Liberty Maven

Barry Goldwater

We continue our series of Liberty Maven’s Liberty Heroes list with Barry Goldwater. Goldwater was known as “Mr. Conservative”. He is credited with sparking the resurgence of the conservative political mindset in the 1960’s. He is also credited with having an impact on the libertarian movement. He is known for speaking his mind which reminds me of a certain doctor from Texas, Ron Paul. The best way to know Barry Goldwater is to read his book, “Conscience of a Conservative“, which is yesterday’s equivalent of Ron Paul’s excellent , “The Revolution: A Manifesto“.

The main area (and it’s an important one) where Goldwater could not be considered in line with Ron Paul’s view of liberty was with foreign policy. He was an interventionist and supported the cold war wholeheartedly. Indeed, this is the precise position Lyndon Johnson attacked with the now famous “Daisy” advertisement. Many point to this as the reason Johnson was able to defeat Goldwater in a landslide in the 1964 election.

Goldwater was quite libertarian on social issues. He supported legalizing medicinal marijuana, getting the federal government out of the abortion debate, and was quite vocal against the religious right in the early 1980’s. Below are a few choice quotes from our liberty hero Barry Goldwater.

“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!”

“The income tax created more criminals than any other single act of government.”

“I’m frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in “A,” “B,” “C” and “D.” Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?”

“The big thing is to make this country, along with every other country in the world with a few exceptions, quit discriminating against people just because they’re gay. You don’t have to agree with it, but they have a constitutional right to be gay. And that’s what brings me into it.”

“Hubert Humphrey talks so fast that listening to him is like trying to read Playboy magazine with your wife turning the pages.”