In a Saturday night speech hosted by the Concerned Citizens of Tinley Park, former U.S. Rep. Barry Goldwater Jr., R-Calif. reminded them that the mission of concerned citizens is to continue to find “good conservative, libertarian type candidates who will talk to everyone about the importance of freedom.”

“If we are not vigilant and fight to preserve our liberty, we will lose it,” he said. “That is the burden placed on each and every one of us. We must be willing to rise and accept the challenge. And that challenge starts right here in Tinley Park,”

Goldwater, 78, of Arizona, served as congressman from 1969 to 1983 and is the son of Barry Goldwater, the 1964 Republican presidential candidate for president.

He spoke at the invitation of the Concerned Citizens Party, led by current village Trustee Jacob Vanderberg, who is running for mayor in April.

Vanderberg said he was introduced to the former congressman by a mutual friend, and he offered to speak for free.

In a speech peppered with jokes and quotes, including some from his father's book, “The Conscience of a Conservative,” Goldwater talked about the current state of politics, the election of Donald Trump and the need to keep fighting for our freedoms.

“Our government is waging war on our freedoms, property and well-being,” he said to the crowd of about 100, calling it the “classic struggle” of small government versus big government.

The election of Donald Trump was a populist reaction to lost jobs, starving wages, loss of productivity, students loans, regulations that prevent small business from putting down roots and growing, banks that couldn't and wouldn't loan money to average Americans, and the “unaffordable” Affordable Care Act, Goldwater said.

“The majority of voters were mad as hell and weren't going to take it anymore,” he said. “The new president is challenged to undo the liberal agenda that burdened our county and caused Americans to push back.”

Trump will have to deal with immigration, foreign policy, the budget, defense, Supreme Court judges and the Affordable Care Act, Goldwater said, adding that he was one of those who was skeptical about a Trump victory.

“I can't predict what the new president will do, but I am encouraged that he has selected some very conservative appointments to run the government,” Goldwater said, stressing that the conservative movement is “not dead,” but “alive and well” and “preoccupied with freedom.”

After seven years of Keynesian economics, based on the beliefs of John Maynard Keynes that government intervention could stabilize the economy, Goldwater said it is time to let the market set interest rates, take the shackles off business, limit government spending and get back to balanced budgets.

“Let us choose to recapture our commitment to the principles of a free market, private property, personal responsibility and limited government that made our nation great,” Goldwater said.

In speaking briefly after Goldwater, Vandenberg said the former congressman's remarks “resonated” with him, his colleagues and the citizens of Tinley Park.

The evening was not meant to focus on his political slate, which he briefly introduced, but to “relay a message and to remind everyone that there are people in this town who have like minds, who want to bring conservative values back to our government,” he said.

Running with Vandenberg are Kristin Thirion, for village clerk, and trustee candidates Cynthia Berg, William Brady and Michael Glotz.

Vandenberg later said that Goldwater's remarks were, “exactly what I would have said. He was spot-on in his remarks about big government. He is someone I aspire to be.”

Tinley Park High School Principal Theresa Nolan and a couple of her teachers were also in the audience, as were some of her social studies students, who were invited by Vandenberg.

“I liked everything he said,” senior Hunter Vail said.

“He didn't talk about the faults of Mr. Trump and how he says will fix everything himself, but he talks about how you have to build up,” senior Ettore Gaytan said.

Oak Forest High School junior Christopher Jackowiak thought that Goldwater “elaborated well on the positive aspects of Republican control in the House and Senate and local government, and how this can bring positive change, and help rebound from any troubles that may have been caused by the Obama presidency or any liberal policies before that.”

Nolan said she had a chance to speak with Goldwater prior to his speech and talked about education.

“You should always take advantage of opportunities to hear from your politicians,” she said.

Radio talk show host and former Republican candidate for governor Dan Proft spoke briefly before the former congressman, saying politicians know what to do, they just lack the “political will.”

“If we can provide more political engagement, more people who are willing to change the culture, then we can have good government at the local level and be models for good government at the state level,” he said.

slafferty@tribpub.com