The conservatism of today has no relation to that of 50 years ago. Banks at that time, for example, were conservative financial institutions. Now they are liberal. Conservatives were generally isolationist. Now they are expansionist. Conservatives opposed government debt. Now, like the liberals, they thrive on it.

Political traditions have in general collapsed, except for the tradition of obtaining and maintaining power. And that tradition is the only one that we can expect conservatives (and liberals) to share and to cling to..