On A Blacklist for Trump Supporters

The idea of a blacklist for Trump supporters within the Republican Party and conservative movement gained some traction around the time of the Wisconsin primary, when it seemed as though Trump could still be defeated. Now, however, it may seem like a moot point, and with the RNC seeming like the Ministry of Magic with Voldemort at the helm the logical thought would be that those in the #NeverTrump movement are the ones who now have to worry about being blacklisted. But when the party and the conservative movement is finally freed of Trumpism—a day that, I believe, will eventually come—we will need to remember who stayed true to principle, and who abandoned that principle for the sake of power, or for an empty cult of personality.

We will need to remember who grudgingly accepted Trump only after he had clinched the nomination, and only then merely because of party loyalty—and differentiate those reluctant supporters from the ones who, by their fierce support early on in the primary, played a major role in forcing the Golden Calf with Orange Hair onto the rest of the party. The former should be borne no ill will, but the latter—including politicians, columnists, and organizations—should never again be given a prominent place within the conservative movement.

We will need a way to remember who was truly responsible for the rise of Donald Trump, so that in future years, when those who campaigned for Trump in the primary are thought of in the same way as a Republican who campaigned for Barack Obama, we can know who we can never again trust.