Pat Buchanan -- the working man's friend

[Wiregrass Willie]

I caught Meet the Press Sunday and Pat Buchanan was the guest. Watching him reminded me of something.

Looking back over the presidential elections since 1992, there has only been one candidate for a major party nomination who could be classed as a "friend of the working class voter". That would be Pat Buchanan in 1992.

I realize that most of our more liberal posters may not like Pat, but we have to admit that he has done what no other candidate has done. And that is support the working man and woman.


My question is --- Why can't the "party of the people" produce a candidate who will take up the cause of the working Americans ? We have plenty of candidates who support Big Business and plenty of candidates who support the completely down and out. Which is all commendable. But why not the middle class, middle American voter ? Is there no Populist wing of the Democratic Party ? There was a time when we were their home. I for one would like to see us become the home of the American worker once again.

[dsc]

1. unless that working man was Jewish, black, gay, or a woman

then not so much.

[BlooInBloo]

5. What dsc said.

[NNN0LHI]

7. He isn't real crazy about Hispanics either n/t

[dsc]

10. sorry how could I forget

of course to list each and every group that man hates might take forever plus a minute or two.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Or those third world diamond miners.

:shrug:

[Richard Steele]

31. I think you're thinking of Pat Robertson there.

Or was Buchanon involved in some diamond-mining dirtiness
that I'm not aware of?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

32. Ah, you're right.

Although I think Buchanan's easily confused for Robertson also speaks towards his character.

[Richard Steele]

33. Indeed! nm

[blondeatlast]

39. Indeed. nt

[ComerPerro]

53. that working man better not be atheist or muslim, either

[monktonman]

2. Ok Pat Buchanan for president!

There I said it.

[LeftishBrit]

50. I hope you meant to include:

:sarcasm:

?

[MADem]

3. He's a racist xenophobe isolationist...who appeals to working MEN who

think they are being crapped on by effete elitists.

Plenty of Democrats take up for working Americans. They just need to shout a little louder to be heard, is all...

[ngant17]

22. Buchanan is similar to Hitler

in that Hitler was also "for" the (German) working class. Unfortunately his twisted version of working-class politics excluded the 'inferior races'.

Buchanan and some fascist radio nutballs in America, like Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, et. al., and also their previous German and Italian counterparts like Hitler and Mussolini, they all use populist language as the first and foremost trick after racism - Hitler put the words “socialist” and “workers” in the name of his Nazi Party (National Socialist German Workingmen’s Party.) These men were, and their contemporaries today are, committed to raising legal violence against workers as their first principal and political program.

Once a Buchanan gets into office, he will go so far to the right that would make the current President seem like a liberal leftwinger.

[LeftishBrit]

49. Great points!

Far-righties often try to appeal to working-class voters. Just as the Bushies used fear of real and alleged terrorists to bolster their power, the smaller far-right groups tend to use fear and resentment of 'Others' of all sorts: 'bloody foreigners', immigrants, ethnic minorities of all sorts, gays and others who lead different lifestyles. Hitler used the Jews; the BNP uses the Jews, the Irish, the 'blacks' and now, most of all, the Muslims. Ditto for LePen (whom Buchanan has supported), though he has less interest in hating the Irish and more in hating the Algerians.

It's a sad aspect of human nature that it's relatively easy for a charismatic leader to divide people against each other, and to convince people that some minority group is responsible for their problems and disadvantages.

[MADem]

52. I don't think PB would burn people in ovens, though. He might happily deny them opportunity, but

I don't think he'd resort to murder to get his way, even if he had the power to so do.

[ngant17]

54. PB wouldn't have to pull the trigger himself

once he attained political power. He could work with all sorts of covert and secret 'national security' agencies in the US today to do the dirty work for him indirectly. Or he could secretly finance some new organizations with black-ops money to do his bidding. I mean, look at all the private mercenaries in Iraq today. These are US-based private corporations. It wouldn't be difficult to finance them to turn the guns on domestic 'enemies', if and when the 'right' president was in power. All you need is some catch phrases and some twisted or sophisticated logic to motivate them, something which PB will no doubt try to polish up on, as his political power grows from the wannabe demagogue to a full-fledged 'America firster' megla-maniac.

Think of him as a Ronald Reagan heir, with a serious attitude against women, minorities, 3rd world immigrants. He's 'white power' all the way. Aryan Nations would be volunteering in droves to do his bidding.

[MADem]

55. He's also a conservative Catholic, though...a classical Catholic, not a newfangled one

I think his theology would interfere, myself.

I do think he'd like to rid the nation of what he views as too many 'brownies'--and by that, I don't mean the junior Girl Scouts, but the dusky-toned folks. He'd prefer to keep those numbers under ten to fifteen percent of the population, I'd suspect. But I think he'd do it by denial of opportunity, to motivate people first, not to come in the first place, and second, to leave for other shores if they could.

I don't see him killing people, or having them killed. I just don't. I do see him working to reduce the amount of diversity in the US population by preferring caucasians when making immigration decisions.

[ngant17]

56. Chicanos

I mean, someone needs to explain to this moron what a 'chicano' is. A chicano is not a 'brownies'. They may have a dark complexion, but they are US citizens who were raised all their life in the US, they are 'American as apple pie'. They happen to have family and relatives who live in Mexico. Often they speak excellent English, as good as you or me. Typically they have immediate family in the US who are also taxpaying US citizens with normal jobs and do normal work like you or me. The fact that they also have family in Mexico, I suppose that makes them an 'illegal' in PB's mind?

Get a life, PB. Census estimates from 2000 put the U.S. Chicano population at 21 million. That's about half the estimated 40 million Hispanics in the US.

[yes2truth]

4. Federally funded elections is the only hope

The "not a dimes worth of difference" comment from Governor Wallace has stood the test of time, and unless and until we have federally funded elections, that will remain the case.

[NoPasaran]

14. Horseshit when Wallace said it, horseshit today

[yes2truth]

25. Is that why you are "uncommitted"? Can't see a difference?

You are familiar with the word "ironic", aren't you?

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dsc]

11. I wouldn't go that far

but disappearing for a long, long time would be nice.

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. You are completely mystified

Pat Buchanan is about as far from "the working man's (sic) friend" as can be.

Of course, you are under the delusion that isolationism is good for labor, which is an outright lie, and just another way of pitting working people of different nations against each other. Pat Buchanan is a reactionary tool, anti-union and anti-worker.

The Phony Populism of Pat Buchanan:
http://www.fair.org/extra/9605/buchanan.html

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hfojvt]

12. How has he supported the working class man and woman?

Did he oppose the Bush tax cuts or the Bush war? Did he support the minimum wage increase?

[dsc]

18. One out of three

to give Buchanan credit he opposed the war. Of course largely out of his hatred of Jews but still he did oppose the war.

[IChing]

20. yeah pat ......go pat.....run pat!!!! Pat is the man!!!!!

" women are simply not endowed by nature with the same measures of single-minded ambition and the will to succeed in the fiercely competitive world of Western capitalism.

-- Pat Buchanan, November 22, 1983, quoted from Political Amazon's "Quotes from Hell"



AIDS is nature's retribution for violating the laws of nature.

-- Pat Buchanan, during his 1992 presidential campaign, quoted from Political Amazon's "Quotes from Hell"



Like all idolatries, democratism substitutes a false god for the real, a love of process for a love of country.

-- Pat Buchanan, 1990, quoted from Political Amazon's "Quotes from Hell"

[devilgrrl]

13. What a pile of crap!

:eyes:

[Madspirit]

16. looks a lot like a drive by...n/t

[partylessinOhio]

17. Pat Buchanan never worked a day in his life.

Something here doesn't compute.

:shrug:

[sandnsea]

19. He's no friend of mind

What part of LIAR do you not understand.

John Kerry would have been the best President since Kennedy and the fact that DU doesn't get that shows how brainwashed this country really is. He's STILl the best hope for this country, even better than Gore.

And you think Pat Buchanan is your friend.

good god.

:eyes:

[politicasista]

43. LOL! Good one

:toast:

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

21. Pat "Miniguns on the border fence" Buchanan?

He's a racist pig.

If you really think he's "the working man's friend" you're too far gone.

No thanks.

[devilgrrl]

23. The Big Bad Wolf friend of Little Red Riding Hood

:sarcasm:

[Madspirit]

24. Funny

A lot of gays and lesbians are working class people. ...and what about all those people of color who are working class. Buchanan is EVIL, with a Big "E". You should be ashamed.
Lee

[Donnachaidh]

26. uhhh -- perhaps you posted this on the WRONG site?

This sort of *logic* would be praised on Free Republic.

Calling Pat Buchanan a *candidate for the working man* here will only get your knickers singed. Hope you're wearing those flame-proof underoos. :evilgrin:

[Bitwit1234]

27. I don't care for him or Bay (is that her name) but

if you will notice. At times he comes right out and gives bush and the administration hell when they do something outrageous.

[C_U_L8R]

28. Pat has been in the DC elite since Nixon

don't let the belly fool you... it's not from beer

[democrat2thecore]

29. He's right on a lot of labor issues - I'll give you that

He's a populist conservative. He has even talked of the demise of organized labor being a big cause of a lot of corporate offshoring. But Pat's too much of a social conservative for me and he has loose lips that get him in trouble. But he's head and shoulders above the crime syndicate running the show now.

