The father of the Conservative Movement
Barry Goldwater was the American politician most often credited for sparking the resurgence of the American conservative political movement
He was criticized in 1964 as a radical reactionary, yet he energized a conservative grass roots movement which, sixteen years later, helped to nominate and elect Ronald Reagan. However, after 1981, the influence of the Christian Right on the Republican Party so conflicted with Goldwater’s libertarian views, that he openly voiced his opposition.
In a 1994 interview with the Washington Post the retired Senator said, “When you say ‘radical right’ today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson and others who are trying to take the Republican Party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye.” He said about Jerry Falwell, founder of the Moral Majority, “I think every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass,” in response to Falwell’s opposition to the nomination of Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court where Falwell said, “Every good Christian should be concerned.”
Do you think Goldwater would be welcomed in the GOP today?
No
No
I’m sorry to say that he would not feel comfortable in the GOP of today.
James,
Do you think Republican can win election if that group starts voting libertarian?
John Konop,
Those people are leaving the GOP by the droves. They are voting D or L. I don’t know if there’s enough of them in Ga to effect state elections but there’s certainly enough of them nationallly to make the GOP lose Presidential elections.
caroline,
The blind side for Democrats will be immigration!Read the numbers on the blog.
http://controlcongress.com/uncategorized/voters-prefer-reduced-immigration-over-adding-another-100-million
He’s from an era in the past. If there is a block of voters that are coming from his school of thought, they probably vote libretarian already.
If you’re opting out of the issue at hand due to some way out in space reason then you’re just trying to remain neutral in a time of crisis.
James,
I do not understand your point.
“If you’re opting out of the issue at hand due to some way out in space reason then you’re just trying to remain neutral in a time of crisis”.
John Konop,
Not according to this poll:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/polls/tables/live/2006-10-09-poll2.htm
Which I would count as more reliable than the one you cited.
caroline,
Working class people are the most likly voter the Democrats are falling behind on. Show me a pull with blue collar workers supporting immigration!
I will tell you as a White Republican I was warmly recieved by black voters when it came to immigration. Trust it will fall apart on the Democrats.
The wages have gone down by 8% over the last 12 years for blue collar workers. They are not happy!
John Konop,
Here’s the rub: The GOP has been running things for six years and have failed in the immigration area. It doesn’t matter what they say. They don’t have credibility and the head of the Republican Party has proposed amnesty. So why would these people vote for Republicans?
caroline,
The Democrats and Republican Parties will see part of the bases move toward a third Parties.
It will be strange elections.
I see it more with the GOP than with the Dems. We’ve already had that happen and most of the people who voted third party now regret it. It’s probably time for the GOP to have it happen.
caroline,
I would agree with you, but this immigration issue hits the democrat base hard. I understand the unions want the memebers and big business wants the cheap labor.
But at the end both Parties are taking blood money from the homes of Middle Class families!
Democrates are kidding only themselfs if they do not think this will bite them!
John,
Big business is the engine of the GOP. Look at how many CEO’s are Bush Pioneers. There is already legislation on the books. Bush won’t enforce the law.
JohnKonop,
What I’m saying is, If you want to opt out of supporting a federal marriage amendment because of your philisophical adherence to the idea of federalism and state sovereignty, you are still not supporting traditional marriage.
The reason you decline to support it is not important.
If you want to say that some point of political theory has molded your choice vs. some concerted social agenda, the end result is the same.
I think it was Dante that said, “The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who in times of great moral crises maintain their neutrality”.
If Goldwater could make it past the media and the status quo the average Joe Republican would welcome him with open arms.
James,
You are right I do “opt out of supporting a federal marriage amendment because of your philosophical adherence to the idea of federalism and state sovereignty”
I also think it is being used like other issues to stop from us talking about economic issues like, ,spending, trade, immigration……that will hurt our kids future.
I also do like Barney Frank making laws in Georgia, and I am sure people in Mass. do not like Phil Gingrey making law for them on social issues
This does not stop anyone’s right to argue at a local level. It now gets the Congress to focus on pocket book issues and the war.
James,
I agree with John. We cannot win if we split up!
I can’t wait to see what you will do when the social liberals like Ted Kennedy bring these issues flush with small business concerns. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would extend federal employment discrimination protections that are currently provided on race, religion, gender, national origin, age, and disability to cover sexual orientation and gender identity. They’ve been trying to sneak this through for a while. Ted even tried to sneak it through just a couple of days after 9/11…
I again point out that if you abstain from a vote or vote against social conservatives, you might as well be part of the “Flying Toe Pickle” party. You will be viewed right along side of the radical, social liberals.
James,
As a father I am torn about this issue. I do not want the school teaching my kids about the gay life style. Yet I do think gay people should have legal rights in terms of wills like anybody else.
It hardly matters whether Goldwater would be embraced by today’s GOP. The Goldwater-to-Bush II cycle would likely repeat itself because conservatives are (1) selfish, black-and-white, immature thinkers drawn to policies that identify themselves as the good people and that penalize or attack “the others” as bad people. Also, people that are attracted to conservatism tend to be attracted to authoritarianism and thus easy to manipulate.
Thankfully though, people learn and times change. Bush has shown the world where conservatism logically leads. Because of Bush and his supporters, in the future, fewer and fewer Americans will act on any conservative tendencies they may experience.