that therefore he quickly be- Finally, Andrew Kopkind the right-wing populist rheto- came aligned with the 'paleo- in TheNation(January68t 13). ric that Pat Buchanan is call- conservatives" led by Russell The most leftwing of the three ing into being. In particular: Kirk and Chronicles, in a call writers, Kopkind's article brims the crucial theme of the people for a return to Old Right isola- with the usual 'taking the country back," back tionism. references to from the malignant elites that Judis also Father Couglin, have been ruling over us. As notes the affinity , 'na- Kopkind quotes Buchanan's of Pat Buchanan tivist paranoia," repeated motif: 'Take back our with Dr. Samuel 'seething vio- streets from the criminals"; Francis, the bril- lence," and the 'take back our party": "take liant Washington Germany and back our country." Way to go, Times columnist Italy of the 1930s. Pat! Let's take them back! 0 who is constantly But Kopkind at pushing the en- least writes with Pat Buchanan velope of paleo humor, he cap- strategic think- tures some of the and the Old ing. Just before spirit and im- launching his portance of the Right campaign, Buchananite by M.N.R. Buchanan and movement, and Some libertarians are Francis had de- he appreciates still confused: How can I be cided to found a some of Pat's such an enthusiastic backer new virtues. 'As an of Pat Buchanan for Presi- First Committee (AFC) to ideologue," Kopkind writes, dent? Isn't he soft on such promote right-wing national- Buchanan 'is able to lift the issues as and immi- ism; after November, and as- campaign from an exercise in gration? Isn't Pat in favor of suming Pat does not win the poll reading and force the military spending? Doesn't he Republican nomination, the Democrats as well as Bush to still say kind words for Ronald new AFC stands ready to think real thoughts and per- Reagan and ? serve, as did the original, as a haps even say what they And what about Pat's views bipartisan nucleus for a con- mean. That can't be all bad." on social issues? tinuing and permanent And how. I have already written Buchananite paleo movement. Kopkind sees, too, that that, in a real world party, one Judis concludes that Buchanan has great potential does not look for 100 percent Buchanan has the potential of to take charge permanently of libertarian agreement from a seriously wounding George the old conservative move- candidate. But that does not Bush, and, if he concentrates ment that is now "leaderless put the point strongly enough. on the recession and right- and incoherent," 'wandering The major point is that Pat, wing nationalism, to play the in the wilderness waiting for a bless him, is in the process of same role in 1992 for the Re- new messiah." Just by an- gloriously resurrecting a publican Party that George nouncing, adds Kopkind, movement that I have Wallace did for the Democrats Buchanan 'becomes the mourned and hoped to see in 1968. That is: to shoot the Movement's spokesman," and revived for over three de- elephant so that, in the long sets the stage to be its move- cades: he is resurrecting the run, it crushes the donkey, and ment leader and a key Old Right. I entered the liber- paves the way for paleo power in 1996. tarian movement in 1946, and a return to the Old Repub- Kopkind also grasps the when libertarians were an lic. importance and the power of 'extreme" but harmonious and February 1992 11 welcome part of what I have American. It opposed the wel, would call stridently for a re- dubbed the Old, or the Origi- fare state, and all governmen' turn to such an Old Culture: nal, Right, the Right-Wing as regulation of business anc that is, to the values, the eth- it developed as a fervent and industry. It favored low anc ics, and esthetics-in our angry reaction against the minimal taxation, low anc home, family, schools, art and New Deal and all it stood for. minimal government spend. literature--of individual re- The Old Right was a wonder- ing, balanced budgets, anc sponsibility, of thrift, of family ful, passionate, deep, and firm adherence to the gold values, and of a culture that is strong movement in the standard. It opposed any and wholesomely optimistic about American heartland, for the all attempts to invade prop- ourselves and about our world. Old Republic and erty rights on It would cad for a rejection of against the welfare behalf of group the morbidl, the nihilistic, the state at home and victimology, avant-garde. globaloney and and it opposed That indeed is the very war-mongering the Imperial Old Right that Pat Buchanan abroad. It was in Presidency, or is sounding a trumpet call to a sense a move- any invasion 01 resurrect, to revive in America. ment of Taft Re- state or personal That is what Pat calls the Old publicanism, ex- rights by the Republic, an Old Republic that cept that Senator federal govern- is free of all domination and Taft himself, even ment. In foreign taint by Empire, by nihilism, though its premier affairs, it favored