When new political leaders promote disruptive and even violent change, then people accustomed to pressing the gas pedal on change may choose instead to hit the breaks. Liberals become small "c" conservatives.

In this episode of How My View Grew, I suggest that after November 5, 2024 every liberal in the United States became a small "c" conservative. Instead of pushing for change in society, liberals now have good reason to slow it down. That's because the changes coming with the new Trump Administration threaten to destroy or disrupt many things worth preserving, from liberal gains of the past 90 years to basic Constitutional protections we've had for two and a half centuries. Much that we Americans take for granted, everything from childhood immunizations to Constitutional freedoms to the rule of law, is now at risk. Someone needs to stand up and shout, "Stop."

For decades, liberals associated this stance with Republicans, and for good reason. But today's Republican leader doesn't have a small "c" conservative bone in his body. His Administration will be about rapidly disrupting and destroying much that liberals—and all Americans—value.

So, who will fill the void of slowing down change and preserving that which we hold most dear? Liberals.

After making this case, I describe five steps liberals can take to embody such small "c" conservatism.

**Key takeaways**

• 2:00 The reactionary changes coming
• 5:30 The two forms of conservatism: small "c" and big "C"
• 8:30 Big "C" conservatism, the ideology, is whatever the Republican Party currently stands for
• 13:30 Five steps liberals can take to conserve liberal gains and American traditions

**Resources**

• My recent essay, "Nine tempting but unhelpful interpretations of Mr. Trump's victory"
• On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder

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