Originally Posted By: chopperlump
I, a lifetime conservative, am disgusted by entire process. Looks like I may hold my nose and vote Mc'Cain. unhappily, Chopperlump, a Goldwater righty.


Amazing how much the perceptions of political "left" and "right" have been corrupted in a relatively short time span. Ol' "Mr. Conservative" got creamed in '64 because the opposition was successful in labeling him as a reactionary right wing extremist - which he was (so am I). Nonetheless, Goldwater never gave in, and his political views remained rigid to the end of his life. Firmly pro-choice and moderately pro-gay rights, he was too "liberal" by current standards to have a real home in the Republican Party of today. In later years, he said to the right wing: "Do not associate my name with anything you do. You are extremists, and you've hurt the Republican party much more than the Democrats have." Pity that we don't have any true conservatives around anymore. We could sure use one.

"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."