Barry Goldwater: HP or FF?

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Barry Goldwater is he a Horrible Person or a Freedom Fighter? Discuss.

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Both

I would have to agree with phknrocket1k. Barry Goldwater was a Horrible Person for destroying the Republican Party and helping the Right-Wing dominate the party for many years to come, mainly after 1976.

However in the minds of right-wingers, Au H20 helped the Right-Wing to take control of the Republican Party and give right-wing extremists a voice not an echo.

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He became a voice of reason on many issues in his later service in the Senate, though in 1964 he was simply repulsive.

There was a point I forgot to mention when I created this thread yesterday. Goldwater became more libertarian in the 1980's and became highly critical of the Reagan Administration. In 1994 (I think), Goldwater publically endorsed a congressional Democratic candidate who was running against a christian-right-wing-extremist.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Both

I would have to agree with phknrocket1k. Barry Goldwater was a Horrible Person for destroying the Republican Party and helping the Right-Wing dominate the party for many years to come, mainly after 1976.

However in the minds of right-wingers, Au H20 helped the Right-Wing to take control of the Republican Party and give right-wing extremists a voice not an echo.

how did he destroy the party? Rockeffer's are traitors and have no place in the party.

No. The Rockefeller Republicans were a perfectly legitimate wing of the party until the crazies chased them out. Nowadays if you're not a fundie, neo-con or have a problem with cutting taxes before spending you're not welcome in the GOP. That's why so many New England (and non-Southern/Midwest) Republicans are ditching the party. It's also part of the reason I have a red avatar here.

The Bush's are Rockeffer cronies.

I wouldn't say George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush would be Rockefeller cronies. In 1964 when Bush I ran for the Senate, he ran on a Goldwater platform, dennouncing the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Bush I's policies in the 1964 Texas Senatorial campaign angered his father Prescott, who as we all know, was a leading figure in the Country Club Republicans.

After his loss to Ralph Yarlbrough in '64, Bush I became more moderate and the rest is history. As we know, Bush I only got conservative support in the 1988 Republican Nomination because of President Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Even before Bush I embarked on a political career, Bush got Bush II to read Goldwater's book The Conscience of a Conservative. Since Bush II has read the book he has been a conservative for the rest of his life.