Barry Goldwater

[Documad]

There's an interesting documentary on HBO called Mr. Conservative. It was made by his granddaughter. (John Dean's been talking about Goldwater because of Dean's new book too.)

I knew that in his later years he supported gays in the military, but I didn't know that his beloved grandson is gay. (Other republicans had a different reaction to having a gay relative I guess.)

It's funny how many people from different backgrounds liked or respected Goldwater. And he took some really bad positions on issues over the years I know. Anyhow, interesting documentary. :)

[DroppinScience]

That's interesting. I'd definitely watch it.

He would've been a terrible President if elected, but he's an interesting guy.

[sam i am]

Yes. I guess the voters of 1964 didn't think he was so highly respected.

He got his victory eventually, howver, when Reagan implemented his legacy starting in 1980. For those on my side, we rejoice over this. For those on the other side of the aisle, they weep.

What a crazy, divided nation we're becoming....

FYI, I still don't think it's as bad as the media portrays it, since we're not talking secession (seriously) yet.:(

[Echewta]

If i remember correctly from the documentary, Goldwater didn't get his victory when Ronald was elected in the 80s. I don't believe he approved on why the conservatives finally gained power. Church and abortion. So he still lost and we wept with him.

Very interesting doc though and worth watching.

[sam i am]

If i remember correctly from the documentary, Goldwater didn't get his victory when Ronald was elected in the 80s. I don't believe he approved on why the conservatives finally gained power. Church and abortion. So he still lost and we wept with him.

Very interesting doc though and worth watching.

I'm talking more along the lines of his economic and foreign policy initiatives, not necessarily his social policy agenda....

[Echewta]

But he wasn't happy about it, thats the point. The end didn't justify the means.

[sam i am]

But he wasn't happy about it, thats the point. The end didn't justify the means.

He may have not been happy about the socially conservative agenda, but he certainly agreed with the foreign policy and economic agendas.

[Documad]

Goldwater would be even more disappointed at today's faux conservatives than he was with the ones from the 1990s.

Did Goldwater's conservatism mean record deficit spending? I don't remember that part.

[sam i am]

I agree with you that he'd be less than impressed with the deficit spending. I know he understood that a conservative with a Democratic Congress (like Reagan had to deal with in the '80's) made for compromises and spending beyond what a conservative with a conservative Congress would have been able to accomplish during that timeframe.

Just as an alternative view of the current crop of Republicans in charge of the Legislative and the Executive branches : Goldwater may NOT have been as disappointed as you think, especially considering that the deficit spending is still (relatively) a small part of GDP and easily within the grasp of greater growth rates in productivity and increased population growth (mostly through immigration, I add, but that's a whole 'nother can 'o worms!)

[yeahwho]

Just as an alternative view of the current crop of Republicans in charge of the Legislative and the Executive branches : Goldwater may NOT have been as disappointed as you think, especially considering that the deficit spending is still (relatively) a small part of GDP and easily within the grasp of greater growth rates in productivity and increased population growth (mostly through immigration, I add, but that's a whole 'nother can 'o worms!)

from the documentary,

Ironically, in later years, Goldwater's support of issues like abortion and gay rights were diametrically opposed to those of the "new conservative" leadership, underscoring both the distance the country has traveled in the last 40 years, as well as the dogged independence Goldwater embodied up to his death in 1998.

Seperartion of Church was a huge issue for Barry too. He did not agree with the civil rights laws being enacted at the time of his run (1964), this pretty much fucked him.

I watched this last night and was impressed with his fortitude, love of nature, photography and ability to change his mind and ideas on an issue.

Hey, Hiliary Rodham was a Barry Goldwater girl! She really is a bit like Monica isn't she.

[sam i am]

Hey, Hiliary Rodham was a Barry Goldwater girl! She really is a bit like Monica isn't she.

If she could do what Monica did in the Oval Office, there never woulda been an impeachment....

Of course, it may have been held against her when she ran for the Senate, or Prez in '08;)