Political Devolution: From Goldwater to Rove

Nick Gillespie | September 29, 2005

The competition for the vote-rich middle of the electorate has turned formerly conservative Republicans into social welfare Democrats. Many in the party of Reagan apparently see no conflict between anti-government rhetoric and middle class neo-populist pandering (of the kind former Democratic Sen. John Edwards is peddling, in his perpetual presidential campaign.) A party that used to rail against socialized medicine has embraced prescription drug legislation, due to bloat an already busted-budget next January -- to satisfy both the ravenous appetites of elderly entitlement consumers and the corporate welfare aspirations of pharmaceutical manufacturers.

A party once steered by the conservative conscience of Barry Goldwater is now guided by the moral authority of electoral technologist Karl Rove.

So sayeth self-described "libertarian Democrat" Terry Michael here.