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.
Related Items
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:
Comments
Please familiarize yourself with our Code of Conduct and Terms of Use before posting your comments.
I have enjoyed the show for a long time - until today. I didn't hear any challenge to Buchanan's positions, just arrogant dismissals. While I surely don't agree with almost any of his positions - either now or in the past - the recent attitudes of the Neo-Liberalism, which is the most closed minded, dismissive "my-way-or-the-highway" arrogance, was disgustingly displayed. Even by Ms. Rehm. What would the outcry be if one was asked if they could vote for a homosexual, or a Muslim? Still, there is seemingly no compunction against asking Mr. Buchanan if he could vote for a Mormon. The last bastion of bigotry in this nation, at least the PC version, is religious intolerance. It's okay to slam a Christian, Mormon, or Catholic but speak your mind about a Muslim or other minority and you'll end up like Juan Williams. C'mon, NPR: at least make an appearance of balanced integrity.
Am I really hearing/reading this in 2012? Pat Buchanan's glory days, if there ever were any, are 20 years in the past; we're living in a whole new world now. The homogenous land of America in the past never really existed, and that's not where the answers to today's problems lie. It's common in these troubled times to look for The Other to blame for our problems: immigrants, those of different faiths, liberals, conservatives, anybody who isn't like us (whoever we may be). Mr. Buchanan seems to think that if we were all white and Christian, or at least pretended to be, inequalities would disappear. Not gonna happen as long as we as a society tolerate intolerance and refuse to respect diversity.
Until people like Buchanan recognize that they and the ultra right wing of the Republican party are a major part of the problem the country will be continued to be fractured. The greatness of this country comes from people like Steve Jobs not the Catholic Church. Jobs has created more value in this country and contributed more to the human experience then this man or his right wing thinkers could ever create. This group looks back to a former time that it thinks was a golden age but in reality didn't exist. It is like wrapping yourself in a Norman Rockwell image of the American experience.
lyndac wrote:
"I couldn't believe it when I tuned in to the show today and heard an obvious nut case talking. I didn't know at first who it was and when I found out I was dumbfounded! What were you thinking? Buchanan belongs on Fox news, not NPR. "
------------------------------------------------
What? PB&J is not employed by FOX News. PB&J not only belongs on MSNBC, PBS and NPR, but these are his usual stomping grounds. PB&J is the anti-Republican/conservative, which is why he is welcome with open arms by MSNBC/PBS and Diane Rehm.
Speak one language? At what point in our history? Maybe when the early settlers came from Europe they should have immediately started to speak Iorquois. Then again, would it be Iroquois or Mohican?
Diane,
I have so much respect for you and this show. I have been a listener for years because I can always find intellectually stimulating discussion led by your well informed, uncompromising and ever respectful style. But how could you stoop to the level of some of these other mindless incredible loud-mouth talk shows by giving this man a platform on WAMU? I mean really, you said at the top of the show that you've known Pat Buchanan for years. Surely you know that this country and the world will be better off when his views die along with the rest of the sad and shameful few of his generation who share them. There is no place in America for this kind of validation and pseudo-intellectualization of baseless views of the rich cultural landscape of America. Shame. Shame, shame, shame.
MS. Rehm needs practice at hiding her disdainful tone when interviewing invited guests who don't ascribe to her liberal bent.
I am a democrat and environmentalist. Some years ago I became convinced that the USA would be better off economically,socially and environmentally with a reduction in immigration. I feel the pre 1965 immigration act levels of immigration would be much better for our nation.
For daring to even think such a thing I have been labeled racist,nativist,anti immigrant,zenophobe and bigot. Mostly by those that benefit from immigration, pocket the profits, and pass all the social,economic and environmematl costs onto our communities.
I searched the media regularly trying to find those that produced stories on immigration that had a narrative other than immigration good, anyone wanting less immigration, very very bad.
Except for pat Buchanan, I have neved encountered anyone in the MSM that regularly spoke out for less immigration.
I think it is unAmerican to see so many people wanting to stop Pat Bucahanan from being able to speak out on the subject of immigration. Instead of articulating opposing arguments they prefer to silence his point of view by smearing him as racist and calling for his removal from all public media.
I want to thank Diane rehm for giving pat a chance to speak as his views on immigration are in fact, shared by the majority of America that wants to see less immigration and a stronger emphasis on assimilation and unity as a nation instead of a diversity that the majority must accomodate.
Finally, no one has spoken up more strongly on the war i Iraq, foreign trade and economic issues that impact the working class and little guy here in America more than Pat, and the working man and woman of all race color and creed has not had a stronger friend than pat in his outspokeness on the shafting of the american worker by the ruling classes.
Thank you Pat and Diane
Buchanan is asking the wrong question, so is America. Unity does not mean exclusivity. It implies that diversity is coming together.
Buchanan has focused on the consequences of a lack of diversity. But he needs to address the reasons why there is no more integration across the board in America. Why is there no more integration into the judeochristian culture or the italian or irish traditions; but also, why wouldn't everyone embrasse Arab culture, welcome Mexican food, celebrate Jewish holidays, dance to Riverdance or Reggae music?
I am a black African woman. A french speaking Muslim who grew up surrounded by this sense of unity in a multiethnic and religious country. I celebrate Christmas and welcome Passover; I teach the Koran to my children and borrow ideas from the bible and Torah. I have read Ghandi and have adopted several of his philosophies in my daily life. I am teaching French to my children, and the need to respect and celebrate each and all. I want them to dance to hip hop, appreciate mozart, feel comfortable in both wealthy and less wealthy neighborhoods.
So if Buchanan's concern is unity, why can't he see an america like I see it. Like he ought to see it. Has he ever been to a mosque with friends? Has he celebrated Eid with other Muslims? Has he discussed religion with buddists and Jews just for the fun of it? does he dare to walk in poor neighborhood like he is one of the residents? Does he have any Mexican-American friends or Native Americans co-workers?
Diversity makes us the greatest nation, a part of the ever more integrated world. We can be who we are and be close to others. Shed our fears of others and instead, walk in their shoes. This makes us better people. A better nation.
What Mr. Buchanan is trying to explain to those that want to keep the "Bill of Rights", FREEDOM and our National sovereignty, founded on Western values as outlined in President Washington's "Farewell Speech to the Nation" is, to put it simply.
An enemy has for a little over a Century been destroying the foundations of America that made us America. A group of enemies immigrated to the shores of America and instead of becoming a part of what was America, set out to destroy it by changeing it into a socialist/communist country under the rule of an iron fisted dictator.
"Immigration into America without assimilation is the DEATH of the Nation i.e Suicide of a Superpower."
I doubt very much if Ms. Rehm would have been as tolerant with a neoconservative author - say, someone like George Weigel - whose views did not coincide with hers on the Global War on Terrorism. Sadly, her relativistic ideas coincide with those of Mr. Buchanan when it comes to extending and defending religious and political freedom abroad. And they have a common interest in dividing people at home. Mr. Buchanan ought to get out more in Catholic circles, see how many Hispanics and other people from around the world share his social views. But no - he'd rather live in the past with Ozzy and Harriet, than uphold the faith and morals taught by the Church.
Obviously, Buchanan has no real knowledge of the history of our country's founding or he would know that it was many people with many different beliefs who came to this country in the 17th and 18th centuries who came together to form these United States.