I meet people daily who ask, “What would Barry say or think about an issue?”, or offer their “expert opinion” regarding Barry’s philosophies or position on issues. I learned at an early age two things about Barry.

1) When he was alive, I never spoke for him unless he personally asked me to do so, and then I stayed exactly on His message.

2) I listen and learned from my father, Barry’s brother Bob, that if people really wanted to know how and what he thought I should tell them to read his books and decide for themselves.

From a personal observation, Barry spoke his mind directly and with honest convictions based on his life’s experiences, love of Country and the people. If he disagreed with you or disliked your actions he let you know immediately and plain understandable language. He taught by example rewarding your successes and explaining and implementing the consequences of your failures.

He was not a perfect man; he was “one of us”. He had the courage and integrity to openly state his beliefs and the guts to shoulder the consequences of his actions. As I continue to re-read his books, I also (unfortunately) believe he was a political profit.

Barry conveyed his philosophies starting with “The Conscience Of A Conservative – MacFadden Capitol Hill Books -1960″, for the most part have come to past and still hold true today.

His message continues to predict our future based on our willingness to be held accountable for our own actions and responsibilities, and our personal determination to defend our god given rights as stated in the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

I will always remember Barry for the quick corrections he delivered when I screwed up and also the public chastisement I received from people when they though he screwed up. At the time it hurt, however, today I am grateful for those opportunities and to learn those lessons as I believe they made me a better man.

I fondly remember every conversation we shared, some verbal, some not, and the life lessons he taught me and continues to teach me every day.

More importantly I remember and cherish the liberties he, my father, mother and our forefathers sacrificed to build and protect that we (can) should continue to enjoy today. We do not suffer the poverty and destruction witnessed in Haiti, Iraq, North Korea, etc. nor do we suffer the crippling economies and riots of some of the European countries. We suffer from an American economy that “we the people” created. We need to change this now and put people back to work. – VOTE

In this time of the worst economic downturn in American history, we should recognize, remember and appreciate, that we still have more opportunity, support and yes, even wealth (be it educational or asset based) than our ancestors had over 200 years ago when they took “a leap of faith”, put their lives, family’s lives and personal fortunes on the line to brave the voyage to this new world to start again. How they did it without government assistance is unexplainable.

It is frightening to experience the quick (20 years in the making) and horrific downturn of our economy, lives and personal fortunes. It has caused some to proclaim “the End Is Nye”, personally I think those people are full of it and should shut up and go away.

When the people of Iraq were given the freedom to vote, their fingers were stained with paint proving they had voted. They voted in record numbers despite the possibility of becoming targets for terrorists who wanted to disrupt their attempts to start a new government “of the people”.

Today in America, primaries, school board, city elections, etc., are being determined by as little as 18% of the local voting population and we are not being targeted by terrorists for voting. Apathy, laziness, irresponsibility, there is no difference. – VOTE

Benjamin Franklin, when leaving the first Constitutional Convention, was asked by a woman, “What have you given us?” He replied, “A Republic, for as long as you can keep it”.

Like Barry, I have the utmost faith in the American people; left alone, we will survive and fix our economy and our lives, but only if we show the courage and convictions of our founding fathers and remember and honor the sacrifices of those who sustained, ensured and protected our freedoms. – GET OFF THE COUCH AND VOTE.

Senator Barry Goldwater, President Ronald Reagan, President Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., President Kennedy, who ever your past hero are/were are dead. But their courage and convictions live on through you, the most powerful person in the nation, perhaps the world, the American Voter. It’s time we put up or shut up. – VOTE

Don Goldwater