General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Someday it will be crystal clear to all just what a terrible president Ronald Reagan was- [View all]Caliman73
(11,738 posts)Being a liberal or progressive is a mindset. There are certain principles, but support for policies and ideas are typically based on evidence and information over time.
It is different for conservatism. That ideology is based on emotion, and identity more than anything.
Not that liberals and progressives are not emotional or have very defined identities which guide some of their decision making, the major difference is that as new information comes out and is supported by evidence, we tend to adapt our views and even identities to the new information. Conservative don't and can't because to them it is about some nostalgic and authority based belief system that cannot be challenged.
The worst that can ever happen to Nixon, Reagan, and Trump is that they will be called, "Not true conservatives" like GW Bush. That is the claim for him. He wasn't really conservative. Conservatism cannot fail, you can only fail conservatism.