modern GOP.

The "traditional conservatives" (for lack of a better term) have been pushed out of the party as Trump remade it into his own little cult of personality. The only real conservatives you'll find these days are the ones who were the Never Trumpers from the start. The rest have surrendered whatever principles they may once have held to worship at the altar of Trumpism. They're in it for power and money, not out of any sort of ideals.

And it's a real shame, too. Once upon a time (how long ago that is, exactly, is debatable), conservatives did actually care about America and its ideals. They simply disagreed with liberals/progressives on how to go about things. And that's fine. People aren't always going to agree and there are going to be different ideas on what to do, but as long as their motives are decent, that conflict can be overcome in the end. You can compromise with someone whose motives are decent.

Alas, as you point out, the modern GOP is a cult of personality for the True Believers, and a vehicle to power and wealth for those who pay lip service to Trump. Both are destructive as hell, they're just there for different reasons. I hold out some hope that the true conservatives will find their way back from the wilderness to establish a conservative party like the GOP of old and challenge Trumpism.