DAY OF RECKONING: How Hubris, Ideology and Greed Are Tearing America Apart [Hardcover]

Pat Buchanan's latest book ("Day of Reckoning") cuts through the irrelevancy of today's politics and political correctness and clearly identifies the major threats to continuing our standard of living and world leadership. Mincing no words, he states that "America is coming apart . . . we are on a path to national suicide." Going on, he points out that we are being taken over by the greatest invasion in history (from Mexico) that is adding to the existing fragmentation of our culture and unity. European-Americans comprised 89% of the U.S. when JFK became President - now it is down to 66% and sinking further.

Buchanan sees our invasion from Mexico as a bigger threat than anything happening in Afghanistan and Iraq! Between 10 and 20 percent of all Mexicans, Central Americans and Caribbean people have already moved into the United States, about one in twelve here illegally has a criminal record (95% of the 1,200-1,500 warrants for homicide in L.A. target illegal aliens, and diseases once stamped out America such as drug-resistant TB, syphilis, and leprosy are surfacing in city after city.

Meanwhile, we act as though Social Security and Medicare are on sound footing, convince each other that free trade and the loss of millions of jobs through outsourcing to Asia is good, and ignore the hollowing out of American manufacturing that won WWII. As corporate CEOs rake in millions in pay and stock options, workers' pay stagnates and declines, and worker pensions and health care benefits also deteriorate. At the same time, the dollar sinks to new lows and may be abandoned by OPEC and Asian nations (creating financial chaos and high inflation in the U.S.), our enormous trade ($6 trillion; negative for 31 straight years) and federal ($9 trillion)deficits continue to rise - along with unfunded Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security liabilities ($59 trillion), our infrastructure deteriorates for lack of repair funds, and foreign nations buy up assets strategic to our national security. And if that isn't bad enough, Bush's speeches (eg. "Axis of Evil," "we'll not tolerate any challenge to our military might") and actions (eg. ending the ABM treaty with Russia, enlisting 6 former Warsaw Pact nations and 3 former Soviet republics into NATO - despite promises not to do so, planning ABMs in some of these Soviet-sphere nations) alienates Russia and many others.

While this "perfect storm" wrought by hubris and cult-thinking continues to weaken America, China and Russia are steadily becoming stronger. Fortunately, Buchanan is equally clear and on-target in his recommendations. Let's close most of our 1,000-some foreign bases and bring the troops home, stop meddling in other nations' affairs - eg. constantly telling Russia what to do and encouraging internal dissidents, secure our borders and culture (an effective double-line border fence, no-longer granting citizenship to the babies of illegals, crack down on employers continually hiring illegals, an Eisenhower-type deportation program beginning with all aliens convicted of felonies and every gang member who is not a citizen of the United States, mandate English as our official language, and a "timeout" on legal immigration), levy a 20% tax on imports and use the proceeds to lift taxes on our own manufacturers, and purge the neo-cons and "cake-walk" crowd from government. Finally, to help tamp down the culture wars Buchanan suggests a return to federalism and Congressionally mandated restrictions on the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

"Day of Reckoning" shows Buchanan as very knowledgeable and insightful. If only he were president! These problems would definitely be less pressing, and Americans would have a more positive sense of direction.

First, I suggest that readers read chapter 8-"Day Of Reckoning" first than the book in its entirety. Mr. Buchanan knows his history well & is eloquent throughout. He ignores political correctness to deliver a truth many want to ignore. He states "America is coming apart... we are on a path to national suicide."

The intro is a superb synopsis of modern history. I hope Strobe Talbott's dire prediction on pages 3-6 & Niall Ferguson's on page 16 do not come true? The Walter Cronkite's of the world be damned! The world does not need a "one world government!" I ask all the readers of this book to ask their older relatives about the validity of the author's statements on page 7? I think the answer is yes?

