What if in 1964 Goldwater wasn't given a hit by the media from Johnson, while the population having a realization that in the long run LBJ's proposals would screw over the country. Goldwater was beaten pretty badly in the election, 1 being do to branding him as the "conservative extremist", so I want to know your thoughts on what they presidency could've brought.
Monsieur
1. The re-implementation of the Gold Standard
2. Increased Sanctions on the USSR
3. Segregation lasting much longer in places like Alabama and Mississippi
4. Decreasing of Regulations, leading to a better economy
5. No Vietnam War
USA economy does much better, however racism remains in the South for 40 extra years and possibly even longer. No Vietnam War means Hippies don't really become a thing, instead ironically being replaced by a Liberal Christian backlash to the Nuclear Family, which would mean the Left would to this day have a far less influence on America. (Liberal Christians only begun to seriously adopt things Gay Rights from pressure by the Modern Left, so yeah.) The Republican and Democratic Parties are only Carter and Reagan, with Democrats dominating the North and Republicans Dominating the South, the Rockies, the Southwest, West Coast, with the Plains being Purple States.
That's my take anyway.
Id agree with everything other than the segregation. It definitely lasts much longer however I don’t think it’ll last 40 years(or more). I think that in terms of civil rights instead of having a situation where there is forced segregation and Jim Crow to where to jump to the other corner and have enforced desegregation and laws that specifically aid minorities, you instead have a gradual process of rights being implemented and restrictions being removed. The worst part would be that minority (mostly blacks) would continue to have fewer judicial power and protection. I don’t think Goldwater would focus on it or at least put much time on it since he had different problems he felt like needed to be addressed but as moral reasons would eventually bubble up and even if it weren’t enough(which I think it is enough to at least get rid of crow), theres still condemnation from nations outside the US which would race questions about the segregation in the nation. On a positive note in the long run, social blacks wouldn’t have there institutions and family structure destroyed by Johnson’s legacy. But yeah it would still suck for blacks for much longer in the judicial sense.
Although another good thing would be that the republicans wouldn’t be in this sorry state and would return to the old right
I may be wrong on this in which case please correct me, but I thought Goldwater at the time had a more hawkish approach towards the spread of communism in Asia including Vietnam. With that, wouldn't the Vietnam War happen regardless?
Also besides the hawkish foreign policy, he definitely seemed more of a Libertarian than a social conservative. He supported things like abortion, homosexual rights, and forms of legalization of marijuana (mainly medical). He expressed his own skepticism towards many religious conservatives and their influence on the Republican party. If we are to assume that the Republicans follow Goldwater's lead ideologically afterwards, then the party essentially becomes for the most part a de facto Libertarian party.
The more libertarian ideology more or less came later on as he got older and at this time he was purely Right wing. Sort of like he used to be a symbol of national populism but as society became more liberal he was forced to become more moderate.
I appreciate the explanation.