Our own version of "P.C."

[charlesjay]

The way I frame an argument on behalf of gaming with individuals who couldn't care less about the issue is to position it as part of a much larger picture. Gambling is a prism through which to look at all kinds of things, including personal liberty, privacy, freedom of speech, states' rights, taxes, government regulation, etc.

What I do in some cases is to bring up the principles of Barry Goldwater. Goldwater was libertarian in his thinking, which brought about a lot of mischaracterization among people who were familiar with nothing but an oversized role for government. He wasn't necessarily pro-abortion, pro-gay, pro-drugs or pro-gambling. He just didn't think it was government's place to get involved interfering with the free choices of Americans.

You don't even need to outwardly advocate for something, or suggest that others do the same. Just insist that government shouldn't be involved with the personal choices of its citizens, as long as those choices are not hurting anyone else, and in fact should take a role where, if anything, it will facilitate the right to make those choices.

[REOspeedealer]

Our local Phx. rag, The New Times did a great article on Barry when the flick, HBO: Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater came out. The New Times were the last people to have access to the full BG personal archives, where Goldwaters true ideology on politics, and his true feelings about his family, and views on life in general came out in public for the first time, in his old letters.

The family has now since sealed alot of the archives that The New Times used in the article.
Phoenix - News - Goldwater Uncut - phoenixnewtimes.com .

I am Liberal, Libertarian, Democrat from Ariz., and I liked both of these alot. The original HBO doc., was made by his grandaughter[?], anyway she sugarcoats what a true cowboy Barry was.

Goldwater was a true free thinker who would now roll over in his grave with alot of the crap the conservitive GOP now does in his name.

[charlesjay]

Yeah - the idea that Goldwater helped usher in what we now know as the conservative movement is a gross misrepresentation.

Simply put, conservatism in Goldwater's view meant less government. The injection of moral issues into politics invariably leads to more intrusive government. That was not Goldwater's intention in the least.

Goldwater was NOT the father of the modern conservative movement at all. Obviously if you saw the documentary, you know how he despised the sleazy, clownish Jerry Falwell and his authoritarian religious rhetoric.

And you also noticed in the doc how somebody as allegedly savvy as Walter Cronkite didn't even understand what Goldwater really was. He said that he had turned "liberal." That shows an ignorance of true political philosophy.

Goldwater WAS the father of the Libertarian party, because that organization was started by a small group of Goldwater Republicans who, like Barry, felt the GOP had abandoned them.

Small government types, like former Libertarian presidential candidate Ron Paul (a sitting congressman in Texas) could also later be found in the Republican Liberty Caucus.

I think Barry Goldwater may have been the last great American politician.

CJ

[charlesjay]

Actually, you know what? To be fair, I also have to add Dick Armey to that list. He holds up the principles very well. And I think you can find him at FreedomWorks.com.