Thursday, April 2, 2009

An Ode to Pat Buchanan

Just in case my recent use of the GOP as a foil for bad social science research and my raving over the Solidarity Party in Spain (see below) makes anyone think I lost my fond memories of reading Edmund Burke and other great conservative minds, here is one who I find myself reading, disagreeing with, nodding my head, and hoping he keeps on going: Pat Buchanan.

Yes, he has said some things that really ring my ears like, "Ten years after NAFTA, Mexico's leading export to America is still--Mexicans. America is becoming Mexamerica," in his popular books like, Where the Right Went Wrong, but he also writes--in the very same book--things like, "The Bush Doctrine is a prescription for permanent war for permanent peace, though wars are the death of republics."

My point is this: We need more of his ilk in public discourse, not less. If you don't want to read his books, and since I would never recommend that you watch television, you may want to read him here, at his active blog and website.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Pat Buchanan is a nationalist, which is one small step from fascist. I find their (nationists) rising strength one of the more dangerous political developments in the United States. We're seeing the re-emasculation of the fringes of modernized, Depression-era populism in socialist and nationalist ideologies and people like Buchanan, regardless of how civil he is, are all over it. What's worse is that he cites some sort of Catholic basis for his anti-immigrant, pro-isolation beliefs. Personally I hope he stops.

samrocha said...

Roc: You're right. But, he is a Jesuit educated nationalist. Which means that he holds his ideas accountable to giving reasons based in reading and other smart things. Maybe this is a sign of the times, but that is a much higher standard than most these days. Like or not (and I mostly don't like his ideas), we need more people to use this rather odd t methodology rooted in erudition and exegesis, I think. And that's my point. Plus, I grew up listening to him on the radio...

brogonzo said...

I remember when he came to speak at Franciscan. The rules were that he wasn't allowed to campaign, so instead he gave an informational talk called, "Why it would be Awesome if Pat Buchanan was President."