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That's true, and that's why I feel (and Goldwater felt) that Reagan's association with the Religious Right began the slow destruction of the Republican Party, which is manifesting itself now.

I believe you called Goldwater a "phony baloney". I think that title most certainly belongs to Reagan, the actor. He did make some great improvements to the American economy, but he was not a pure supply-sider, having raised taxes on corporations. He played the part of a moral watchdog, while being divorced and having gotten his second wife pregnant before marrying her. He claimed the he didn't leave the Democratic Party, they left him - well, nobody goes from being a New Dealer to a supply-sider without changing their own principles quite a bit.

Goldwater never minced words, he didn't play politics, he just spoke the truth in a blunt fashion. That's also why he lost in a landslide...people weren't (and still aren't) ready for that kind of politician. The people claim they want "straight talk", but when somebody gives it to them, they tend not to respond very well.