1964: Who would you have voted for?

[Senator Ben]

Because it hasn't been done yet

[ChrisFromNJ]

LBJ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Barry Goldwater.

[PASOK Leader Hashemite]

Johnson, reluctantly, with hindsight. Johnson without a doubt without hindsight.

[Albus Dumbledore]

Wallace.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Lyndon B. Johnson (D)

Considering that I would have been disgusted with Goldwater's politics and rhetoric at the time, I would have easily cast my ballot for incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson. However, if the Barry Goldwater nominated at Cow Palace in 1964 was indeed the libertarian one he became during the 1980's, then I would have easily voted for Goldwater. A bit strange eh?

[Nym90]

Johnson.

[Ronnie]

Goldwater is one of my political heroes, so definitely him.

[Colin]

However, if the Barry Goldwater nominated at Cow Palace in 1964 was indeed the libertarian one he became during the 1980's, then I would have easily voted for Goldwater. A bit strange eh?

He was, what changed were the issues. Barry Goldwater, for example, helped found Planned Parenthood of Arizona back in the early 1950s, as one example of his social libertarianism, however issues of this sort were truly mute in the political climate of 1964. His vote against the Civil Rights Act is highly unsettling, though no one who ever met Goldwater thought that he was a racist and he seemed genuine when he stated his reasons were a strong support for states' rights. As the political culture moved away from economic issues and onto social and cultural issues in the late 70s, the libertarian political ideology of Goldwater became more pronounced. The Goldwater who wanted to kick Jerry Falwell's ass and voted in favour of gays serving in the military is almost certainly nearly the same Goldwater, politically, as the 1964 presidential candidate.

I vote Goldwater by the way, an easy decision for me.

[go85bucks10]

I would have voted for Goldwater but in a calculating way. Overall, I would agree with him on almost every issue. Johnson's economic great society programs were all wasteful disasters in the long run. Vietnam was terrible. Our economy started taking a dive with Johnson and never really recovered until Reagan (or even post Reagan). I can't imagine the world today without the Voting Rights Act though. In the constitution, every state is guaranteed a "republican" form of government. And in reality, a state does not have a republican form of government if a large and significant portion of the population does not have the right to vote in most elections.
    I could not vote for Johnson though and looking back at the numbers in the house and senate, they would have passed the Voting Rights Act over a Goldwater Veto anyway (if he would have vetoed it, which I am not so sure he would have). Even though I disagree with Goldwater on his issue about the two crucial Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965, I can calculatingly say today that I would have voted for him due to the circumstances on the floor of the Senate and House (not to mention how liberal the supreme court was also).

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

Johnson, of course.

[CPT MikeyMike]

If I voted in 1964: Toss up, leaning Goldwater
With hindsight: Goldwater easily

[© Tweed the Younger]

neither

[GPORTER]

Go with Goldwater, oh Go with Goldwater. Barry's the man of our land.

You can probably guess, I vote Goldwater

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

Go with Goldwater, oh Go with Goldwater. Barry's the man of our land.

You can probably guess, I vote Goldwater

Why? Your PM score seems nothing near libertarian.

[GPORTER]

Go with Goldwater, oh Go with Goldwater. Barry's the man of our land.

You can probably guess, I vote Goldwater

Why? Your PM score seems nothing near libertarian.

I have never cared for LBJ personally. Though it was a sure thing that johnson would have defeated Goldwater in 1964.

[Daniel Adams]

Go with Goldwater, oh Go with Goldwater. Barry's the man of our land.

You can probably guess, I vote Goldwater

Why? Your PM score seems nothing near libertarian.

Goldwater's social libertarian streak came during the '80s, in his final Senate term. During the 1964 campaign, Goldwater talked about the laws of God and nature and about the moral order just like any modern day conservative. He declared that "[t]he moral fiber of the American people is beset by rot and decay" and called for a "reconstruction of reverence and moral strength." Liberals during the election derided him as a "half-crazed moral zealot".

On specific issues, Goldwater was clearly a social conservative in 1964. He supported voluntary prayer in public schools during the presidential election, reversing this position in 1984. Although it was a minor issue in the campaign, Goldwater opposed abortion, and continued doing so well into the '70s (he endorsed the Human Life Amendment in 1980). Only late in his Senate term did he succumb to his wife's pro-choice position. He opposed gay "rights" throughout his Senate term and changed his position six years after his Senate term ended.

[Kuu ülevaade olulisematest]

Read what Colin said.

[GPORTER]

Read what Colin said.

so apparently, it was not me who was wrong about Goldwater, but it was you who was wrong about him.

[Daniel Adams]

Read what Colin said.

Well, he's wrong, frankly. I have given specific examples of Goldwater's pre-1980s social conservatism including quotes from his 1964 campaign. If one actually reads what Goldwater believed during most of his political career instead of making giant extrapolations, the statement that "the Goldwater who wanted to kick Jerry Falwell's ass and voted in favour of gays serving in the military is almost certainly nearly the same Goldwater, politically, as the 1964 presidential candidate" is clearly ludicrous. Colin is also factually incorrect when he says that Goldwater was one of the founders of Planned Parenthood of Arizona; it was actually Goldwater's wife who was one of the founders.

[nclib]

LBJ

[ChrisFromNJ]

LBJ was the last true liberal president.