Will NeverTrumpers give Kid Rock a chance?

In an effort to provide full disclosure in regards to what I’m about to write, I must tell you that I am a Kid Rock superfan.

Though it confused me a little, I have been reading that Kid Rock wants to be a United States senator. It confused me, because based on what I know of Kid Rock (real name, Bobby Ritchie), the job wouldn’t seem to suit him, what with the boring hearings and the boring people and the hidden agendas and the overall fakeness. But then, he’s probably seen about the same in the music business.

And since he doesn't need the money, power, or prestige, I think he just wants to serve his country. And though I will have to disagree with him on certain issues, I think his candidacy represents a dynamic that conservatives must better understand and adapt to so that the conservative message can be spread instead of being dismissed out of hand as it oftentimes is now.

As the so-called conservative NeverTrumpers have inevitably done with their unwavering opposition to President Trump, the regular so-called working class who came out for Trump are becoming more and more hateful of conservatives in general.

Those people, whether NeverTrumpers like it or not, are the modern-day Reagan Democrats that anyone with half a brain would know are needed to be brought into the fray. And if I hadn’t tuned into Rush Limbaugh on a regular basis in 1995, I would be one of them right now, wishing I could tell NeverTrumpers a thing or two. But I did gravitate to Rush, and then I graduated into the Levin education. And now I see NeverTrumpers defining conservatism, and I want it to stop.

Central to the so-called conservative NeverTrumpers’ case has been indicting Trump’s moral compass over the crudeness of his speech, and his marriages, and so on. As if, based on their judgement, he cannot have the moral fiber to lead. But speaking crudely and being politically incorrect is not the same as being immoral.

Kid Rock makes music that strikes a chord with the working class in my generation, not just because he sings about “eating shrooms, drinkin’ Boones,” but also because he’s honest about his life, his beliefs, his patriotism, and being human. And, at this point, while I’d like to have a clear conservative running in the election that can beat Debbie Stabenow in Michigan, I will take an honest former drug dealer than a lying far-left commie like Stabenow any day.

Look, I want Bob Ritchie to understand the nation’s founding documents and understand why he was “Born Free.” I really want him to understand that this nation was founded because we just don’t like people telling us what to do, and because it had far greater implications on whether man has the right to rule over another man, and breaking the monarchical system by flipping the government model of the time on its head.

I want him to understand that this is the only successful nation that changed the rules from “some get to rule over everyone” to “everyone has a say in what is expected of government.” But I don’t know how much of that he knows. What I do know is that he has probably millions of fans who believe certain honest-to-goodness things about him because of his songwriting and pouring his heart and soul into his music, and his words and actions out of the limelight.

And if he gets in the Senate and acts just like some of the other losers there, he’ll have gone against his own self, let down millions. And I don’t think he could ever do that.

Because whether or not you think singing about drugs and screwing and consuming massive quantities of alcohol is something that can only be sung by a degenerate, I guarantee you that there are plenty of folks in this nation who believe in God, this nation, freedom, and liberty and do all of that too … and show up for work and raise their families.

Conservatism should not become a droning, kvetching group of alarmist, perpetually offended naysayers, shaking their finger at people for having fun. Because it leads to inaction and displays intolerance. If you want to do that, become a preacher and have your own flock. Good luck to you.

But if we are going to reach people who are living in the culture you decry, and you can't change the culture until you can get through to the people, maybe stop pointing out everything that's wrong, and start listening to what I consider our political cousins.

Now, this is not meant to be a PSA for the Kid Rock campaign at all. I mean, he could come out tomorrow and say he believes in taxing Americans to deal with global warming and I’d have to politically flay him.

But I merely wish that conservatism as I understand it doesn’t become an idea that is driven by claiming God is on our side, when what is truly needed is that we are on His. And I think a lot of the NeverTrumpers are really mucking up the viability of conservatism by acting like fools and pearl-clutching and playing to their audiences instead of doing what is good for the country.

I think that the themes in Kid Rock songs about God, hard work, living and letting live, striving to be your best, standing in the truth, learning from experience, climbing the mountain. and telling the world where to stick it if they don’t like it are all conservative themes.

He identifies as a libertarian and perhaps he’ll understand and embrace federalism and better develop his views on social issues. As it is, he is running for a seat in Washington, D.C., and he’s not a degenerate; he’s running against one.