By REP. JUBILEE UNDERWOOD
The conservative movement prides itself on being the standard-bearer of life, liberty, and traditional values. We rally under the banner of “pro-life,” championing the sanctity of the unborn and the preservation of moral foundations.
Yet, when it comes to our political battles, we often turn our fiercest weapons not on our ideological opponents but on each other. The left may throw punches, but it’s conservatives who deliver the knockout blows; to ourselves.
The infighting within the conservative ranks is more than just a distraction; it’s a self-inflicted wound that cripples our ability to advance our principles. While the left maintains a disciplined front, coalescing around shared goals despite internal disagreements, conservatives splinter into factions; each claiming to be the “true” champion of the movement. From primary purges to social media slandering, we’ve become experts at devouring our own.
I will admit, it’s quite disheartening watching the onslaught of accusations from fellow Republicans shouting out “RINOS” any time a vote isn’t taken in a lockstep binding caucus fashion (because a binding caucus isn’t an ideal Republicans hold to). There is an old Ronald Reagan quote that “The person who agrees with you 80% of the time is a friend and an ally, not a 20% traitor.” Do we believe that?
Contrast this with the left’s approach. Progressives, even with their own flaws, know how to close ranks. When one of their own strays; like a senator or representative voting against a party-line bill; they don’t unleash a public execution. Instead, they negotiate, regroup, and redirect their energy toward their common political enemy; us. Their ability to maintain unity, even when fractured, gives them a strategic edge we squander through our relentless infighting over ideological purity.
Oh the irony. We call ourselves pro-life, yet we’re quick to politically abort anyone who doesn’t perfectly align with our ever-shifting litmus tests. This isn’t principle; it’s cannibalism. Every time we ostracize a conservative for a single disagreement, we shrink our coalition and hand the left a gift-wrapped victory.
The pro-life conviction should transcend legislation, promoting unity and collaboration with partners instead of constant discord.
If we want to win, we need to stop eating our own. That means embracing spirited debate without resorting to excommunication; recognizing that a conservative who disagrees on tactics or tone isn’t a traitor but a potential ally; directing our criticism toward the left’s policies we deeply oppose, rather than fixating on our own small differences; and sometimes picking up the phone and calling to ask questions instead of reading clickbait and becoming a Facebook ninja warrior.
The left doesn’t beat us because they’re stronger; they beat us because we’re too busy beating ourselves. If we truly believe in the principles we so proudly stand upon, we’ll stop the fratricide and start fighting as one. Only then can we live up to the pro-life label we claim; and turn our values into victories.
Before my dad passed, his last corporate message he gave to a group of leaders was charging them to lay down differences and unify for the sake of one cause (which was to be a light in this dark world and to leave people better than they were when you met them).
It is a message I will continue to build my own life upon and I charge others to do the same; especially in the realm of politics.
Jubilee Underwood is a representative for House District 27, Wasilla.
The “conservative movement”, that is, the Republican Party has not always been like you describe. But, they have been since around the 1980s or so. Ever since the bible-thumpers took over and trained conservatives to be that way.
Also, you say about the liberals, that is, leftists or democrats, “When one of their own strays; like a senator or representative voting against a party-line bill; they don’t unleash a public execution.” This is not generally true. They go after anyone who doesn’t follow the communist party line.
Thank you for writing this!
Says the politician who criticized the incumbent Republican legislator because he was too conservative and then took him out at the election so Wasilla could be represented by a squish. But now, oh no, don’t criticize her! It’s election season again, folks. Rules for thee but not for me.
You forget that the “unity” of the left is often achieved by coercion, threats, etc. If a person on the left does not toe the line they get ostracized, ignored and marginalized by their peers. I have seen it happen at the assembly and other places. While I understand where you are coming from I don’t want a forced unity like I see on the left.
The other comment I have is that there is a fine line between tearing somebody apart and holding them accountable. And all elected officials are accountable to the people who elected them and whom they work for. So I will continue to hold my elected officials accountable with bluntness and respect, but without smear campaigns and threats and name calling. I will criticize but I will also praise.
Please learn the difference between a colon and a semicolon.
The “conservative movement” doesn’t exist in any coherent form—mostly because most people who imagine they are conservatives are illiterate. Their utter inability to deal with the “pro-life” issue in a meaning way is a great example.
Their consistent inability to recognize Reagan as perhaps the greatest enemy of conservatism and the Republican Party—less because of the things he said, which were occasionally good, but because of the things he actually did, which were mostly evil—may be the litmus test of competency in this arena.
In short, people who fail to recognize how bad Reagan was do not deserve a seat at the adult table in these conversations.
The same goes for people who use semicolons where em-dashes should be used.
Read a book or ten. Then, perhaps, you may be capable of sharing an opinion that doesn’t appear vapid in every paragraph.
Gross… what a manipulative and passive-aggressive attack on people of faith and conservatism. Time will continue to show these establishment republicans are never what the people think they are voting for… better luck next time, District 27.
RINO Whines after returning back to her district, film at 11.
I agree with to a point, the state legislators that joined the democrats to create a majority are not rino’s, they have thrown the conservative principles out the door. They’re actually democrats that ran as Republicans. This is happening in many states. The problem is the republican party leadership allowed this to happen.