Recently, Ron Paul ran the same kind of race in the Republican Primary and may have, because of the Internet and YouTube, gotten more exposure for liberty.
This article examines the two great politician's manifestos: The Conscience of a Conservative and Revolution: a Manifesto.
Conscience of a Conservative
Goldwater recognized that the American public would not elect a Republican after the death of JFK, but at the same time he saw moderates taking over the Republican Party and ran in the election.
Classic Goldwater Quotes
"The first thing (a conservative) has learned is that each member of a species is a unique creature. Man's most sacred possession is his individual soul -- which has an immortal side, but also a mortal one. The mortal side establishes his absolute differentness from every other human being. Only a Philosophy that takes into account the differences between men, and, accordingly, makes provision for developing the different potentialities of each man can claim to be in accord with nature. We have heard much in time about the "common man." It pays little attention to the history of a nation that grew great through the initiative and ambition of uncommon men. The conservative knows that to regard man as part of an undifferentiated mass is to consign him to ultimate slavery."
If the Conservative is less anxious than his liberal brethren to increase Social Security "benefits,' it is because he is more anxious than his liberal brethren that people be free throughout their lives to spend their earnings how and when they see fit.
The Conscience of a Conservative is pricked by anyone who would debase the dignity of a human being.
The Constitution is: a system of restraints against the natural tendency towards absolutism.
Was it a Democracy the Framers created? Hardly. The system of restraints, on the face of it, was directed not only against individual tyrants, but against the tyranny of the masses. The framers were well aware of the danger posed by self-seeking demagogues – they might be able to persuade a majority of people to confer on government's vast powers in return for deceptive promises of economic gain.
And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents' 'interests,' I shall reply I was informed their main interest was liberty and in that cause I am doing the very best I can.
The tenth amendment is not "a general assumption," but a prohibitory rule of law.
Let us not express our contempt for some men, by denying freedom of choice to all men.
The idea that a man who makes $100,000 per year should be forced to contribute 90%* of his income to the cause of government, while the man who makes $20,000 (the equivalent today would be $661,917 and $132,383 respectively) is made to pay 20% is repugnant to my notions of justice. I do not believe in punishing success.
The Revolution: A Manifesto
Paul has been a house member off and on for over twenty years, ever since he read Hayek and Mises then Rothbard he has believed in a free country with a commodity backed currency and has become one of its best promoters.
Ron Paul Quotes
All initiation of force is a violation of someone else's rights, whether initiated by an individual or the state, for the benefit of an individual or group of individuals, even if it's supposed to be for the benefit of another individual or group of individuals.
Deficits mean future tax increases, pure and simple. Deficit spending should be viewed as a tax on future generations, and politicians who create deficits should be exposed as tax hikers.
I have never met anyone who did not support our troops. Sometimes, however, we hear accusations that someone or some group does not support the men and women serving in our Armed Forces. But this is pure demagoguery, and it is intellectually dishonest.
Justifying conscription to promote the cause of liberty is one of the most bizarre notions ever conceived by man! Forced servitude, with the risk of death and serious injury as a price to live free, makes no sense.
Our country's founders cherished liberty, not democracy.
You wanna get rid of drug crime in this country? Fine, let's just get rid of all the drug laws.
Conclusion
Both of these politicians promoted liberty to their fullest extent during their respective presidential races, the result of Goldwater's run was Ronald Reagan and one of the most productive decades in the history of America, and perhaps the world.
Hopefully, Ron Paul's run will influence the election of a freedom lover soon.
*In 1964 the highest tax rate was 90% of income, thankfully Ronald Reagan eventually got this reduced to just 28%.
Roark is a college student who hopes he'll see an actual conservative candidate running by the time he enters the job market in four years, unfortunately he doubts this.
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