Conservative values is close to an oxymoron. The GOP has long ditched any pretence to conservative values, free market economy and reduction of deficit are two obvious examples.
@Mavigogun, in your list of Trumpian malfeasance a few posts ago I was at that very moment pondering the meta plot that was going on in all this and it is more insidious to me.
Roll this around in your brain for a while... the over riding international mission of the US would be to promote democracy and democratic values as opposed to totalitarianism. I think that we can all agree that fundamentally that is the crucial dividing line. So the meta story is that the President of the US is actively engaged in injecting endemic corruption directly into the veins of a brand new reformist govt.
To me this is what the GOP have to gloss over in order to continue their path of the last few years. And this is not surprising because their path appears to be gradually building towards a totalitarian regime but maybe with a Western tilt.
It started in earnest with the illegitimate blocking of Merrick Garland. This is key to the plan which to be fair has worked better than they could have dreamed. One more term for the GOP and the plan is complete because they will have the Supreme Court in their pocket for 30 years, as well as the bulk of the appeal courts.
Their Gerrymandering would be safe, and corruption would by then be an accepted part of the US govt. Once the Executive had the Judicial branch in their pocket all three branches can collude in plain sight. This is the vision that Trump has for the future of America.
Look at Barr's speech to the Federalist Society las week...
https://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-william-p-barr-delivers-1...https://theweek.com/articles/879112/william-barrs-chilling-vision-unchecked-p...A Republic if you can keep it.