Ch-1 "The End Of The Pax Americana," pages 24-5 are the most poignant.
Ch-2 "The End Of A Unipolar World," the title is self explanitory with pages 34-9 & 45-6 detailing the growth of our government's hubris, as in the neo-cons imperialistictic tendencies.
Ch-3 "The Gospel Of George Bush," He gives plenty of historical examples of flawed ideologies from many societies. Including covering the mistakes from Presidents Jefferson to Wilson to Bush. The most informative were pages 69-FDR's blunders, 76-8 just how opposite the west & Islam are. On page 103, was John Adam's right?
Ch-4 "Imperial Overstretch," Mr. Lippmann was correct about our nations foreign policy often being bankrupt. Which means our liabilities outweigh our assets, pages 116-20 show huge waste of these liabilities.
Ch-5 "Who Shall Inherit The Earth?" The crucial question is, if the USA's best days are behind us? Who will become the most influential twentyfirst century society? Was Oswald Spengler right that the west has declined for good? Will it be the European Union, an Islamic Caliphate, China, a united asia, a world government, the north American union, or a second American century? Good god, let it be the latter.
Ch-6 "Deconstructing America," where we came from & who we became pages 169-79. Why the PC cult of diversity is disuniting the USA pages 179-89. Ch-7 "Colony Of The World," how the ideology of free trade is not fair trade pages 191-205. The results are detailed from pages 206-33.
Ch-8 "Day Of Reckoning," here Mr. Buchanan is logical in his proposed solutions. Although, I am not sure if our society would actually favor them?

First, we should close most of our 1,000 foreign bases & bring the troops home. Second, avoid other nations affairs that do not affect our country. Third, secure our borders & culture. By no longer granting citizenship to babies of illegals, cracking down hard on those who employ them, have an Eisenhower type of deportation program, mandate English as our official language, have a moratorium on legal immigration, levy a 20% tax on imports while using the proceeds to remove taxes on our own manufacturers.

Lastly, to help cool down the culture wars{traditionalists vs. secularists} he suggests a return to federalism & congressionally mandated restrictions on the powers of the Supreme Court. Whether the reader will agree or not with the authors thesis & recommendations does not matter. You will ultimately find this a fascinating read.

This is Pat Buchanan's best attempt yet to articulate how America is headed for the edge of the abyss and must turn aside if it wants to survive.

He casts America's problems into a clearer light by using the lessons of history as background and perspective. (The quote from Euripides, I used as a title is found on page 238).

He explains the Utopian visions of idealoges from Milton to Wilson as the basis for much of the Bush administrations flawed foreign policy. In fact he spends almost half the book in a detailed analysis of the Bush Doctrine and his critique of why they are both unobtainable and not in America's best interest to even pursue.

This, sadly, will alienate a large part of his natural audience - those of conservative views - who are steadfast Bush supporters.

That is truly unfortunate, because the problems he describes in the other parts of the book are far more important then the eight year tenure of one particular president.

He presents a lot of unpalatable truths - for example, in a very real and literal sense, Europe is dying. The birthrate has fallen well below replacement levels and the French and Germans and Italians will one day be gone. Vanished into the footnotes of history.

To those of a globalist perspective, this does not matter. We are all citizens of the world - nationalities are irrelevant.

But it really does matter. A homogenized world, with everyone the same, doing the same things, eating the same food, wearing the same clothes would be devoid of savor. A song with only one note. A menu with only one item - Spam.

He explains, once again, with not only unassailable statistics but deep and logical analysis why outsourcing jobs to China and other low cost countries does irredeemable harm to both the United States as a nation and to 99% of it's people. How support for "Free Trade" has become like religious dogma and any criticism is rank heresy!

Domestic Manufacturing is important! It is the source of real wealth and productivity. It is the strength of a nation, the sinews that can be turned from consumer goods to military production in times of emergency.

It is the well spring the encourages (and pays for) the majority of innovation and R & D. It is the engine that lifts multitudes up the ladder of economic success into the middle class.

He also once again reminds us that the current wave of illegal immigration from South of the border is unprecedented both in scope and in the unnaturally passive response from our Federal government. No other nation in history has voluntarily committed cultural suicide.

The most inspiring part of the book is also in a way the most disappointing. He describes the "Great Divide" that has developed in America. Where the two sides can not agree on what the nation is or should be. They can't even agree on the basics of right and wrong, or what constitutes good and evil. He offers no hope for compromise.

Here was a chance, in this chapter, to reach out to the other side. To say - this is too important for any partisan discussion, the very life of the nation is in danger. There is nothing like a real emergency to bring people together. The problems is the two sides are not even talking. Pat's hard work and careful analysis wont even be read by the liberals.

They will dismiss him out of hand as that right wing crackpot and go back to their comfort zone.

How many of them, when push comes to shove, would actually sacrifice their children's future on the alter of political correctness? Could they, if given a free choice, make a reluctant alliance with their philosophical enemies for the sake of the nation?

One would certainly hope so. But the lack of communication - of making even a frank discussion about things like the true impact of illegal immigration beyond the pale - does not bode well for the future of this country.