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FREEDOM FOR LABOR - Conservatives favor State right to work laws which forbid contracts that make union membership a condition of employment. In 1964, Barry Goldwater produced a superb treatise that calls for smaller, limited government, compliance with the U.S. He identified the first principle of totalitarianism: that the state is competent to do all things and is limited in what it actually does only by the will of those who control the state. B Leland Baker, author of Tea Party Revival, The Conscience of a Conservative Reborn
Whether you are Republican or Democrat, this book is concise primer on American politics that is as relevant today as it was in 1964. Dr. EDUCATION - Federal intervention in education is unconstitutional. THE WELFARE STATE - Marxist objective is to socialize the means of production (and) intend to subordinate the individual to the state, buying votes with promises of "free" federal benefits: housing, school aid, medical, hospitalization and retirement.
Constitution ensuring the concept of limited government. Property and freedom are inseparable. Constitution, lower taxes and lower spending. TAXES AND SPENDING - One of the foremost precepts of natural law is man's right to the possession and use of his property and earnings.
FREEDOM FOR THE FARMER - No power over agriculture was given to any branch of national government. In contrast Conservatives believe that we are morally and legally obliged to comply with the U.S. Goldwater then identifies that neither of the two main parties, Republican or Democrat, maintain a meaningful commitment to States Rights and the 10th Amendment, which is a prohibitory rule of law, recognizing State jurisdiction in certain areas: "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution nor prohibited by it to the States are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." Goldwater very succinctly explains the Conservative position related to numerous issues to include: CIVIL RIGHTS - Unless a right is incorporated in the law it is not a civil right and is not enforceable by the instruments of the civil law.
The second point being the speculation of how a Barry Goldwater presidency in 1964 would have played out. Barry Goldwater lays much of this reasoning out in this book. The last chapter, dealing with the Soviet menance (as it was in 1960) is enlightening on two points. This book is an argument against the socialist state.
Written nearly 50 years ago, this short text still has it's relevance today, particularly for those of us who think the role of government is strictly limited by the Constitution. I'll be honest and say that a true conflict between the US and the USSR could have been a possibility (as you read this chapter, you'll see what I mean). The first being the obvious connection to the stance that Ronald Reagan took to win the cold war duing his presidency. I for one, think that it is man's inate desire to be free of government.
The first nine chapters lay out these principals across such topics as education, labor and the rights of state governments. But things happen for a reason and I think that while Barry Goldwater's ideas were right on, the best time to apply them came twenty years later. Surely, we need rules and guidelines for our society, but the best kind of government is the government you don't even know is there. While he justifies his positions in light of the times in which he lived, the principals are no less relevant today, where our government (led by both Republicans and Democrats) is becoming ever bigger and more intrusive in our lives.
therefore a satisfactory purchase. sooner than I anticipated. My recent purchase of a book and tape available from Amazon was quick and easy. and I received the products within a few days.
This is in general a very shoddy piece of work. This edition is of very low quality. Anyway, don't buy it. I bought a few weeks ago on Amazon, and my copy visually resembles that shown here, but publisher is identified differently. It appears that someone, perhaps a high school student, has attempted to make a typed copy of the original book, and the publisher had it printed. There is no original publication information or even date, typos abound, some including insertions of words into other words.
If you've read Levin's Liberty and Tyranny, you'll find that he echoes many of the ideals instilled in Conscience of a Conservative. As I read this book, I was astonished at how well its relevance holds up to current events.and Goldwater wrote this in 1960. Absolutely NO REGRETS about this purchase. Get this book and read it NOW. History doth repeat itself. This book serves as a standard for conservatism.
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