Day Of Reckoning - Buchanan(BC 08)

This is easily Pat Buchanan's best book so far. He ably presents his America Frst conservative politics. He prefers not to use the word isolationism yet it is precisely at the center of his thesis. No matter, Mr. Bucanan prefers America first and what he means by those two words is made very clear in the book.

Mr. Buchanan is more of a thinker than I formerly gave him credit for. Most of his positions are carefully thought out and reinforced by excellent historical references. I should add that many of his positions are very controversial and one really has to read the book to understand where he is coming from.

• Free trade is economic suicide for America.
• Despite Milton Friedman we need to protect our economy with tariffs.
• Not strictly enforcing our immigration laws is stupid.
• America must expel illegal immigrants or fail as a nation.
• A fence on the Mexican border is (unfortunately) necessary.
• America needs to be a creditor nation rather than a debtor nation.
• Allowing American industry to move off shore is even more stupid.
• Manufacturing is absolutely essential to America.
• The Federal govt. is far too intrusive and currently out of control.
• It needs to downsize and transfer authority back to the states.
• The States must take back authority for of non-constitutional matters.
• Decisions are best taken by the smallest unit of government able to decide and implement them.
• The courts need to be stripped of their non-constitutional rulings.
• Non-elected judges must not reverse majority votes of citizens.
• American troops protecting foreign soil must come home.
• America must back out of foreign protection alliances and pacts.

This is an excellent and thought provoking book. Debating Buchanan's positions would be fun if it were a future book club selection. With our club divided between (I think) eight political liberals and two political conservatives, "Day Of Reckoning" would spark a lively discussion.