Conservative Faultline: Order vs Liberty

A distinct, influential split now structures conservative thought: one wing (Reaganite/fusionist) defends classical liberal institutions and the link between virtue and liberty; the other (New Conservatives/postliberals/NatCons) prioritizes social order, institutional cohesion, and is more willing to trade open‑society norms for stability. The argument is less a metaphysical schism than a strategic and temperamental divide that will shape policy, party messaging, and which institutions conservatives seek to conserve. — If this split determines which faction wins influence, it will change GOP governance choices, judicial staffing, and public messaging about law, immigration, and civil liberties.