The Republicans - how far they have sunk

In 1960, I lived in Phoenix, Arizona where the Goldwater family ruled.  The Republican Party contained a number of crazy fools then, too.  In fact, many of us thought Barry Goldwater, who is now credited with the birth of conservatism in the Republican Party, was the craziest fool of all.  He was a loose cannon.  People drove about in Arizona with bumper stickers that said, "Goldwater, my [picture of a donkey]".

And no one around in those days will forget his resounding cry that "...extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue."  That simply clarified for most of us that Goldwater was dangerous and might very well start a nuclear holocaust with his simplistic view that we could use nuclear weapons to defeat our enemies in the same way as we had used conventional weapons.



But once in awhile, this rich, Republican, Jewish, Episcopalian heir to the Goldwater fortune said some things that made sense.  Like this:

"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem.  Frankly, these people frighten me.  Politics and governing demand compromise.  But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise.  I know, I've tried to deal with them."

Mr. Goldwater's fears were well-founded. 

h/t to my friend Art Woodstone for the above quote and the inspiration for this post.