Opinion of Barry Goldwater

[DC Al Fine]

Mostly FF.

[DC Al Fine]

HP, principles don't matter if the "principles" you stand for cause massive amounts of human pain and suffering. Goldwater's ideology is precisely why the United States is in such bad shape today.

Goldwater didn't want to ban pornography, wiretap people's homes or persecute atheists.

But he did vote against the abolition of Jim Crow, opposed the creation of Medicare and Medicaid, and supported union-busting efforts in Arizona and at the national level.

He was also a founding member of the Arizona NAACP IIRC.

[DC Al Fine]

I bet if he had lived till today he would have voted for Obama both times.

Barry Goldwater Jr.-endorsed Gary Johnson says hi. Like you said, he had principles, so I can't see him backing Obama.

Yeah, if he was 30 years younger, I could see him being an elder statesmen for the Libertarians or Ron Paul Republicans.

[DC Al Fine]

I bet if he had lived till today he would have voted for Obama both times.

Barry Goldwater Jr.-endorsed Gary Johnson says hi. Like you said, he had principles, so I can't see him backing Obama.

What about Johnson?
Yeah, if he was 30 years younger, I could see him being an elder statesmen for the Libertarians or Ron Paul Republicans.

For some reason I thought Barry Goldwater Jr. endorsed Romney.  In any case, he doesn't necessarily represent his father.  Goldwater himself was pro-choice, pro-immigration, pro-gay rights and hated the Christian's right influence over the party.  I can't see him supporting the Republican party as it's constituted today.  People think of Goldwater as super libertarian and conservative but you have to remember how far right the country has gone on many issues since the 1960s.  The views of a mainstream Republican in the 1960s would be considered center left today.

But, definitely, I don't see Ron Paul as any kind of intellectual heir to Goldwater.  Ron Paul's foreign policy views are about as far from Goldwater's as you can get.  Goldwater also never embraced anything like Ron Paul's gadfly views on the Constitution or economic policy.

What about Johnson?