Re: OT: sponge burning!
cothrige wrote:
> * Paul Johnson (baloo@ursine.ca) wrote:
>> Roberto C. Sanchez wrote:
>>
>> > On Mon, Feb 26, 2007 at 11:38:59AM -0800, Paul Johnson wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Name five American national-level politicians in your lifetime that
>> >> had
>> >> moral fortitude. You can't get that far in US politics without being
>> >> a scumbag.
>> >>
>> > Reagan
>>
>> Absolute liar. ...He makes Barry Goldwater look good.
>
> I can't really argue much about Reagan or his legacy, i.e. W, but I am
> surprised at the comparison here to Goldwater. Most of the
> neoconservative movement, beginning somewhat with Reagan personally
> and very much with the immediate post-Reagan period, has been nothing
> more than outrageously expensive fascism, read 'law and order'
> Republicanism. But, Goldwater always seemed much more legitimately
> conservative to me, with what appeared to be a very sincere interest in
> true small government. Is there something I have missed about him?
He was a full-fledged supporter of McCarthyism, never saw a war he didn't
like, was very much anti-labor-rights, and verbally abused Eisenhower for
having a moral compass on those issues. His only saving grace is he turned
libertarian in retirement and became rather socially progressive after his
political career ended. The fact the revelation came after his retirement
makes it about as empty and meaningless as Strom Thurmond apologizing for
being a racist bigot for the first 99 years of his life.
Reply to: