Where The Right Went Wrong
I'm currently "reading" the book by Mr Patrick Buchanan, with the above title, in its abridged form on compact disc. It is a fascinating study of the recent history of our foreign policy, and how we got where we are today. The reviews at Amazon.com are worth reading as well, even the negative ones. Of course, I tend to agree with him on practically everything. It's hard not to agree with a man who makes such good sense, and argues his case with such Thomistic precision. If America does not discern the liabilities of being an empire, and return to her origins as a republic, she will go the way of all past empires. History has told us so, as does Mr Buchanan. In this respect, he's right on target.
Then again, I have yet to delve into his thoughts on immigration policy, but I am already familiar with them. I can support the idea of securing our borders. But the line for legal entry is longer than it needs to be, and his comments elsewhere on the fear of multi-culturalism as a divisive factor in American life, are a bit over the top.
Ah, for the good old days, when patriotic Americans used to speak of the Irish in the exactly same manner!
Something to consider, Paddy, me boy!
2 comments:
I find it funny how conservatives love to quote George Washington's theory of America (farewell address, etc.,) *when it suits them (e.g., immigration or religion), but ignore it on matters of foreign policy.
Buchanan is the only true philosophical Washingtonian of national prominence.
Unless PJB's views on immigration have changed in the last 20 years, a brief (and perhaps unfair) summary is: 1) We should be careful to allow only as many immigrants as we can assimilate in any given period of time; and 2) we should welcome people of the Judaeo-Christian culture much more liberally than those of other cultures.
These remain eminently sensible. Looking at US immigration practices as a whole, seems to me that until 1960 (or so) these principles were operative.
It is reasonable to believe that Mohammedans are not going to assimilate--they have not done so in Europe--why should it be different here? And the same is true (but in a less threatening way) with Buddhists/Confucians.
It is the CULTURE, which ia based on CULT, which determines "assimilability," thus cohesiveness in pursuing the National Interest.
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