Patrick Buchanan: "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-10-25/patrick-buchanan-suicide-superpower-will-america-survive-2025
William Sorenson
Patrick Buchanan is no stranger to controversy. At the 1992 Republican national convention, he described the nation as engaged in “a religious war … a cultural war …for the soul of America.” A decade later, he wrote a book predicting the U.S. would be a Third World nation by 2050. Another ten years, two wars, a recession and a debt crisis later, he says America could now be on the verge of national suicide. He offers a plan to turn the country around, including cutting the military, freezing federal salary and benefits and a moratorium on immigration. Pat Buchanan offers his opinions about the fate of the country.
Guests
Patrick Buchanan
syndicated columnist, former adviser to three American presidents, Reform Party's presidential candidate in 2000.
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Read an Excerpt
From "Suicide of a Superpower" by Patrick Buchanan. Copyright 2011 by Patrick Buchanan. All rights reserved. Reprinted here by permission of Thomas Dunne Books:
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so PB agrees with the pope when it comes to homosexuality but not when it comes to something he doesn't like? Neither one is about faith and morals>
Surely the reason the US is in (terminal?) decline is that the massive problems facing the country are not being addressed by Republicans or Democrats. Each party prefers to attack the other rather than engage in a rational debate about issues and solutions that are best for the country rather than the vested interest groups that pay the massive amounts that are required to get them elected.
Consequently since elected representatives do not represent them effectively
people turn other groups: their church, their ethnic group etc.
The world is changing. America must change in order to save our country. Hanging on to the past will only insure our doom.
To answer Diane's question what is different now, it essentially has to do with the huge expansion of the social welfare state. When the Irish, Italians, Polish, Jews, Germans and the other Western European immigrants came to America, it was a very simply formula you worked your tail off or you starved. There was not food stamps, compulsory education, or social security. Today when an illegal immigrant who in most instances pays no federal taxes that do not offset the services that they utilized. It costs over $11,000 per year to educate one child in the public school system. If an illegal immigrant comes to this country and has two children who automatically become US citizens and he pays no federal income tax we as a society pay for that free rider. Under the same example lets assume one of the children have a serious medical problem and the child's bill is $50,000, of course that costs is passed along to all of us which is one reason why we pay $10 for a Tylenol at a hospital to cover the costs of the indigent. The other point to be made is when the aforementioned Western Europeans came here they did not teach German or Italian in the schools, so they were forced to assimilate.
If the United States does not survive as a super power or we break up into two or more separate nations why is that necessarily bad?
The past harmony in this country is a bizarre and dangerous fantasy not supported by any facts.
This country did improve considerably and if we can resist people like Buchanan, we may still progress. I would like to be bilingual and speak Spanish. It sounds so much better than English.
I visited Montreal and was impressed with that city's and its bilingual culture.
kathleen wrote:
"Marcus
Show us where he has made anti Jewish claims. He has criticized Israel, US support and the disproportionate amount of influence that Israel and the I lobby has over US foreign policy."
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In a 1977 column, Buchanan said that despite Hitler's anti-Semitic and genocidal tendencies, he was "an individual of great courage...Hitler's success was not based on his extraordinary gifts alone. His genius was an intuitive sense of the mushiness, the character flaws, the weakness masquerading as morality that was in the hearts of the statesmen who stood in his path." (The Guardian, 1/14/92)
PB&J has learned to be somewhat circumspect in his views on Jews/Israel/Holocaust since his 1990's columns. But those columns defending ex-Nazis, Arthur Rudolph, Karl Linnas, Kurt Waldheim, Klaus Barbie, John Demjanjuk, his anti-Israel stance, and his Holocaust denials, are legendary and inescapable. Even William F. Buckley in 1990 wrote a 20,000 word essay on Buchanan that concluded: "I find it impossible to defend Pat Buchanan against the charge" of anti-Semitism."
Pat
I watched and listened to you on the MSNBC stage in Denver during the Democratic convention in 2008. You were saying some mighty positive things about Obama. Know you were angry with the Bush adminstrations war in Iraq and massive spending.
In front of that stage I called out "come on out of the closet Pat" You looked over your glasses and smiled...Pat did you vote for OBama? Come on out Pat
I think it was a brave gesture to bring in Mr Buchanan to the program. It seems that Mr Buchanan is OK for white diversity in US but NOT diversity of any other color. Why in the same breath he is calling German, Irish and Italian as a similar groups but is referring to every other groups as different?....He is just popularizing his extreme view to sell his book...!! These extreme views are nothing new but ethnic diversity of America is not only inevitable but a necessity...!!!...Who else will harvest our crops or fix a roof 100 feet above ground..???...NOT Mr Buchanan for sure...!!!
it seems that as long as PB agrees with something - like Nixon - then it's OK but if he doesn't agree then it's wrong. Like Truman.
