Not passing NAFTA/GATT would not have resulted in protectionism. Those systems are managed trade, not free trade. Our prosperity and economic liberty have been managed away by design.
Interesting point of view from Mr. Buchanan, but it fails to take into account that we only have one party, the uniparty.
No truer statement was ever made. The GOP is, in fact, a sorry bunch of losers who have let their second-tier power and lifestyle of ease and appeasement rot their brains.
They are in the midst of a surrender that will sell the sovereignty of my country down the crapper. If they think there will be no repercussions, then they are indeed as clueless as they seem. It will be a cold day in hell before I ever vote for one of them again.
A little bit of hyperbole since middle America primarily votes Republican. But he brings up some good historical points.
The clothing industry, the steel industry and many other manufacturing industries went out of business in America in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The auto industry survives but had to be bailed out by taxpayers.
Jobs went overseas long before the presidency of Bush I. The only question was whether American corporations could survive or would be gradually destroyed along with the manufacturing in the U.S.
NAFTA had many flaws but it was not the problem.
Today illegals have more rights than most Americans. They drive without insurance. They commit crimes. They get many fraudulent identities and are never prosecuted. They go to emergency rooms and get free medical care.
The politicians have betrayed America. The elections are fraudulent. The middle class is being slowly forced out of existence.
ummmm... none of that happened until NAFTA and the clintons... which was catalyzed by the death of Sam Walton, which opened then door to walmart replacing the American made goods to chinese made goods. this was all put into motion while HRClinton was on the board of directors at walmart. once they took office, they cemented the trade status of china and the push to offshore manufacturing began.
now, i’m no fan of anyone pushing for bigger govt and one world order (the biggest govt)... but let’s try to keep the facts straight.
Secondly, the discussion of this topic changes once you realize that these immigrants aren't being brought to the U.S. not as cheap labor, but as new customers. For most leaders in corporate America, it doesn't matter if they are productive citizens, or even if they are employed at all. A welfare queen is a huge business opportunity for many industries, including the largest industry of all here in the U.S. -- government.
"Middle America" spent the last 40 years aborting a huge portion of its next generation away. It's no coincidence that the number of immigrants (illegal or not) in the U.S. since then is almost identical to the number of our own progeny who have been eradicated since Roe v. Wade.
“The party went with the folks who paid for their campaigns, only to lose the folks who had given them their landslides.”
Pat nails it here.
And to think the GOPe is considering to run Romney again in 2016...unbelievable but not surprising knowing the base has stopped contributing leaving only the mega millionare mega egos like Romney to feast on the carcass of the GOP.
Is it really only about who has the money and desire?
But then Ted Cruz has money behind him and a desire. Why won’t the GOPe get behind him?
Obviously there are aspects of ideology and membership that reflect GOPe decisions made behind the scenes. Bush and the NWO crowd are symbols of what drive the GOPe. This is what underlies the real partition between the ruling class and the country class.
And with the Axis of Soros supporting the takeover of State Secretaries of State and county election offices, the ‘folks’ who have made past landslides possible, that is to say the grassroots voters, become IRRELEVANT in the margins of critical urban county battle sites.
And that’s not all.
The taxpayer is becoming IRRELEVANT. The Federal Reserve is now an international body that participates in trading platforms with CIA as a contractor. I know it sounds strange to many and it is difficult to understand, but the Fed is propping up the US federal government which in turn props up state governments. The Fed also props up other nation states; the USA is no exception. The US taxpayer is becoming lost in the noise.
The Tax code exists only to cut the grass; translation: keep certain types of grassroot blades from getting all uppity like Ted Cruz and his Tea Party terrorists.
All of above reflects a willingness by the GOPe to gravitate away from its base and towards international power and money. In other words, they are sellouts.
If the GOP thinks they can get away with voting for an Amnesty for these illegal alians they had better think again.
Just because the Democrats have this country so screwed up doesn’t mean the Repulicans will be a shoe-in in 2016.
If they vote to dilute my constitutional rights by giving them to 2000000 illegals I’ll stay home.Afterall my vote will mean nothing anyway.
Free Trade doesn’t work. No evidence it does.
In fact, the biggest supporters of Illegal Alien Amnesty are the biggest supporters of Free Trade
I’d rather pay tariffs than welfare checks and govt programs. It costs a lot less in the long run. Unfortunately Free Traders prefer Income Taxes
Pat Buchanan sometimes crosses the line, and can be objectionable.
This is NOT one of those times.
Pat Buchanan completely, nails it in this article. He is 100% right.
Completely.
We have sold American success.
American success, has been sold to of all places ... COMMUNIST CHINA.
American businesses need to wake up, and stop selling out their very own success.
