For many conservatives, the time for graceful moralism is over and the fight to preserve American tradition is fully in effect. Those on the political right view those on the political left as forcing their views indiscriminately without regard for the values and belief systems of those who differ. In a floor speech in the House in 1994, then Speaker Newt Gingrich stated citizens want a government that “respects the values and shares the faith of the American family” and that “there is no confidence that government understands the values and realities of people’s lives.”
What was true then is still true today for a vast majority of conservatives. As the perceived changes in country continue to marginalize those who prefer the familiar to the unknown, the tried to the untried, and fact to mystery, the courts have become the final battleground against the pervasive forces on the left. From the perspective of conservatives, the very notion and idea of utopian bliss as advocated by progressives is folly. Their indifference to those on the right is arguably one of their greatest weaknesses, as most people want to preserve some level of culture and tradition.
It is true that conservatives have made gains with this president and the fast pace at which he has appointed more federal circuit court judges than his recent predecessors, thus changing the judicial landscape of the country for the next several decades. But the ultimate failsafe is the transformation of the Supreme Court, which is becoming decidedly right leaning. This is why confirming Brett Kavanaugh is so important.
Kavanaugh is not just a conservative jurist who happened to clerk for former Justice Anthony Kennedy, but he is also a Republican political operative who helped nearly bring down the “Clinton machine” and, for many, those are the type of ideological bona fides that are hard to find. Conservative voters are sticking by Kavanaugh because his confirmation is the realization of something much bigger than midterms. Ultimately, his confirmation means upholding tradition and culture. It would pause the utopian ideas advocated by the left that have been making inroads in our society.
Despite the emotional testimony of Christine Blasey Ford, polling shows the 10 point advantage Democrats once held over Republicans is down to a statistical tie. This means midterms will likely be a lot closer than many predict. For Republican politicians, it is a green light to continue to stand by Kavanaugh not only for ideological purposes, but also because Democrats have set unrealistic expectations about their political odds, so much so that the 12 point advantage they maintained over Republicans to control Congress has slipped down to just 6 points. With less than 40 days until midterms that further highlights that while Democrats may gain control of the House, their margins of victory are not looking as great.
Gaining control of the House will do nothing to stop the continuous blows coming from the right as they cement conservative doctrine through the courts, which wield more power in many ways than any member of Congress. Despite their likely victory, Democrats will maintain no real power other than the ability to obstruct and that enough is not a means to an end because conservatives will continue to see success with the appointments of conservative jurist to the courts, thus furthering their advances to maintain American culture as they see it and the confirmation of Kavanaugh is a necessary checkmate for their cause.
Sure, the election of Donald Trump may be an aberration, but for many conservatives it means the fulfilment of objectives to upend the drastic formation of America. Indifference to the obvious culture battles between the left and right has never been more clear at any point in our modern history than today. This is exactly why conservatives continue to support Judge Kavanaugh and President Trump. That is why Republicans are hard pressed to cement this confirmation to the Supreme Court.
