There is little conservative about Trump

In his 1989 inaugural address President George H.W. Bush took a moment to bow his head in prayer and state, “(we) are given power not to advance our own purposes, nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people.”

This month, another Republican President will be inaugurated but I doubt he will demonstrate such humility or prudence. The great showman Donald J. Trump has made a name for himself but no clear contribution to Conservative thought, and his inaugural address may be as ideologically inconsistent as his tweets.

{mosads}Whereas Conservatives such as William F. Buckley and Ronald Reagan sought to make America great again by studying what has worked in the past, Trump veered away from civility and moderation during his campaign, insulting Mexicans in his announcement speech and former president Bill Clinton during a debate. Whereas the Republican Abraham Lincoln sought the council of his former rivals, Trump eschewed “Establishment” Republican figures including Speaker Paul Ryan, Sen. John McCain, and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Trump’s West Wing will consist of fringe figures including Steve Bannon, who led the alt-right website Breitbart News.

Whereas President Nixon had the venerable Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State, Mr. Trump has appointed former Exxon C.E.O. Rex Tillerson for the position. Nixon may be remembered as odd, but he took foreign affairs very seriously, especially where China was concerned. By contrast, Trump insulted China in a tweet earlier this month, stating, “China has been taking out massive amounts of money & wealth from the U.S. in totally one-sided trade, but won’t help with North Korea. Nice!”. Whereas Nixon was stiff in public and crass in private, Trump is unpredictable in every setting.

Conservatism is more than a set of policy stances; it is a calm and rational approach to solving problems. Republican President Dwight Eisenhower stated in his 1953 inaugural address: “In the swift rush of great events, we find ourselves groping to know the full sense and meaning of these times in which we live. In our quest of understanding, we beseech God’s guidance. We summon all our knowledge of the past and we scan all signs of the future.”

Eisenhower had proven as a general that he could fight, and as a president that he could prevent war through diplomacy. Trump has not served as a solider or a politician, and this lack of prior public service shows in his brash approach.

Donald J. Trump will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 at the U.S. Capitol and a peaceful transfer of power will take place as some of America’s former presidents look on. After a bitterly-fought election where the Establishment was criticized and Hillary Clinton won more popular votes, Trump will be awarded the presidency by a system that has worked fairly well for over two centuries. Sometimes Democrats win and sometimes Republicans do. There is even, in theory, an opportunity for a third-party candidate to win. The real issue is not that our new president is Republican; it is that he has demonstrated so little understanding of what it means to have a Conservative approach.

Barkin is freelance writer published by outlets including U.S. News & World Report, Huffington Post, Hearst, and Gannett.

The views expressed by authors are their own and not the views of The Hill.