White Nationalist Republicans and Libertarianism

There is a must-read editorial over at Forbes by Avik S.A. Roy, called, "With Trump As Its Nominee, The GOP Is No Longer A Conservative Party. In summary:

One of the mistakes [Donald] Trump’s detractors make is to describe his worldview as haphazard and spontaneous–a collection of “irritable mental gestures,” in Lionel Trilling’s famous formulation. Trump’s political philosophy, in fact, is surprisingly coherent, with a heritage that goes back more than a century. 

That philosophy is nationalism: an approach to politics that places nativist solidarity above all other priorities. It involves nativist economics (opposing foreign trade), nativist culture (opposing immigration, whether legal or illegal) and nativist foreign policy (“America first” isolationism).

The article goes on to make the case this is a white nationalism (read the whole article). It finishes with this:

The conservative movement has not come to grips with this problem. Most conservatives have failed to appreciate the GOP’s lurch toward white nationalism, because most conservative elites are white, have mostly white friends, and have no real understanding of why their party hasn’t successfully appealed to non-whites. 

Younger conservatives—the Gen Xers and Millennials who flocked to Marco Rubio—are much better on this stuff, because they grew up in a more diverse environment. It will be up to them to articulate a conservatism that can appeal to Americans of all races and creeds. 

It won’t happen this year. But if American conservatism is to survive the 21st century, it’ll have to happen soon.

The Republicans are floundering. Trump is the political equivalent of a Hail Mary pass, and an ugly one at that. The clock is quickly running out on Republicans, or so they think. In truth, a thoughtful, measured approach is needed, instead of the knee-jerk Trumpist white nationalism. But what?

Libertarianism is the logical opposition to the progressive/socialist Democrats. Libertarianism combines fiscal conservatism with truly "Founding Father"-liberal social policy (as opposed to the nanny state leanings of the Democrats) to form a true and rationally sound opposition to the Democratic Party.

Ron and Rand Paul had the right idea when they tried to introduce libertarianism into the Republican Party, but they were not the right messengers, just as Barry Goldwater wasn't the right messenger for American conservatism back in 1964. It took Ronald Reagan to deliver that message.

For libertarianism to thrive, it will take the right messenger, someone who believes the message and can deliver it with both charisma and conviction.

In this election, the Republicans have made their choice. It is time for the Libertarian Party to step up and claim the "conservative" mantle, as the only truly conservative choice.