by the destructiveness of left- political leader , liberalism. Pat's call is a veri- from 1939 on, was and the putting table call to arms, a call to its most leftish, of loyalty to the take back America, a call that most compromis- American nation comes none too soon and al- ing, and least sat- or American in- most too late, a call to take isfactory member. Harder- terests far over and above any back Americafrom the corrupt core members were Senators loyalty to any other nation, B Iit e s and vic t i m o logi ca I Wherry (R., Neb.), Jenner (R, such as England, or to any jroups that are rapidly send- Ind.), Bricker (R., Oh.), and abstract ideology of global ng us down the pit to join the Representatives Gross (R., meddling, "wars to end war," ate, unlaimented Union of la.), Frederick C. Smith (R., 3r wars to achieve "global de- Soviet Socialist Republics in Oh.), and my friend the prin- mocracy." In other words, the :he rubble of history. cipled libertarian Rep. Howard 31d Right strongly opposed But what about Pat's al- H. Buffett (R., Neb.), who was any foreign alliances or en- eged 'deviations"? It is fasci- Senator Taft's midwest cam- langlements, putting treaties iating that these were pre- paign manager in 1952. Also iver American rights, or :isely the areas where the Old highly important was Colonel Naging wars in behalf of such 3ight had disagreements Robert R. McCormick, pub- mtanglements. Hence, its Mithin itself. In the Old Right lisher of the , oreign policy was gloriously here were free traders and and the Tribune's entire edi- iationalist or "isolationist." here were protectionists; and torial and reportorial staff. The Old Right had no vhile immigration was not then The Old Right had a firm special cultural views, but only 1 lively political issue, there set of guiding principles. It was iecause it was firmly rooted vere undoubtedly disagree- opposed root and branch to n an old, pre-1960s culture nents on Ithe extent or type of the New Deal; it favored free hat none of us ever thought mmigration that should be markets, and the private o question or challenge. Iermittedl. And on foreign property rights of every Jowadays, an Old Rightist )olicy, within the framework of

12 February 1992 America First nationalism Buchanan. For the phony "free -candidate is going to have -there were disagreements, trade" advocated by Bush and some kind of immigration between degrees of pacifists the neocons encompasses: policy. Pat's basic objection versus those who urgedstrong (a) massive foreign aid subsi- to open borders is not so much national defense and various dies to foreign governments economic or Malthusiasian as degrees of emphasis within and to American export in- cultural. And here he makes a such strength; there were dis- dustries; and (b) currency and strong point: Do we really want agreements on the degree of banking agreements moving tens of millions of Indian, or 'isolationism," from purists like towards global Keynesian in- Zulu, or Chinese boat people myself who wanted to limit flation and economic and po- suddenly arriving in the U.S.? American defense strictly to litical world government. In our real political world, our shores, to those who These latter schemes, firmly these problems call for hard wanted to include parts or all and courageously opposed by thinking and not easy slogans. of the Western Hemisphere in Buchanan, are the real, living To the standard critique that the U.S. defense perimeter. dangers to free trade, far more a// of us, including Pat But these were friendly dis- so than whatever tariffs Pat Buchanan, are descendants agreements, variations within might come to espouse. It is of immigrants, and also that a shared ideology and a Establishment 'freedom" that the was tradi- shared culture. They were poses a clear and present tionally the unique country of what the Marxists would call danger to any true concept of open borders, the answer is 'nonantagonistic contradic- free trade. And to all those that that is very true and that tions." As for Pat's social val- who still worry about Pat's America should be honored ues, they are what all of our views on trade: Note carefully as the land of open borders social and cultural values that Pat chose to name as the and free immigration until should be. Pat made clear in Chairman of his Economic World War I. But we also have his New Hampshire an- Policy Board, none other than to realize that America the land nouncement that a political , whose devotion to of open borders and free im- official could only encourage free trade, and indeed to lib- migration was also at one and such values within the strict ertarianism in general, can- the same time, a land where framework of a severely "lim- not be questioned. Has any- there was no welfare state, no ited government." And as for one seen George Bush, or compulsory public school Pat's religious values, if I were , or Ed Crane's fa- system, and an immigration a Catholic I would take pre- vorite