The Wit and Wisdom of... Barry Goldwater!

[WI_DEM]

"I don't have any respect for the Religious Right. There is no place in this country for practicing religion in politics. That goes for Falwell, Robertson and all the rest of these political preachers. They are a detriment to the country."

"Everyone knows that gays have served honorably in the military since at least the time of Julius Caesar."

"I don't like being called the 'New Right' I'm an old, old son of a bitch. I'm a conservative."

"You don't have to be straight to be in the military; You just have to be able to shoot straight."

"Every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass."

"A lot of so called conservatives don't know what the word means. They think I've turned liberal because I believe a woman has a right to an abortion. That's a decision that's up to the pregnant woman, not up to the pope or some do-gooders or the Religious Right."

"They can keep him"--when ex-president Nixon went to China in 1976.

[Wetzelbill]

Barry Goldwater had integrity, I can respect that.

I may not agree with a lot of his opinions, but he was a man of integrity and nothing like the clowns that run the Republican party nowadays.

[asthmaticeog]

1. Kicking.

Amazing.

[wuushew]

2. I think you forget his extreme views on Vietnam

There have been several suggestions made. Defoliation of the forests by low-yield atomic weapons could well be done. When you remove the foliage, you remove the cover. We might have to (take action against China). Either that, or we have a war dragged out and dragged out. a defensive war is never won. If we decide to go into this war in a full-scale way, certainly we would have to make the decision on strategic supplies for the enemy at the same time.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAgoldwater.htm

[WI_DEM]

3. without a doubt he was a hawk

on Vietnam--and wrong-headed, but I respect his stands on some of these cultural issues which today are very important: gay rights, the right to choose, and the religious right. Since he is often considered the "Grandfather" of the conservative movement in this country--his words should be used against these other so-called conservatives.

[Zynx]

4. He was half-right. We were never going to "win" doing what we were

doing. He neglected to mention that we never should have been there in the first place since he believed we should be fighting Communists everywhere.

[ozarkvet]

8. Either go heavy or don't go at all.

Not here to defend Vietnam. Or war in general.

But pissing around on the edges was a waste of lives, money, and time. I think that more his real point, and quiet valid.

In a war, go D-Day, WWII, Manhattan Project style --- commit with the whole damn country.

Or don't go.

[wuushew]

10. Was Korea a failure then?

Defending the South at the 53rd parallel seemed a good alternative to MacArthur's reckless adverturism.

Expanding limited scope wars in the nuclear era seems pretty dicey to me.

[ozarkvet]

11. Was Korea a failure?

Well:

1. NK sold nuclear technology to Pakistan, who sold it to basically everybody that might want to blow up an atomic bomb in a random Western city. This weighs in the "yes" column.

2. NK sells missles to basically anyone with money, including Iran et al. Again, "yes."

3. People in NK eat bark soup b/c their fearless leader in a complete idiot. Again, "yes."

4. China didn't nuke us, which was possible if we proceeded to have troops on their equivalent of the Mississippi. This would be a "no."

5. We have lots of troops in SK, at great expense. This would be a "yes."

6. The pennnsula is on a hair-trigger, and friendly nations like Japan are worried. Xenophobic groups and just scared Japanese are re-arming (and changing their constitution to do so) in no small part b/c of NK. This would be a "yes."

Etc.

I don't know if it was a failure. But the compromise did, and does continue to, come at a cost.

[phiddle]

5. Where did you get these quotes?

I think that the Democratic Party should make the case strongly that what passes for "conservative" now is an evil morph of its traditional meaning. These quotes sure bolster that view.

[WI_DEM]

6. on line

I just goggled "The Wit and Wisdom of Barry Goldwater"--of couse he had a few quotes I couldn't agree with, but I think on the relevant issues of today he's right in the mainstream.

[phiddle]

9. Thanks

[spanone]

7. Goldwater was a right wing nut. He was a big fan of Joseph McCarthys

Hated unions. He opposed civil rights was a big supporter of Nixon during watergate.He suggested he would use nukes against the 'commies in Vietnam'. Not a fan.