Back To Basics - Barry Goldwater's Conscience of a Conservative

I recently picked up the essential book on theknow whatthe work means," he told an
conservative movement Conscienceof ainterviewer in 1994. "They think I'veturned liberal
Conservative, and am certainly glad I did.because I believe a woman has a right to an
Frequently when a book is old as this one weabortion. That's adecision that's up to the pregnant
shrugoff reading it, this is one that demands yourwoman, not up to the pope or some
attention. If you previouslyread this years ago godo-goodersor the Religious Right."
read it again. The latest version has aA good look at his stance on the Soviet menace,
newforeword by George Will and a newreveals a lot about how weneed to look at the
afterword by Robert Kennedy, Jr.war on terrorism. He had a no nonsense no
Barry Goldwater is considered the father of thecompromise viewthat we needed to defeat the
conservative moment and withgood reason. Hesoviets not just detain them.
eloquently states his case for smaller governmentThe GOP often invokes the name of Ronald
and lesstaxes. He takes a definitive stance onReagan as the great leader of the
states rights and nearly fifty years ago he hadGOP, but apparently it is often forgotten that
the foresight to see the fallacy of theReagan was a student of Goldwater.
welfarestate.That in fact the efforts that Goldwater started in
Goldwater defines the conservative stance ashis 1964 presidential runactually culminated in 1980
asking not if there is a problembut does Federalwith Reagan's win. Goldwater is the one who
government have the constitutional authority tobroughtconservatives out of the boonies when
be involved inthe answer. He strongly believesthe liberals were dominating politics.
that we should adhere to the principles of theI think its time the real conservatives start to
constitutionspecifically the 10th Amendment,rally and exhume
"those powers no delegated to the UnitedGoldwater. We need to have more folks who are
States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it towilling to stand up courageouslyand proclaim
the states, are reserved tothe Statesenough of expanding government lets get back to
respectively, or to the people."the constitution.
Staunch conservatives may be surprised to hearIts time many so called conservatives read his
that Goldwater was pro-choice,supporting Roe Vbook and find out whatconservative really means.
Wade. "A lot of so-called conservatives don't