If a traditional conservative was a liberal, then he/she is a
neoconservative.

Reread what you wrote. Very slowly.

Regardless what a traditional conservative *was*, anybody who can be
indentified as a traditional conservative *is* just that. A traditional
conservative.

Those who subscribe to neo-conservaTISM
are neo-cons, regardless of previous affilitations or beliefs. One can
"progress" from rational conservatism to neo-conservatism. No detour to
liberalism required.