William Jennings Bryan vs Barry Goldwater

[OSR stands with Israel]

Two candidates who while they lost their races and never became president, both planted the seeds for Economic Liberalism to rise to become a dominant force in the early-mid 20th century and for Economic conservatism to become a dominant force in the late 20th century and so far the early 21st century .


I would easily vote for Goldwater over Bryan .

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

This is basically the same as asking "are you a liberal or a conservative." I voted for Bryan, of course (normal Democrat).

[OSR stands with Israel]

This is basically the same as asking "are you a liberal or a conservative." I voted for Bryan, of course (normal Democrat).

Many populist republicans on here may go with Bryan and many democrats who dislike Bryan Social Conservatism may go with Goldwater

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

This is basically the same as asking "are you a liberal or a conservative." I voted for Bryan, of course (normal Democrat).

Many populist republicans on here may go with Bryan and many democrats who dislike Bryan Social Conservatism may go with Goldwater

Fair point with regards to Bryan, though in my personal opinion, nobody who would vote for Goldwater has any right to call themselves a liberal.

[Kingpoleon]

Two massive FFs who spoke the truth to power however much it hurt. I can't decide.

[Mr. Smith]

Bryan.

[Santander]

Goldwater, like Hillary did.

[Goldwater]

This is basically the same as asking "are you a liberal or a conservative." I voted for Bryan, of course (normal Democrat).

Many populist republicans on here may go with Bryan and many democrats who dislike Bryan Social Conservatism may go with Goldwater

Fair point with regards to Bryan, though in my personal opinion, nobody who would vote for Goldwater has any right to call themselves a liberal.

I would disagree with that statement. Now, if you said "leftist" instead of "liberal", I would agree.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

This is basically the same as asking "are you a liberal or a conservative." I voted for Bryan, of course (normal Democrat).

Many populist republicans on here may go with Bryan and many democrats who dislike Bryan Social Conservatism may go with Goldwater

Fair point with regards to Bryan, though in my personal opinion, nobody who would vote for Goldwater has any right to call themselves a liberal.

I would disagree with that statement. Now, if you said "leftist" instead of "liberal", I would agree.

Fair enough. I probably should have been more specific.

[Rjjr77]

Do I really have to be the first one?

You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of Goldwater

[Zioneer]

Do I really have to be the first one?

You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of Goldwater

Dang it, I hoped I was going to be the first to make that joke.

[Sumner 1868]

Bryan wasn't at all that conservative for his time and he even opposed eugenics. Plus I can't imagine Bryan ever uttering the phrase "I'd drop a low-yield atomic bomb on the Chinese supply line in North Vietnam" or stating nukes were "merely another weapon".

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

If you're a one issue abortion voter, Bryan is probably more conservative.
But obviously in general, Goldwater is more conservative.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Bryan wasn't at all that conservative for his time and he even opposed eugenics. Plus I can't imagine Bryan ever uttering the phrase "I'd drop a low-yield atomic bomb on the Chinese supply line in North Vietnam" or stating nukes were "merely another weapon".

On Economics Bryan was the bernie sanders of the day

[Phony Moderate]

It should be noted that both were successful in that many of their ideas were eventually implemented by other people.

[LLR]

Bryan aligns a lot more with my ideas, so him.

[White Trash]

Bryan wasn't at all that conservative for his time and he even opposed eugenics. Plus I can't imagine Bryan ever uttering the phrase "I'd drop a low-yield atomic bomb on the Chinese supply line in North Vietnam" or stating nukes were "merely another weapon".

On Economics Bryan was the bernie sanders of the day

I'd say that Bryan was a few steps to the left of Sanders.

[Kingpoleon]

It should be noted that both were successful in that many of their ideas were eventually implemented by other people.

Bryan:
Support for bimetalism: X
Support for prohibition: Yes->X
Support for anti-imperialism: X X X

Goldwater:
Classical liberalism in general: X
Opposition to anti-discrimination: X
Socially accepting GOP: X

I mean, sure, we've elected maybe two or three populist Presidents post-WJB: FDR, Trump, arguably LBJ, Reagan, or Carter.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Bryan on economic issues, Goldwater on social issues (aside of his civil right vote in 1964).

[RINO Tom]

Bryan wasn't at all that conservative for his time and he even opposed eugenics. Plus I can't imagine Bryan ever uttering the phrase "I'd drop a low-yield atomic bomb on the Chinese supply line in North Vietnam" or stating nukes were "merely another weapon".

1) If we're defining "conservative" as supporting what other conservatives support and opposing what progressives support, then it is straight-up laughable to suggest that OPPOSING eugenics makes one more progressive and less conservative in that time period!

2) Foreign policy cannot be placed neatly on a left-right axis, no matter how much liberal doves and neoconservatives want it to be; there is too much of an ideological mess on the issue for all others.

EDIT: Also, duh: Goldwater.

[Maxwell]

Bryan was fine for his time on social issues. Goldwater was pretty nutty on a lot of issues but at least detested the influence of the religious right. Bryan for me obviously.

[Kingpoleon]

Would it make any sense to say I generally like both's economic policies? Particularly Bryan's bimetallism and Goldwater's opposition to anti-discrimination federal statutes.

Goldwater fought corruption both against labor unions and against Presidents. I admire his opposition to the corruption of the Johnson-Nixon era.

[RINO Tom]

Would it make any sense to say I generally like both's economic policies? Particularly Bryan's bimetallism and Goldwater's opposition to anti-discrimination federal statutes.

Goldwater fought corruption both against labor unions and against Presidents. I admire his opposition to the corruption of the Johnson-Nixon era.

I suppose you could semi-sensibly "like both," but that'd be a pretty classic example of (foolishly, IMO) prioritizing motives over method (the latter being clearly more informative of one's ideology, IMO).  Somewhat related is people who like Jefferson over Hamilton because he was more "small government," even though small government conservatives of the Twenty-First Century are arguably trying to achieve the same things as Hamilton was, even if their method might seem opposite.

[RaphaelDLG]

Barry Goldwater will get us all killed

[Starpaul20]

William Jennings Bryan