Wrong problems Mr. Buchanan. The problem is that we now have many more people than can be effectively represented in our form of government.
Oh my goodness what a stale stuck-in-the past view of America, Nationalism and his beloved Nixon. Please DO NOT take this man as representing MY beloved Catholic Faith, he does not. His books should be shelved or used for pavestones somewhere in need. Grazie
What's truly sickening about Pat is that he thinks this is all funny. I know that many republicans like to bring up what the democratic party did in the past, but the reality is that today's democratic party is the not the same party it was in the 1950s. The same is true of the republican party. They are the party of Lincoln in name only. Many of the democrats from that time shifted allegiance to the party and went over to the rebuplican party over issues of civil rights.
I just registered on this site so I could let you know, Diane, that I turned my radio off in the middle of this "interview" with the racist Buchanan. I don't understand why you even gave him this platform to help him sell his book. I do understand you try to be diverse and give people equal opportunity, but this person, Buchanan, has been around for what seems to be my lifetime and we all know what his opinions and thoughts are on everything and we don't need to hear his pompous and racist views over and over again. I am extremely disappointed in you and NPR for even considering giving him airtime on your show.
This is one of the reasons I am reconsidering my support of NPR.
Long time listener who wishes to express disappoint in the show for the first time ever. Giving Pat Buchanan a platform today was, in my opinion, a regrettable decision. I will still listen every morning, I was simply shocked and appalled by today's guest.
As a Christian, I would add that he divides his kind of Christian from all other kinds. Aren't most of the Latino immigrants also Christians? In reality, it's not about religion for him; it's about race and about agreement with his views on a narrow range of issues--many of which have no basis whatever in Christian thought.
jonesy wrote:
oh and btw, we never had to advertise in german, italian, gaelic like we do with the hispanics. they actually assimilated. there is a difference.
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Jonesy you need to go into any historical archive in any major city and look through pictures of german ghettos and german language newspapers prior to WWI. You might change your mind.
PS the same can be said for italian and to a lesser extent Irish communities. St Patricks day started as a means of projecting Irish pride in the US--not cultural assimilation of the irish.
There is a discussion that was missed here, that is whether Buchanan's equating superpower with the health of the nation is a legitimate assumption or not. One example to point to is the mass of immigrants coming from central and south America, that Buchanan is so afraid of, are largely escaping the terror in their home countries created by the U.S. superpower. The history of the melting pot is also a history of incredible violence, if you are critical of this violence you don't hate your country you hate violence against people. Buchanan seems to have a callous disregard for the people's lives that were destroyed in the process of developing an American empire.
Patrick Buchanan is a pompous fool. I am an ex catholic because the church lost its way and I found the U U church. Every other statement out of Buchanan, is full of hate, prejudice , and self-indulgent.. Over and over he declares that White male Christians made and own America, America will collapse if white male Christens become a minority. He seems to support forcing the Native Americans to speak the tough of its cruel invaders, in the name of the God of his believe.
He in the past has said Irish Americas have a right to parade and wave there flag but Mexican Americans do not have the right to parade with the flag of Mexico.
He insists that LGBT citizens have no civil rights because of his religious beliefs (the ones that supported the rights of slave holders) declare it is so….
All todays show proofed is that Patrick is a sad, old, Christian Bigot, that misses the good old days of White male land owners, ‘slave owners, only can vote, days . Of the glorious past
Thank you for having Mr. Buchanan on the show today. Hearing the justifications for his answers and how he deflected questions by going on tangents and unrelated stories allows people to understand where the arguments of irrational people break down. Also it gives people a glimpse at the thinking behind Republican leadership today
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U are right.....I am a Hindu but was appalled at his complete lack of knowledge about Christianity...Aren't the Moremens Christians too...???...This is completely wrong....!!!!!.....This was a complete disappointment....!!!
Mr. Buchanan poses a false choice in his new book “Suicide Of A Superpower”. Just like some conservatives confuse weather with climate, Mr. Buchanan confuses homogeneous society with unity. The fact is, we can be diverse and united, and this is one of our core strengths that made the USA great. Mr. Buchanan’s simplistic understanding is dangerous and represents the real challenge America must overcome.
