I fall into the Barry Goldwater camp myself, especially towards the end of his career when he leavened his rock-ribbed paleoconservatism with a stiff dose of live-and-let-live libertarianism. I got to meet the great man right around the time of his retirement and I still find him more inspiring than anyone, with the possible exceptions of Reagan and Churchill. I think that his example points the way out of the woods we find ourselves in, and hope that when Sarah Palin emerges from under the thumb of the McCain campaign, we will discover that she is Goldwater's long-lost daughter.
I've had it with the big-spending, nation-building RINOs, and while I want our boys to stay in Iraq until the job is done and they can leave with honor, in future I will subscribe to the "more rubble, less trouble" philosophy. If something needs breaking and people need killing to keep this country safe, then that's what we should do, then clear out fast.
Real conservatism can still win elections. I think you will find many congenial opinions here.
-ccm
I was not old enough to vote when Goldwater was running, but I read the book “A Choice Not An Echo, which was written to try to assist in his election.
I especially liked his speech where he said, “I would remind you that extremism in defense of liberty is no vice.”
“while I want our boys to stay in Iraq until the job is done and they can leave with honor, in future I will subscribe to the “more rubble, less trouble” philosophy. If something needs breaking and people need killing to keep this country safe, then that’s what we should do, then clear out fast.”
Yes, I agree, this is what I mean by non-interventionist, maybe non-nation building is the term I should have used in my intro. I come from a 4 generation military family and have nothing but the highest admiration for our men and women in arms. If military projection means isolating the source of the problem, defining our objectives, kickin’ butt, taking names and getting out as soon as possible, I’m on board. The surge in Iraq should have come alot sooner.