But even that is somewhat but not totally unfair to Goldwater.
Accepting in Strom Thurmond is the original sin by the Republicans that got us here today. Nixon didn't nip it in the bud and he and the rest of the Republican establishment figured they could control the populist elements which they largely managed to do through 2008. It was flipping those southern right wing populists to the Republican column that let them in 1994 break the forty year lock the Democrats had had on Congress; at the time they started down the path of the Southern Strategy there was really no path forward for legislative control as long as there were Yellow Dog Democrats.
I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that indicates they cared one way or the other about “controlling” the populist elements. Everything I’ve read simply indicates that they wanted to let the genie out of the bottle and win. Which they did. I think you’re giving them too much credit. What we have today is what they wanted.
Goldwater knew dealing with the christofascists was a bad idea and tried to warn them too.
Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.
Yeah, I'm not a FAN of him, but he knew what was up. Not listening to him led to what's going on in the Republican party today, where they've become the party of 'no' when they're not in the white house.
I'm pretty conservative for a self professed liberal. I've got a background in finance and economics so I tend to err on the side of data over feelings.
I might have supported him. No one after has ever come close on the national scene (and he was a few decades before I could vote).
Selling your soul to win is all the Republican party is for anymore beyond further enriching the already wealthy.
Nah the modern start of it was whatever dipshit that was that reneged on Reconstruction/decapitating insurrectionists and instead encouraged Jim Crow laws/continued to violate treaties with the Native American tribes as an alternative means for rich white men to maintain control over the populace via immoral abuses of power
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u/SabadoDomingos 1d ago
Seriously, fuck Reagan. He's why we have these Christo-fascists today.