Wed
Sep 3 2008
02:44 pm
How Far the GOP Has Fallen
By: rocketsquirrel

Who said?

"On religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly.

The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both.

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?

And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of "conservatism."

the speaker of these words after the flip...(hint: 1964)

-- Barry Goldwater
Speech in the US Senate (16 September 1981) source: Wikiquotes. second source: famous-quote.net

How far the GOP has fallen...Just as Eisenhower warned of the emerging military industrial complex, so too did Goldwater warn of religious extremists thinking they could control our public discourse and political decisions.

redmondkr's picture

A couple more of his

Submitted by redmondkr on Wed, 2008/09/03 - 2:58pm.

A couple more of his quotes:

"Every good Christian should line up and kick Jerry Falwell's ass."

"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."


Visit us at

The Home

Jack's picture

Goldwater

Submitted by Jack on Wed, 2008/09/03 - 4:27pm.

"Goldwater Conservatives" have no welcome home in the Republican Party... Just ask Ron Paul or Jessie Ventura...

Jack's picture

Neo-Conservastives have

Submitted by Jack on Wed, 2008/09/03 - 4:33pm.

Neo-Conservastives have broken the Republican Party by making the "War on Terror" their most important litmus test issue.

MDB's picture

"Goldwater Conservatives"

Submitted by MDB on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 10:36am.

"Goldwater Conservatives" have no welcome home in the Republican Party... Just ask Ron Paul or Jessie Ventura...

I never thought of Ventura as being in the Goldwater mode -- he struck me as more of a centrist populist. (Well, that and something of a flake who pretty much lost interest in being Governor once he found out it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be.)

cooperhawk's picture

Didn't Goldwater lose when

Submitted by cooperhawk on Wed, 2008/09/03 - 4:38pm.

Didn't Goldwater lose when he ran for president? Who was president in 1981?

Factchecker's picture

C-hawk: Don't try to twist

Submitted by Factchecker on Wed, 2008/09/03 - 5:28pm.

C-hawk: Don't try to twist the point in your favor. The point is exactly that: your party's craven sell out of its principles for cheap populism.

(Just checking in from vacation. Anything else new while I've been gone? )

redmondkr's picture

Oh yeah, the air at KV is

Submitted by redmondkr on Wed, 2008/09/03 - 6:35pm.

Oh yeah, the air at KV is much fresher since yesterday!

Hope you had a 'good un'.


Visit us at

The Home

MDB's picture

I have long believed that

Submitted by MDB on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 10:32am.

I have long believed that today's Republican Party would run Barry Goldwater out of town on a rail.

Heck, they'd probably run off Teddy Roosevelt -- breaking up trusts? Conservationism? He'd just be called one of those "libb-burr-ulls" and shunted off to the side.

Of course, on the other paw, I never thought I'd have a President who made me long for Bush the Elder, and two Attorney Generals that made me long for Edwin Meese, much less a Republican Party that made me wish Goldwater was still politically active.

redmondkr's picture

I recall Goldwater saying

Submitted by redmondkr on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 10:41am.

I recall Goldwater saying something in his old age about being accused of becoming more liberal. He said that the party had simply gone so far to the right as to make him look liberal.

Thinking of Edwin Meese, these two Goldwater quotes from here come to mind:

I wouldn't trust Nixon from here to that phone.

Nixon was the most dishonest individual I have ever met in my life. He lied to his wife, his family, his friends, his colleagues in the Congress, lifetime members of his own political party, the American people and the world.


Visit us at

The Home

Bbeanster's picture

Goldwater was deeply

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 12:05pm.

Goldwater was deeply influenced by his gay grandson. That changed his POV on a lot of things.

(link...)

MDB's picture

I've seen that, when

Submitted by MDB on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 12:27pm.

I've seen that, when Goldwater came out (so to speak...) in favor of allowing gays to serve openly in the military, some of the Arizona Republicans tried to get his name taken off some of the streets and buildings and such that were named in his honor.

I actually have two responses to that

  1. how sad
  2. That's why you don't name things after people until they're dead
MDB's picture

I remember during the 1988

Submitted by MDB on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 12:12pm.

I remember during the 1988 campaign, the Republicans sent Dan Quayle to Goldwater's birthday party. Quayle gave the standard speech, Goldwater thanked him, and then, as Quayle walked away, Goldwater added, "oh, and when you get back to Washington, tell George Bush to start talking about the issues."

The words "deer in the headlights" definitely applied to J. Danforth at that moment. He finally managed to say something, "Senator Goldwater, one thing we Republicans is how you hide your opinions and never tell us how you really feel. C'mon, speak up!"

As far as Goldwater's quotes on Nixon go, I've also often heard Eisenhower didn't like or trust Nixon either.

Wow, though... it just shows how far to the right the Republicans have gone when a progressive web site has people reminiscing fondly about Barry "in your heart, you know he's right... wing -- in your guts, you know he's nuts" Goldwater.

sugarfatpie's picture

Exactly. This is nuke-em Goldwater

Submitted by sugarfatpie on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 12:38pm.

The one who wanted to use tactical nukes on the battlefield in Vietnam.
I wonder if McInsane wouldn't do the same.

-Sugarfatpie (AKA Alex Pulsipher)

"X-Rays are a hoax."-Lord Kelvin

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

TN Progressive

TN Politics

Knox TN Today

Local TV News

News Sentinel

    State News

    Wire Reports

    Lost Medicaid Funding

    To date, the failure to expand Medicaid/TennCare has cost the State of Tennessee ? in lost federal funding. (Source)

    Search and Archives