Barry Goldwater (1909 - 1998)
U.S. Senator, Arizona (1952 - 1992)
1964 Republican Presidential Nominee
Barry Goldwater (1909 - 1998)
U.S. Senator, Arizona (1952 - 1992)
1964 Republican Presidential Nominee
"A lot of so-called conservatives
today don't know what the word means. They think I've turned liberal
because I believe a woman has a right to an abortion. That's a decision
that's up to the pregnant woman, not up to the pope or some do-gooders or
the religious right. It's not a conservative issue at all."
- Barry Goldwater, 1994 Los Angeles Times interview.
"I have little interest in
streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to
reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to
extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not
to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the
Constitution, or that have failed in their purpose, or that impose on the
people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover
whether legislation is 'needed' before I have first determined whether it
is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for
neglecting my constituents' interests, I shall reply that I was informed
their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very
best I can."
-- Sen. Barry Goldwater, "The Conscience of a
Conservative"
"A government that is big enough to
give you all you want is big enough to take it all away."
-- Sen. Barry Goldwater
"It's political Daddyism and it's as
old as demagogues and despotism."
-- Sen. Barry Goldwater
"You don't have to be straight to be
in the military; you just have to be able to shoot straight."
-- Sen. Barry Goldwater
"To insist on strength is not
war-mongering. It is peace-mongering."
-- Sen. Barry Goldwater