Mr. Buchanan poses a false choice in his new book “Suicide Of A Superpower”. Just like some conservatives confuse weather with climate, Mr. Buchanan confuses homogeneous society with unity. The fact is, we can be diverse and united, and this is one of our core strengths that made the USA great. Mr. Buchanan’s simplistic understanding is dangerous and represents the real challenge America must overcome.
William F. Buckley in 1990 wrote a 20,000 word essay on Buchanan that concluded: "I find it impossible to defend Pat Buchanan against the charge of anti-Semitism."
Buchanan is not celebrated by true conservatives, which is why MSNBC showcases PB&J and never had on Buckley.
Finding a new sense of unity is hard work, and Pat is legitimately pointing out the frictions that result as we reach for that greater sense of inclusion.
The problems that have resulted after we acknowledge Pat's facts (L.A. soccer) and analysis of the past (the 60's changed everything) cannot be solved by reactionary, authoritarian enforcement of the unifying factors that accompanied that past. That's "same level" thinking (ref: famous Einstein quote).
Common language did help create unity and assimilation, but it may not be the way we reach a new sense of unity at some level, perhaps even "beyond nationality". Even if we choose not to shed our nationality, as Pat does not, we still may be in a period where what it mean to be American may be changing.
To emphasize the advantages of common language, for example, encourages griping about the friction involved in a greater unity, especially by people who would prefer that change would stop happening.
It's worth noticing the friction, but the solution will not be found in conditions that existed in the past, but in an evolving vision that is difficult to imagine or see from our current viewpoint.
I didn’t know what to think your guest today, I been listeners of NPR for the past two years and the reason is because of its neutral, intelligent, and informative discussions of its program. So when I was listing to your show I thought for a minute I am listing to one of Extremist or radical view of “some” news channels. From my understanding, what your guest basically says that the reason of decline of America is because the decline of “white Christian American”, so correct me if am wrong? Thank you.
Finding a new sense of unity is hard work, and Pat is legitimately pointing out the frictions that result as we reach for that greater sense of inclusion.
The problems that have resulted after we acknowledge Pat's facts (L.A. soccer) and analysis of the past (the 60's changed everything) cannot be solved by reactionary, authoritarian enforcement of the unifying factors that accompanied that past. That's "same level" thinking (ref: famous Einstein quote).
Common language did help create unity and assimilation, but it may not be the way we reach a new sense of unity at some level, perhaps even "beyond nationality". Even if we choose not to shed our nationality, as Pat does not, we still may be in a period where what it mean to be American may be changing.
To emphasize the advantages of common language, for example, encourages griping about the friction involved in a greater unity, especially by people who would prefer that change would stop happening.
It's worth noticing the friction, but the solution will not be found in conditions that existed in the past, but in an evolving vision that is difficult to imagine or see from our current viewpoint.
radaridley wrote:
"So when I was listing to your show I thought for a minute I am listing to one of Extremist or radical view of “some” news channels."
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And that "some" channels happens to be the liberal MSNBC and PBS's "The McLaughlin Group." PB&J goes together with MSNBC and PBS just like, well,... PB&J.
Pat,
I give you so much credit for subjecting yourself to this type of manipulation. It is unfortunate again to see Diane not being fair with you. She brought up Nixon in a way to reflect on you and stated he was booted because he lied, cheated and did this and that. However I did not hear mention of any lying, cheating etc,.. by say former President Clinton? As if to imply Nixon was somehow worse. A liar and cheat is still a liar and cheat no matter what your values are. Simply put I'm glad to hear you on here. However this is a liberal group that is only going to use anything you say to somehow manipulate to support there perspective. Public radio does not serve the Public at large fairly. Again I've been saying this for years the most intolerant of idea's and the most narrow minded are the Liberals. If you don't believe in there views there not going to fair. You have been fair with the callers but have they been fair with you? I get it by the way. And History unfortunately is going to prove you right! At which point Liberals will somehow blame some one,.. anyone but themselves for what we will finally succumb to. Change is coming as it has been for the last thirty or forty years. As our national heritage and self respect erodes. All that will be left is a once great country formed with the greatest of purpose and intention. But one that by it's own tolerance did not defend it's imperfectness. We allow our Country to fall instead of seeing clearly the good and the bad fairly and growing from it.
Yes you are wrong. Again be open minded to what Pat's saying. Don't let the driver(Diane) take you down the wrong road. Listen carefully and judge fairly based on what Pat is saying not what others are trying to say Pat is saying. It is not about color nor about intolerance but quite the reverse. He did not even allude to anything hateful or self indulging. Again many to of you are proving you are the ones who are narrow minded and intolerant. You can only spew out hate!