Au+H20= Moderate?

Barry Goldwater is a Moderate

Pictured: The Face of Moderation

Those who know who he is might need to pick up their jaw after reading that. For those who don’t know Mr. Goldwater, let me fill you in.

Barry Goldwater was a Republican Senator from Arizona from 1953-1965 and from 1969-1987. He ran for President in 1964 against Democrat Lyndon Johnson and lost. The “Daisy Ad”, portrayed him as a trigger happy hawk, willing to start a nuclear war at a moment’s notice. He was known as “Mr. Conservative” for his ultra-right wing views. He helped to re-invigorate the Conservative movement that put people like Reagan and Gingrich into power in the 1980s and ‘90s respectively. He supported state’s rights, was an anti-communist, chose to not censure Joe McCarthy, opposed the Civil Rights Act (again, state’s rights), wanted to stop funding the UN for allowing the People’s Republic of China, and did I mention that he hated Communism?

So how the hell did someone like Barry Goldwater become moderate?

Well, Conservatives became more conservative. The crazy Christians hopped on the Republican boat in the 1970s and made all issues revolve around religion.

In reality, Goldwater was a libertarian, basically meaning “hands off my rights, Washington” and “Keep your nose out of my business”

Here are some of his beliefs:

On Gays in the military: “You don't have to be straight to be in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight.”

On Jerry Falwell, religious-right leader: “Every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass (or nuts)”.

Also, said he would “fight [the religious right] every step of the way”.

Supported: Medicinal Marijuana in Arizona.

Abortion: A matter of choice, not government intervention.

Iran-Contra: “…it's the god-damned stupidest foreign policy blunder this country's ever made!”

The Republican Party: “When you say "radical right" today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson and others who are trying to take the Republican Party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye”.

Also, “Do not associate my name with anything you do. You are extremists, and you've hurt the Republican Party much more than the Democrats have.”

He told Bob Dole in 1996, “We're the new liberals of the Republican party. Can you imagine that?” 

Goldwater himself admitted that the party had gotten so far-right, that he and Dole were now ‘liberal’. Holy shit!

Unfortunately, this is the direction that Republicans have chosen. “Moderation doesn’t work so we must go crazy. Not crazy enough? Go crazier!” The sad thing is…it’s working:

Middle-of-the-road, “offensive to none” Republican Ford lost to Democrat Carter in 1976 (I will admit that Watergate and pardoning Nixon didn’t help him…). Reagan wins in 1980.

Being too moderate kept the Republicans out of power in Congress until they felt the need to start the culture wars and put Gingrich in the seat of Speaker of the House in 1994.

Moderate Dole lost his bid for the White House in 1996. In 2000, the Republicans chose ‘W’ and won (barely).

After trying to repudiate Bush and denounce him, Republicans lose in 2006 and 2008. After blaming moderate McCain (who unfortunately betrayed some of his own beliefs to get the nomination), Republicans embraced crazy-assed anti-government Tea Partiers and won the House back.

The problem lies with Democrats. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: they suck at communication. Even though most Americans support most of the Healthcare reform provisions, Democrats will open their mouths and let Republicans twist and distort what they say and make everyone hate ‘Obamacare’. A bad salesperson could make a German hate beer, sausage, and chocolate (boy, I sure am sensitive!).

Of course, Republicans are good at selling things to the people, whether the public agrees with them or not, and of course manipulating everything a Democrats says. "Democrats want to kill you grandma! Democrats want to turn your kids gay! Democrats eat aborted fetuses!" A good salesperson can make poison delicious.  We need to stop this country from going any further to the right. Who knows, in 50 years, Goldwater might actually be “liberal”.