The Life and Times of Richard Goldwater

During his time as Senator, Goldwater proposed a new political agenda, one that emphasized individualism and the sanctity of private property. He also advocated anticommunism and opposed the expansion of federal government. Ultimately, his platform failed to gain the support of the American people and Goldwater lost the 1964 presidential election by one of the largest margins in history to Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson.

Psychiatrists Question Goldwater’s Psychological Fitness
A poll in Fact magazine asked psychiatrists whether Goldwater was psychologically fit to be president. A majority of the respondents responded no, but a smaller number responded yes and some even said they had not examined Goldwater. This survey was a highly controversial issue at the time, and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) created the Goldwater Rule to prohibit members from making armchair psychological assessments about individuals they had not personally examined.

Goldwater’s Positions on Social Welfare and the Civil Rights Act of 1964
As a member of the Senate, Goldwater opposed social welfare programs and voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He criticized the Supreme Court’s stance on school integration and argued that the Civil Rights Act violated states’ rights. His opponents accused him of racism, and his voting record was cited by Martin Luther King as evidence that Goldwater “articulates a philosophy which gives aid and comfort to the racists.”

He was also a strong opponent of the Vietnam War and sought to reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign armaments. He was a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Aeronautical and Space Sciences Committee, as well as a leader of the conservative movement within the Republican Party.

The South and the Goldwater Campaign
In his campaign for president, Goldwater drew heavily on his Southern roots. He had a deep appreciation for the problems of rural America and had toured the southern states to build a base of support among farmers and ranchers. He was a staunch opponent of communism, and he emphasized the importance of securing the South’s economic future.

The Southern campaign was a watershed for the Republican Party, and it helped establish a dependable Republican base in the South. During the next 10 elections, seven Republican presidents would come from the South.

During his 1964 campaign, Goldwater was attacked by the conservative wing of the Republican Party, as well as by his own party’s moderate establishment. The liberals feared that Goldwater could alienate the anti-war movement, which had supported the Democratic candidate. Moreover, they were concerned that his positions on domestic communism and military spending would alienate the middle class and lead to social unrest.

When the Goldwater campaign came to a close, his opponents launched an aggressive and highly successful campaign to defeat him. The campaign focused on a controversial advertisement, "Daisy," which presented nuclear war as a clear consequence of voting for Goldwater.

Goldwater’s loss to Johnson was a major blow to the Republican Party. It was a turning point in American history that led to the realignment of the political map, and Goldwater helped to set the stage for the conservative ascendance that has continued today.

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