• IN THIS SECTION

May 24, 2008

Exclusive: Review: Day of Reckoning by Pat Buchanan

Martha Gies-Chumney

Pat Buchanan's penetratingly astute Day of Reckoning - How Hubris, Ideology and Greed are Tearing America Apart (Thomas Dunne, 2007) is a strident wakeup call for America. His premise, consistent with his staunch, conservative, values, is that America has lost its world leadership "...through ignorance of history, embrace of ideology and an arrogance of power-hubris." Buchanan posits that Americans must face immediately the existential question: "Will what separates us - race, ethnicity, culture, morality, and faith - prove stronger than what unites us?" Will E pluribus Unum soon be a relic of the past? Buchanan asserts that national cultural unity has all but disappeared.

Day of Reckoning is rich with historic detail á la Buchanan, and the author makes a strong case against our present, neoconservative foreign policy of "democratizing" the world as well as our capitalist dedication to the free market. He purports that national interest alone should dictate our foreign involvement. (This, in my opinion, creates ambiguity. Is the spreading of democracy in our national interest? Is the free market of today really free?)

Since the Gulf War, the United States has become "the policeman and peace keeper" of the world, yet American wars in the past have been fought for national ends. Buchanan asserts that we dangerously disregard the historical warning to steer clear of entangling political alliances. While Buchanan agreed with the invasion of Afghanistan, he says Bush's Axis of Evil rhetoric and the consequent invasion of Iraq was the "...worst strategic blunder in the history of the United States." Buchanan blames Bush's attack of Iraq on "arrogance of power." What Buchanan finds particularly objectionable is the ideology behind this "arrogance." The wisdom of the Iraq invasion is yet to be determined. I find it untenable; however, that arrogance of power was the motive behind Bush's action.

Buchanan opines further that dogmatic ideological belief in "free trade" is adversely affecting America's economy; witness a looming trade deficit and the loss of business and manufacturing overseas.

Both these premises, it seems, hinge on the definition of ideology. According to Random House Webster's College Dictionary, ideology is "the body of doctrine or thought that guides an individual, social movement, institution or group." Buchanan, however, prefers Russell Kirk's more ominous definition: "Ideology really means political fanaticism - and, more precisely, the belief that this world of ours can be converted into a Terrestrial Paradise through the operation of positive law and positive planning." This definition is overreaching to say the least. Buchanan further states, "For it was the conversion of George W. Bush to neoconservative ideology that took America into the war that destroyed his presidency and brought an end to the American Century." Semantics and prophecy are, alas, both disputable and fallible.

Buchanan believes that in addition to disastrous, interventionist foreign policy and a deleterious free market economy, the United States is experiencing an invasion of both legal and illegal immigrants from third world nations who are reluctant to assimilate into a first world United States. The result is a growingly Balkanized population, which does not share ethnicity, religion, language or history. Our politically correct and globally inclined governmental officials refuse to enforce the rule of law, further weakening the republic and leaving us with "identity politics and a bewildering array of ethnic and racial entitlements, and loss of liberty." The republic is lost when the beliefs of the people are no longer reflected in public policy.

Buchanan is not merely a curmudgeon who criticizes; he does have a clear and workable plan to save our country. He believes, as Reagan did, that there are simple answers - not easy answers - to these beleaguering problems: Americans must stop "waging democracy" and rebuild our military. In a morally disparate country, we must return to our belief in republicanism and participatory democracy. The states should be the final arbiter of the seemingly irreconcilable issues that plague and alienate Americans. Our judicial system should return to judicial review rather than judicial legislation. Checks and balances would once again be the viable safeguard that our forefathers envisioned.

Buchanan's plan to turn back the invasion of illegal aliens is comprehensive and achievable; no amnesty, a security fence from San Diego to Brownsville, enforcement of immigration laws against employers, mandatory employer verification of identity and Social Security numbers, restriction of all federal and state benefits, Justice Department support, congressional declaration that children born to illegal aliens are not automatic citizens, no chain migration, English as the official language, and a time out for all immigration.

"Economic patriotism" is needed to level the free market playing field. The bugaboo of "free-trade dogma" is, according to Buchanan, indeed bad for our country. (The catch here is that we do not practice real free trade.) Buchanan is correct is pointing out the need, however, for reform of U.S. tax laws especially our high corporate tax rates. He favored the Border Tax Equity Act 2007 which would have caused the shrinkage of the trade deficit, a sudden strengthening of the dollar, and a halt to the loss of U.S. manufacturers. Buchanan believes that Americans and politicians in general are ignorant of the beliefs of our Founding Fathers regarding economic independence, self-sufficiency, and manufacturing power. Our founders wanted foreigners to carry as much of our tax load as possible; therefore taxes on incomes and exports were prohibited by the Founding Fathers.

While Buchanan is often guilty of vitriolic hyperbole in Day of Reckoning, he will remain a strident American voice to be listened to and reckoned with for some time to come.

Print This E-mail This

Share It: