Posted on 08/21/2006 9:08:47 AM PDT by churchillbuff
Unapologetically conservative and unfailingly provocative, Pat Buchanan has been firing from the right for most of the past four decades. In his new book, State of Emergency--out this week--the politician and omnipresent pundit confronts what he calls the immigrant "invasion and conquest of America." Buchanan, 67, talked with TIME's Jeff Chu about American identity, why conservatives will lose the culture wars and the rewards of being a cat lover.
The U.S. is in a state of emergency?
If we do not get control of our borders and stop this greatest invasion in history, I see the dissolution of the U.S. and the loss of the American Southwest--culturally and linguistically, not politically--to Mexico. It could become a part of Mexico in the way that Kosovo is now a part of Albania.
You liken the immigrant wave to the Visigoths who sacked Rome. Is that fair?
I'm predicting that America will no longer be one nation but more like the Roman Empire--a conglomerate of races and cultures held together by a regime. The country I grew up in was culturally united, even if it was racially divided. We spoke the same language, had the same faith, laughed at the same comedians. We were one nationality. We're ceasing to be that when you have hundreds of thousands of people who want to retain their own culture, their own language, their own loyalty. What do we have in common that makes us fellow Americans? Is it simply citizenship? Or is it blood, soil, history and heroes?
Your '92 Republican Convention speech put another culture war on the agenda. Who's winning?
It's not a battle of right and left but right and wrong. What do we believe about abortion? What do we believe about gay rights? The left has triumphed in seizing the heights of culture--the media, Hollywood, the academic community--and it's fiercely competitive in the political realm. I don't think someone of Bill Clinton's views could have been elected in, say, 1972. And we wouldn't be debating gay marriage in the 1970s. People would have said, "Are you insane?"
Do you think legal gay marriage is inevitable?
Traditionalists still have the upper hand, but there's no doubt which way the trend is going. And it is not going the conservative way.
Can conservatives win the culture wars?
Those of us on the right have been losing ground since the 1970s and '80s. Can we ultimately win? I think you would need a reconversion of the country to a traditionalist, Christian point of view--and I don't see that coming.
You ran for President three times, most recently in 2000. Will you again?
The American people have spoken on that issue. But I loved campaigning. Everywhere you go, people are saying, "Go, Pat, go!" It's like the NFL play-offs, and you're captain of one of the teams. But as [British politician] Enoch Powell once said, "All political lives end in failure."
How would you rate President Bush?
On some things--the Supreme Court, tax cuts--I give him an A-plus. On foreign policy, I give him an incomplete. If it doesn't improve, it's going to be failure. I don't believe interventionism is the way to deal with rising Islamic revolution. We're seen in the Middle East as an imperial power propping up corrupt regimes and giving Israel the wherewithal to do what they did to Lebanon. The President is widely reviled.
You sound a bit like Cindy Sheehan!
Anybody that knows Pat Buchanan knows we're not dealing with Cindy Sheehan here. [Laughs]
I was surprised to read that the animal-rights group PETA gave you an award last year.
I think it was most improved player! I've always been a cat fan, and my magazine ran a couple of articles saying, "Let's stop cruelty to animals." I've always been disgusted by that, even though I'm not a vegetarian.
I confess I always think Pat Buchanan seems to take things so seriously. What do you do for a laugh?
I read the newspapers. There's so much silliness and nonsense going on.
Pat is probably right on this issue, but even a moron can be right from time to time.
Buchanan is Catholic. To my knowledge, he is not a racist. Some of his statements regarding Israel have been hostile toward the Jewish state. After a few too many drinks, he may, like Mel Gibson, blame the Jews for all the wars.
LOL.
Truth to Tell, Pat is not a nut, he is simply that voice on the shoulder of the Republican Party, that whispers both nothings and substance into its ear. Nothing much has changed on where he is right or wrong, and of course Time wants to brand all Pubbies as nuts, which is why they ran him.
Also, the influx is putting a strain on our infrastructure.
""It's not a battle of right and left but right and wrong. What do we believe about abortion? What do we believe about gay rights? The left has triumphed in seizing the heights of culture--the media, Hollywood, the academic community--and it's fiercely competitive in the political realm. I don't think someone of Bill Clinton's views could have been elected in, say, 1972. And we wouldn't be debating gay marriage in the 1970s. People would have said, "Are you insane?" ""
"The country I grew up in was culturally united, even if it was racially divided. We spoke the same language, had the same faith, laughed at the same comedians. We were one nationality. We're ceasing to be that when you have hundreds of thousands of people who want to retain their own culture, their own language, their own loyalty. What do we have in common that makes us fellow Americans? Is it simply citizenship?"
This is the real question, how can you exist as a nation state if there is no national identity. Times has changed immigrants no longer gets assimilated. I belive that this will lead to increased political corruption and racial politics.
Pat Buchanan might be right on this issue, but in general, he's a nut. My head isn't "in the sand" just because I believe Buchanan does more harm than good. If he's really so concerned about our country's survival, perhaps he should support the war on terrorism as much as he supports tighter policies on illegal immigration.
ping
American Airlines does the safety presentation on the planes before takeoff in English and Spanish now.
Blew me away when flying to NYC yesterday.
The balkanization of the US continues.
Try 20 years. However, riddle me this: where is some of the most expensive real estate in the US located?
Ever watch the novellas (Mexican soap operas) on the many SoCal TV stations? They portray a lifestyle enjoyed by upper-crust Mexicans.
The pyramid scheme that exists in Latin America is being recreated here. It ain't so bad when you're on the top.
here I was, expecting another pat-bot to attack me, and instead I find a highly intellegent person, capable of very rational opinions. You have renewed my faith in free republic.....
Could it be maybe that the generous welfare state voted in by white Californians shouldn't have been put in place to begin with?
Buchanan does support the WOT. He just doesn't support some aspects of it.
I am a catholic. We support israel, and the jewish people. Pat is no more a catholic than I am a hindu ( sorry to you people of hindu faith, I did not mean to shove pat down your throats )
In other words, while illegals have made the situation worse, it was the palefaces who created to socialist paradise of California years ago.
Both wrong. Pat is neither a nut or a moron. He's a very intelligent fellow, who lets his isolationism and dislike of Zionism lead him astray at times.
???????????????????????please explain your remark...
The "Blood and soil" slogan has already been used. Blut und Boden
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