Rand Paul and the Daisy Ad
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Conservatives have been quoted that the political founder of their movement and an icon to be admired is Barry Goldwater. Goldwater is the legacy that forms a key part of the foundation of the modern conservative movement.
In fact, Rand Paul has often been compared to Barry Goldwater, a continuation of this Libertarian ideology.
So, what is the difference in viewpoints concerning civil rights between Barry Goldwater and Rand Paul?
The result of Barry Goldwater’s strict constitutionalist view is that state-mandated Jim Crow would have continued indefinitely.
The result of Rand Paul’s libertarian view is that Jim Crow would have been abolished, except that private discrimination by business would have still been legal.
Different methods with the same end result. A racist by proxy is still a racist.
During her show, Rachel Maddow exposed an example of this with her excellent interview of Rand Paul. That blind ideology without fully understanding, or possibly caring, about the consequences will make a very poor choice for a politician and a worse one for a leader.
Would he have voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act?
Seems like he would be a No vote during that interview, but really doing some damage control the next day. Who knows??
This will put thoughts of uncertainty in the minds of the American voter about the rational thought of this so called “Barry Goldwater political offspring”.
Barry Goldwater was soundly defeated in the 1964 presidential election by one of the largest landslides ever. A lot of the credit was attributed to one particular television political ad. That one ad also put the seeds of uncertainty in the minds of the American voter about Barry Goldwater.
So I am posting that one ad from 1964. The one that caused so much damage to Republican Barry Goldwater.
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@Krell,
great piece. That ad still sends shivers up my spine in the worst way, -as it did when I saw in in history class in eigth grade (1982).
For me the thing about Rand Paul and others is this:
if the result and consequence of your actions are racist, oppressive, unfair toward a part of the population, or indirectly enable others to victimize that population, then your motive and intent (Libertarianism, Laissez-Faire Capitalism, Deregulation, etc, etc) is irrelevant, and your culpability is a moot point. Especially in Paul’s case, as he’s said he knows that his strict application of his philosophy would end up in people being discriminated against on the basis of race.
All the “isms” that indirectly enable the institutionalization and legalization of violence and exploitation of anyone are no less a threat to our evolving free and open society than a terrorist organization, such as the Ku Klux Klan.
-SJ
SJ writes..
“if the result and consequence of your actions are racist, oppressive, unfair toward a part of the population, or indirectly enable others to victimize that population, then your motive and intent (Libertarianism, Laissez-Faire Capitalism, Deregulation, etc, etc) is irrelevant, and your culpability is a moot point”
Couldn’t agree more, SJ!
Great comparison, Krell. I hadn’t realized Barry Goldwater’s beliefs included racism as well but it makes sense. I remember that Daisy ad – probably the reason I remember telling my little 7th grade friend Sally, whose parents were voting for Goldwater, that “Goldwater is going to start World War 3.”
I find it interesting that he would announce his run on Maddow and then say it was a mistake to do that interview. What ever happened to the politicians who could field questions and think on their feet?
Just wondering how his supporters and the people of KY. feel about him now? You can’t win elections by being on the extremes right or left.
You know, I wondered how big a coincidence that R. Paul’s name seemed goofily familiar to Ayn R.’s. What a a douchebag, crapass, cretinous philosophy. Libertarians can suck it.
I second that. They can definitely suck it. Honestly, to pick one of the most self-absorbed people who ever failed to write a decent book to be their idol. What a bunch of dumbasses.
Agree 100% Bee!! What a pompous ass of a writer! What is it about that @#@$@@@ Ayn Rand that won’t go away??
I wrote a post satire on “Atlas Shrugged” a long time back, called “Prometheus Tooted”. I think maybe 6 people read it and only 1 person thought it was funny (the one person was me). It’s a lonely biz, this posting.
Hey, I thought it was funny.
Not here…MMA has thousands of readers per day. This is where one goes to expose oneself 🙂
I can see it now, the Tea Party hierarchy has pulled Ayn Rand Paul out of the media spotlight until they can get him on message, which means don’t answer any straight forward questions, and slap big government at every opportunity, just like daddy.
As far as being like Barry Goldwater, he had a presence and commanded a little bit of respect, Paul Jr. is an empty shell.
I agree, Holte. Whatever you may think of the ideas of Barry Goldwater, and I would have a lot, you can’t say that he was a naive and insulated. Whatever happened to those kind of intellectual conservatives? The William F Buckley types…
I like the thought behind this post, Krell.
Rand Paul’s so freakin’ naive. That’s what makes him dangerous. He doesn’t realize the consequences his libertarian ideology would have if put into practice.
I really don’t believe he’s racist. I think he’s just dangerously naive. Which is one reason he should be kept out of public office.
The untold story is that Goldwater was quoting the written policy of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a document which must be approved by the President, then Johnson.
Ross,
I hadn’t been aware of that, but it makes sense. Speaking ones mind is not always best.Thanks.
Good gosh! I really liked your piece Krell… been nice if I’d said so, eh? I’m whooped tonite…
Thanks Gwen…I think everybody seems to be overwhelmed this past month or so with all of the darkness happening, I know I have.
It seems like a bad Bruce Willis disaster movie.
Its’ scarin’ the shit outa me….. have we goosestepped back this much? Is white America so afraid of the brilliance in other races?
Mealy mouthed dissembler …. it’s irritating to listen to him and to think that racist white Baggers are pinned hope on him as the quasi intellectual hillbilly.
OMG am I just devolving down on Friday night into bigotry? Aw, gee man. It does sound like it….
Guy uses circular speak to avoid the central question like piker.
I thought that it paralleled quite well. Rand Paul is supposed to be following in the footsteps of Goldwater. Goldwater was thought to be a racist loon because of his strict ideology.
Sounds like Rand is doing too good of a job.
I especially like the quote of the narrator in the clip, seems to still apply today.
“To make a world in which all of Gods children can live or to go into the dark. We must either love each other or we must die.”
Hi Krell,
Very timely and reasoned post. IMO you hit Rand Paul’s thought process right on the nose.
I remember that ad.I also remember (unfortunately not the exact words)Goldwater stating that nuclear war was an option he would consider-I was just an 8th grader but it had quite an influence on me.
We were only a couple years past the Cuban missile crisis then, so thoughts of a nuclear holocaust were still imprinted on people’s brains.
Interesting – Goldwater said nuclear war was an option. George W Bush said the same thing 8 years or so ago.
Palin would have started WW3. Within like a month. Maybe less.