By Matt Underwood 
So much of conservative culture is “cool guy badass aesthetic” and “cops are awesome all of a sudden because BLM are brown terrorists”
There is no logic. There is no thought process. It’s gut reactions and slapping loud messages on muh truck.
Anti-government but pro-militias-that-enforce-the-government-they’re-against
Anti big government except when it comes to a huge ass military, huge police forces, controlling a person woman’s body, government hand outs to the rich, government interfering with an election if it helps them win, strictly patrolled boarders, and Im sure there are more
They’re not really anti big government. I have sat down, in person, with a few conservatives in my family to talk about the fact that every conservative administration has resulted in increased spending and an expansion of federal powers. They just kind of shrug and change the subject or insist that doing the thing they say they are against is necessary sometimes.
Conservatism is not an ideology, it is an aesthetic. The most brief investigation into what their politicians do would enrage these people if they actually cared about these things.
They don’t.
If you press someone with far-right or reactionary politics, you will often see that they ultimately don’t care about the substance of their arguments.
Anti-big government, but pro-military and police.
Pro-free speech in absolute terms, but also pro-SLAPP lawsuits against people they don’t like.
Pro-private property, unless the owners of that private property don’t do what they want.
“Don’t tread on me,” but will passionately defend their boss and their landlord.
Pro-democracy, but against voting rights, equal representation, and results that don’t go towards their candidate. (When they aren’t testing to see if being overtly anti-democracy is acceptable yet.)
I’m sure we’re going to get some “both sides” bullshit, but whatever. Call me when Trump acknowledges the results of the election, condemns the baseless lawsuits that have presented zero evidence, and graciously concedes. It’s important how common these things are, and at what level. You’ll find hypocrisy everywhere, but the GOP is rotten through and through.
If they could be so nakedly honest with you (and themselves) to answer “What do you actually believe” truthfully, one suspects the answer would be: “What difference does it make? We’re right either way.”