I really don't like watching the State of the Union speech. The constant interruption by politicians clamoring for the cameras is disgusting and sophomoric. The only really interesting thing that happened all evening did so prior to the speech when Cindy Sheehan got arrested--or detained; I've heard both phrases used. It's too bad no one else did. I think they should arrest people for clapping more than, say twice, and I'm only half kidding.
It only took Bush two minutes to lose me. He tossed out protectionism and isolationism immediately, and only revisited the two later when he again pointed out their historical folly. It is ironic that a man who knows nothing about history is lecturing on the topic, but irony is a common theme in modern America. We may as well try to laugh at.
Bush cited Roosevelt and Reagan in demonstrating the importanced of being engaged militarily with the world. I tend to think that it has been a turn from isolationism and towards engagment that has us involved in our eventual decline.
Briefly, Wilson eventually got us involved in World War I because he was, much like Bush, a globalist. Consequently, the allies won the war and we got Versailles, which brought on Hitler and WWII. So we again stayed out of it until FDR messed with Japan enough to draw us in. I'm not saying we shouldn't have entered the Second Great War, but we freed some of Europe from Nazism to give them Communism. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Since then, isolationism has never been tried again by Americans. My account of history is vague, but it is based on some truths we've not even looked into. Bush can't assert that isolationism has failed in the war on terror when he hasn't tried it or really even thought about it.
The same could be said for protectionism, which Bush has also cast aside without looking at it. We have lost 1 in 5 factory jobs since Bush took over, and it keeps getting worse. Yes, the economy is doing well, but real wages are stagnant. Free trade is a boondoggle.
I apologize for the brevity of my points. I always get flustered after these things, realizing how badly our country--which I love so well--is hosed. Bush can be an optimist, but I'll be a realist and as such I'd say my generation is going to have a lof of work to do. Oh how I wish Pat Buchanan were president...
His ideas and books are needed more than ever to illustrate why conservatism--which Bush and the Republicans have strayed from--is really the only thing that will lead us back to a sane America. While all his books are golden., on the inefficacy of free trade see The Great Betrayal, and with respect to why isolationism is needed check out A Republic Not an Empire.
You'll be glad you did, then you'll be sad at how bad things are in Washington.
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2 comments:
In my understanding,global capitalism operates outside of the logic of "protectionism" or "isolation" or engagement or even Empire, in it's liberal useage.Buchanan also uses this outdated framework.Leaving us, the people affected, with smoke and mirrors, strawmen and false choices.Much more important ,I think, is to be aware of how they all, politicians on both "sides", military, judges, corporate sponsors up in the gallery, shake hands, slap backs, ask after one anothers sons at Yale or daughters at Brown, they all share the boardrooms and country clubs and are all signed up to the same project, including Pat,despite the obfuscating terminology.It is a much, much different thing when Hugo Chavez says he is against neoliberalism than when Buchanan says he is against NAFTA.But there is some interesting common ground to explore.
Let us welcome any idealogy that frees us from the slavery of transnational globabizations and the proud notions of human duty to spread the faith of democracy.
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