ABSTRACT
During the 1964 U.S. presidential race, the Republican candidate Barry Goldwater derided the Republican establishment, arguing that the American public deserved “a choice, not an echo.” His point was that the Republican party was too aligned with the liberal ideology of the Democratic party and thus did not provide a clear choice for voters. Goldwater wanted to reshape his party to challenge decades-long policies based on this ideology, particularly those concerning the economy and social welfare, and to offer instead a vision that refl ected an America he felt was more in line with that of the country’s founding fathers.
