We need a Republican president who protects conservative ideals

There is no greater claim about our current president, who happens to be a Republican, that is more inaccurate than the statement that he is a conservative. Despite how easily disproven this falsehood is, it has not stopped many from touting the false narrative that he is. First, let’s establish that he is not a conservative. Candor obliges me to state that I am not sure that he subscribes to any ideological system. Yes, he ran as a Republican, but that does not make him conservative. True conservatives seek to preserve tradition and the institutions that protect those norms. We give preference to the familiar over sporadic unknowns, and while change can be good, radical change must be met with caution, except in instances of injustice.

Conservatives respect the traditions and norms of political office at all levels, especially at the highest level, and we recognize how invaluable these institutions are to our democratic republic. Conservatives do not embrace or welcome leaders who are indiscriminate in their behavior. Instead, we seek leaders who are selective and steady in their approach. As a conservative, when I state that the president at times behaves in an unpresidential manner, that is not an attack on him but rather a realization that his actions are antithetical to the customs essential to protecting the traditions and norms that symbolize American society.

{mosads}While some have attempted to equate these patterns to conservatism, they do so at great risk of damaging conservatism as a credible ideology. The president is different, and I respect his right to be. However, as a conservative, I have great difficulty reconciling certain aspects of his presidency, not because I dislike him as an individual or dislike the fact that he was elected because the first is a moot point and the second is the reality for the next four years, but because I believe that steady governance leads to better results and is more tolerable than unpredictability. The importance of continuity is key in keeping order in government.

A conservative president would recognize the limits of his power, particularly since conservatives understand and prefer the limits of government over the overreaching authority that liberals push. No president can do it all alone, and one who asserts that he or she can should raise immediate flags because it reveals a lot about perception of authority. No one person can make all things better, and shame on those of us who fell for such folly. However, what is realistic and tangible is that the president is working in coordination with Republicans, as well as partaking in bipartisan efforts with Democrats, on issues that result in positive change for the American people.

Rational prudence is a quality that conservatives expect out of our leaders, and that is all that I expect from the president. He must recognize that being cautious is not a sign of weakness but rather a sign of strength, and that the onus of proof on the type of changes promised during a campaign is on no one but the person who spoke them into existence. My intent is not to make a case against the president because many already have, and the results have been fruitless. He is our president, and I respect the office that he holds. However, at the end of the day, the case must be made to protect and preserve conservatism.

Shermichael Singleton is a CNN political commentator and a Republican political strategist who has worked on the presidential campaigns of Mitt Romney and Ben Carson. Follow him on Twitter @Shermichael_.