Barry Goldwater's influence on American conservatism

[Ardent15]

In 1964, people were shocked at what Goldwater was saying, and considered him a dangerous man and a radical conservative. He lost in a landslide to LBJ.

Yet what was more important was the grassroots organization that was formed and propelled Goldwater to the GOP nomination in 1964. His candidacy marked the sharp rightward turn of the GOP, and helped pave the way for Ronald Reagan, who gave a rousing address at the 1964 Republican National Convention.

What's ironic is that Goldwater would be considered a moderate by today's standards, at least in the GOP. How times change....

[upi402]

1. Barry Goldwater's influence on American conservatism gone is 60 seconds

Yeah, he'd be a Democrats in today's cpolitical spectrum. He used to be considered a Right wing nut job.

[grantcart]

2. Goldwater gave the Republicans a coherent ideological framework in defeat

It wasn't the grassroots organization but a workable worldview that Reagan could flesh out and populate with folksy stories.


Bush's legacy will be that he not only led the Republicans into a huge defeat but that he didn't seek out a party successor that would keep the disparate group of religious fanatics, establishment conservatives, economic conservatives and neocon nut jobs together.

His decision not to jetison Cheney and pick a heir apparent left the Republicans in their worst group dynamic - without a clear leader. Unbelievably McCain then assists this by picking Palin as VP nominee, creating even more confusion for future succession. Having grown up in a conservative Republican family and participating in Republican intercine succession fights in the '60s (as a teenager) I predict that 2010 and especially 2012 will see the most intense Republican infighting ever seen. Having given up the possibility of returning to power each faction will go all out to try and control the party. Steele's election as RNC Chairman will give the far right all the incentive they need to go to full battle stations and take no prisoners. It will be delicious.

[Ardent15]

3. The whole idea of "Republican unity" is laughable nowadays...

Even with all the factions of the Democratic Party, we can at least all say "We care about people."

Does the GOP care about money, Christian theocracy, or war?

[grantcart]

6. This, ironically - in fact most ironically, is George W Bush's greatest legacy.

He nuked the center out of the Republican party. He couldn't have done it without Cheney.


He has reduced them to a small regional party with no leadership.

[Old Michigander]

4. Not A Conservative

Barry Goldwater was a libertarian, not a conservative. In a rerun of a Brian Lamb interview with Milton Friedman today on C-SPAN2, Milton Friedman said the same thing. He was a libertarian.

[Ardent15]

5. He was considered a conservative by the standards of his time ("Mr. Conserative")

Also, you can't deny his influence on American conservatism, which often overlaps with Libertarianism.