Bring back American jobs. I’m completely series.
Now.
Wow, we agree on something.
There is nothing wrong with trade reciprocity.
Thanks, interesting read.
screw free trade!!
Most of the GOP was never sincere in opposing amnesty to begin with. They paid lip service to it in order to make their conservative constituents think they were actually doing something. The GOP could have fought on this issue if it wanted to - it didn't.
Sorry, but losers do not dictate terms. Rich Trumka of the AFL-CIO says amnesty is no longer enough. Illegal aliens must be put on a path to citizenship and given green cards to work — and join unions.
Trumka and other labor leaders who support amnesty for illegals are unwittingly cutting their own throats. Labor unions used to oppose illegal immigration because they realized that nothing undercuts wages like "undocumented" labor. But apparently toeing the liberal Democrat line on EVERY issue trumps their alleged concern for falling wages.
Rep. Paul Ryan and the Wall Street Journal are for throwing in the towel. Legalize them all and start them on the path to citizenship.
They aren't "throwing in the towel." They were against deportation and enforcing immigration laws from the get-go. And anybody who is stupid enough to believe the latest GOP con (i.e. "we'll give them amnesty if we get border enforcement in return") is in for a big surprise. These con artists have no more interest in keeping another wave of illegal third world immigrants out than they have in getting rid of the ones we already have.
Incidentally, have you noticed how pro-amnesty Republicans seem to hold the border enforcement issue hostage? Why should we bypass laws that are already on the books to give amnesty, and then and only then then talk about enforcing existing laws?
Amnesty is a line in the sand for me. I’ll just stop voting after 40+ years of voting for the most conservative republican available.
It’s time to write/fax/email/call our US Congressmen again - they are making another attempt to harm America with amnesty & open borders!
Tell them to vote NO! on any immigration bill and that what is listed below is what we need to do ASAP to protect America and preserve her freedom from illegal aliens/criminals:
1) Secure our borders
2) Enforce existing law
3) Not allow any amnesty provisions of any kind
4) Improve our visa system
5) Prosecute and fine those businesses which knowingly employ illegal workers
6) Give law enforcement officials the necessary resources and authority to combat illegal immigration
7) Deport illegal aliens violating the law after being fingerprinted, photographed, iris scanned, charged with a felony, and their information placed in a national database.
8) Send a bill for deportation/prison costs to the embassy of the illegal immigrant’s national origin.
9) 2nd time and thereafter repeat offenses by illegal aliens should be sent to work prison camps for a maximum of 6 months - building the southern fence/wall.
10) Seize and liquidate all assets from illegal aliens and use the proceeds for our military and local law enforcement.
11) Must not give illegal immigrants government welfare benefits of any kind, including Social Security
12) Designate English as our national language
13) Change the 14th Amendment regarding birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants
14) Put pressure on the Mexican government and other nations to reduce illegal immigration to America.
15) Encourage only legal immigration and citizenship to for those wanting to become Americans.
These ENFORCED changes would strengthen America greatly.
Any elected official (especially Republicans) who can’t see this are either incompetent, stupid, or evil - or a combination of all three - and need to be voted out ASAP and replaced with true Constitutional conservatives.
This is the nexus of the GOP, who IMNVHO, are responsible for the decayed state of the Republic. In the 1950's if not earlier, the GOP ideology gave way to an acceptance of the Democraty Party as the usual default majority party. The GOP has degenerated from the party that saved the Union and freed the slaves into a very dependably loyal sham "opposition."
In exchange for safely gerrymandered seats, the GOP cheerfully traded its place as the party of Main St. and increasingly became the Party of Wall Street. In those brief interludes when the GOP has Congressional majorities, they become confused and cynical at the same time, cooperating with the Democrats to spend the Republic into oblivion.
Safe seats means the GOP are free to work with lobbyists and fat-cat contributors, simultaneously reaching across the aisle to divvy up the pork with the Democrats in exchange for their complaisant voting. The only present reason for the existence of the GOP: to protect massive corporate givers from the outrages of the bureaucracy which runs the lives of the rest of us. I.E., the bureaucracy (and the lobbyists) who write the so-called "laws" that are the shameful product of Congress.
Safe seats means that the GOP establishment ... our RINOS ... are largely immune to any of the consequences of their actions. The RNC finances them to wins in their primaries and the constituency take the hindmost.
Result: E.G., Boehner. McConnell. Graham. Snow. Collins. Hatch. etc. ad nauseam. With Republican friends such as these, conservatives have little need of the Democrats as the enemy.
If the GOP goes for amnesty then I’m done with the GOP because it’ll have killed itself and I don’t hang out with people who support suicide.