In the three decades Barry Goldwater represented Arizona in the U.S. Senate, he was a staunch economic conservative, champion of the Constitution, and proponent of states’ rights–as well as a defender of reproductive rights, gay rights, and the separation of church and state. Goldwater’s brand of libertarianism defined Arizona conservatism in the middle of the 20th century and is credited with sparking the resurgence of the American right in the 1960s. But what role does it play in the state and country today? Some believe that social conservatism is the future of the Republican Party in Arizona–where the Republican-dominated state legislature has taken stands on social issues so stark as to draw national headlines–and beyond. But others see Goldwater’s legacy in the rising influence of Rand Paul nationally and, in Arizona, a live-and-let-live attitude in the legalization of medical marijuana (and a burgeoning movement to legalize it for recreational use). Arizona Republic columnist Robert Robb, ASU historian Michael Rubinoff, and Slate political reporter Dave Weigel visit Zocalo to discuss the place of libertarianism in America’s political future.
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The Takeaway
Can We Thank Barry Goldwater for this Libertarian Moment?
Figuring Out What the Arizona Senator Would Make of (and How Much He’s Responsible for) Our Current Political Landscape
Between U.S. Senator Rand Paul being taken seriously as a presidential candidate and broad support for the legalization of marijuana, the country is “having a libertarian moment,” 12 News Sunday …