candidate Pierre overwhelmingly from Europe cisely the same stand that he duPont, go as far in naming a as well as by people who all has against errant heresy and 100 percent libertarian as made a commitment to learn irreligion within the Church. head of his economic policy and use the English language And even on trade and team? as quickly as possible. While immigration, Pat's "protec- As to immigration, this America was not a 'melting tionism" is more akin to genu- too is a phony charge, part of pot," it was a gorgeous mosaic ine freedom of trade than the the Establishment smear within a shared framework of views of any other candidate campaign to wrap Pat in the European culture and of com- on the horizon. Certainly far robes of some kind of dark mitment to the English lan- more than George Bush. What 'nativism." Which political guage, and within a land of we have to realize is that "free candidate, be it Bush, Kemp, freedom and of the rights of trade" as mouthed by the duPont, et al., has called for a private property. Realistically, Bushies, the neocons, or other policy of absolutely open bor- we cannot advocate open wings of the Establishment is ders? The answer is no one, borders untilsuch a world and far less free than the trade and no one is likely to either. such a commitment is restored policy advocated by Pat So it's a phony issue. Every in America. February 1992 13 Can it be restored? After defined the ideological and abroad. Pat's smash appearance on political spectrum in this The United States gov- the McNeil-Lehrer show, a country. From now on, Pat ernment, angered at this re- worried Judy Woodruff asked B3uchanan will be the magnet pudiation of 'democracy," then a commentator whether Pat that realigns politics and maneuvered to get the Orga- could possibly succeed in go- Phrough whom everything will nization of American States ing 'back" to the Old Republic be defined. From now on, we (OAS) to slap a tight embargo and its values. The answer is are either Buchananites, of on Haiti, causing mass star- a resounding 'Yes!" When I whatever nuance, members of vation in an already destitute was growing up as a young ia Buchanite movement, or we country. Conducting three- rebel against the socialism iare anti-Buchananite, or we way negotialtions, the U.S./ and communism that infested (are confused folk in the OAS finally works out an our politics and our political middle. These are the three agreement with the Haitian culture, the standard socialist #choices and the only three military, bringing back answer to free-market views choices, for every American. Aristide, with a 'moderate," was that 'you can't turn back It is time to choose. 0 'compromisc?" figure as Prime- the clock." Well, the peoples Minister, none other than of Russia and the now dead New World Rene Theodore, long-time Soviet Union have already head of the Communist Party given a resounding lie to that Order, Haiti of Haiti. During the half-cen- phony claim. The clock of tury of the Cold War, the U.S. communism is smashed for- Department government spent a lot of en- ever, broken beyond repair, by M.N.R. ergy looking for 'Third Force destroyed, as the Marxists Did you ever feel that you moderates" in theThird World, would put it, by 'its own con- were plunged into the middle and could never find any. Now tradictions." All we need to of an old Bob Newhart rou- they have finally found one, restore the Old Republic is the tine? Consider this example and it's the head of the Com- will, and a brave and articu- of Bush's foreign policy, munist Party'??! late leader to raise the banner which is supposed The New York and sound the trumpet call. to be his strength. Times reports We now have that leader in After decades, that the Haitian Pat Buchanan. We can do it; Haiti finally has an workers and sol- now that the Cold War is over, election, which diers are "con- we can revive the Old Right brings to power fused" by this de- and the Old Republic, we can an extreme-left- velopment ('Se- reinvigorate the heartland wing priest, Father lection of Com- to throw off the world- Jean-Bertrand munist Stirs Con- governmentalists, as well as Aristide, an advo- fusion in Haiti," the Right-Wing Mensheviks :ate of torture January 11). A who call themselves 'neo- and "necklacing." Haitian industri- conservatives," the Left-Lib- Alarmed by Aris- alist reported that ertarians, and all the other tide's revival of 'even my work- misleaders of conservatism or the brutal, para- ers were shaking . From this ni I it a r y Ton- Ton their heads in point on, Pat Buchanan, by Macoutes, a dread confusion . . . the very existence of his can- egacy of the old Duvalier dic- They just kept asking: a Com- didacy and his continuing tatorship, the Haitian military munist?" Similarly for the leadership, has redefined the mtedAristide in a coup, un- "poorly educated" soldiers, Right, has realigned and re- Nisely allowing him to flee who now had to be informed

14 * February1992