I used to think that as well. Now I think that modern conservatism is founded on a rejection of modernity. Conservatives do not want to be a break to make sure progress is slow but steady. They want to turn the car around and drive the other way. People who are willing to try new things aren’t above pointing out something was a mistake. Progressives can try a new idea and then reject it based on new evidence. Progressives do no need a mechanism that is constantly trying to wrench the steering wheel out of their hands and turn the car around in an endless exercise of driving in circles.

What a mix of progressive and conservative people actually leads to is an absolute deadlock in government. Conservatives are not simply hesitant to try new things. They would rather die than see the world change. And they would rather blame their problems on immigrants, people of color, lgbtq+ people, anyone other than their political views that are derailing our economy and the planet’s environment.

We can have disagreements on policy and implementations. Two sides to an argument can allow a person to walk down the middle. But that’s not what we have currently with progressives and conservatives. There is plenty of room for discussion on how to go about solving a problem like climate change. But that isn’t the kind of discussion we are having with conservatives. Conservatives are fundamentally opposed to the idea that there are existential problems that need to be solved. And the only problems that they do see are other people.