The editorial page of the Wall Street Journal is the Bible of Republican orthodoxy. Simple put, the WSJ clings to the view that the Reagan/Kemp economic policies that have defined the Republican Party since Reagan should not be changed. In other words, the Party should continue its strategy of cutting taxes for the donor class and claim that it is a pro-growth strategy that will benefit everyone.
Reform conservatives, like David Brooks and the author of this op-ed at the NYT, argue that the time has come to adapt conservative orthodoxy to changing times. They have learned something from the success of Donald Trump with a large segment of the GOP base. Many of them do not support the economic status quo. The authors of the GOP Bible believe otherwise. They can accept a Trump presidency. Trump does not have any fixed ideals and Ryan will be able to win him over to the orthodox view. The writers of the holy scriptures at the WSJ are very critical of reform conservatives who believe that the Party should be more inclusive and adapt its policies to a new economic reality. The orthodoxy has worked for over thirty years. The conservative reformers should be ignored.
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