Mike Pence: Conservative Movement Cannot Be ‘Led Astray by the Siren Song of Unprincipled Populism’

WASHINGTON, District of Columbia — Former Vice President Mike Pence spoke about the future of the conservative movement Wednesday morning, warning that it cannot be “led astray by the siren song of unprincipled populism.”

Pence said speaking to an audience at the Heritage Foundation:

Our movement cannot forsake the foundational commitment that we have to security, to limited government, to liberty, and to life. But nor can we allow our movement to be led astray by the siren song of unprincipled populism that’s unmoored from our oldest traditions and most cherished values.

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Pence addressing the divide among conservatives about populism versus a more Reaganite view of the movement appears to be a new portion of his “Freedom Agenda” speech that details his vision for the future of America.

He addressed what appears to be an inevitable battle within the conservative movement moving forward, saying, “There’s a healthy debate going on within our movement today.”

“Some in our movement long for a simple return to traditional conservative agenda of the Reagan era,” he said. “Others say our movement should be swept along by a new and energetic sense of populism.”

The former vice president was not entirely dismissive of populism, saying, “We don’t have to choose between one at the expense of the other,” adding that the Trump administration was an example of a “marriage of an unapologetic commitment to the foundations of the conservative agenda with thoughtful, populist priorities driven by the aspirations of the American people.”

“I’m proud to report during the four years of our administration, every single day, we fought for a strong national defense, for free market and free enterprise principles, less government, less taxes, less regulation, and we stood every day for the sanctity of human life,” he explained.

Recognizing the divide, Pence announced he believed that the conservative movement cannot “veer off too far in either direction.”

The debate over populism is one that defines generational differences within the conservative movement.

It appears that younger conservatives are much more comfortable with nationalism, populism, and the use of government power to attain conservative wins than older generations who prefer Reagan-era conservatism.

Breccan F. Thies is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @BreccanFThies.