[Wiregrass Willie]

46. That is the point I was trying to convey

He has some ideas that may not be Democratic. But his support of the working man is where WE use to be. Too bad we aren't still there.

[Richard Steele]

30. Really? How do you figure? Go ahead- explain it like I'm stupid.

[buddhamama]

34. Bwahahahaha

good one :D

[Matsubara]

35. Pat Buchanan is an odd one.

Sometimes I kinda think that Lou Dobbs (who has always been nothing but a tool of the fat cats until recently) has modeled his anti-immigrant, friend-of-the-working man persona on Buchanan.

Pat Buchanan is right a lot of the time on a lot of things, but the problem is that the things he's wrong on are pretty serious. A president Buchanan would undoubtedly be a grave threat to minorities and immigrants in this country, and somehow I doubt he would really do much to force the bigwigs to take better care of the little people.


But as for your comment on the democrats - I agree. Populism is what gave the democratic party a lock on the electorate for generations after the depression.

I don't know if lauding an unrepentant race-baiter like Bushcanan is the best way to make your point though...

[Orsino]

36. Pat was a hate merchant.

Oh, he had a weird streak of integrity, but beyond its margins was just another corporatist whore. The working man has no need of that sort of "support."

Thanks for your concern, though.

[earthlover]

37. Buchanon is not the only issue here....

I am not surprised that mentioning Buchanon's name in a postive sense would stimulate heated flames. I am no fan of Buchanon. Waaaaay too conservative for me. However, he did oppose the Iraq War before some of our candidates did, and spoke out very critically against Bush more than once. For that, I will give him credit.

I would also ask us to ponder what strategy we are following by lashing out at a conservative who sometimes, not often but sometimes, supports our side? It takes coalitions to get things done, and it is not so smart to burn bridges with someone whose support we might someday want on an issue.

Not saying we need to elect him president or even praise him. But might it not be at least asking too much to persuade folks to at least focus on one of the central points of the OP? I may be wrong, but I don't think the central point is Buchanon.

I don't know exactly when it happened or why. But by the time Reagan got elected, he was able to reach out to people who used to be Democrats. Largely blue collar workers. Middle class meat-and-potatoes workers. "Reagan Democrats".

Reagan got elected in 80, and was re-elected in a landslide. Yes, he also helped turn his party to the right. But he had the ability to "connect" with working class Americans. The Democratic Party has struggled ever since, some times more than others.

So perhaps it is a good question why the Democratic Party has lost much of what used to be its base. Middle America, that is.

I think that was one of the major points of the OP, and, enough talk about Buchanon--he obviously is not a Democrat--but it might be something to ponder how our party can win back the "Reagan Democrats".

If you want me to say I disagree with Buchanon on almost everything...ok consider it said.....and it is the truth. I don't think anyone here thinks he is great. So, with that issue solved...how about pondering the idea of what we can do to reach out to the "Reagan Democrats", people who had voted Democratic for generations....and welcome them back to the fold?

[Madspirit]

38. The Man Thinks I...a LESBIAN... Should Be Dead

He claimed the airplanes hit the towers because I exist. ...same thing Osama said. Fuck him. Fuck him. Fuck him. Fuck him.

...and the ONLY reason he didn't support the war is because he is anti-Semitic. He hates Jews. He's a little nazi pig man and NO, we do not have to form united fronts with fascist pigs.
Lee

[earthlover]

42. OK, I don' t agree with hardly anything Buchanon has said besides maybe Iraq

...But can we put aside Buchanon for awhile and ponder how to win back the Reagan Democrats?

As. In. Strategy.

As. In. Winning.

As. In. Not. Having. To. Complain. About. Fascists?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

44. We've already won back the Reagan Democrats.

The only people left are the Floyd R. Turbos and the Tim McVeighs.

Who gives a shit if Buchanan is against Iraq? That's like saying he likes ice cream and is against puppy rape.

:shrug:

[earthlover]

45. So I take it you don't see a need to increase Democratic vote totals?

The democratic presidential landslides in 00 and 04, and the veto-proof Democratic Congress prove that the Reagan Democrats are no longer Republicans. Sarc.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

51. We're not going to increase the numbers from Buchanan's fans.

I noticed you left out the '06 landslide. Hmm.

[salin]

47. that was Pat Robertson and Jerry Fallwell

Pat Buchanon is awful, but I wouldn't put Robertson and his vile tripe on Buchanon's shoulders. Buchanon has enough hate-filled (xenophobic, racist) vile tripe that he has spewed over the years to recoil from.

[blondeatlast]

40. How'd the front window get broken? And did I hear a car backfire? nt

[AlCzervik]

41. omg best satire ever! this is satire right?

[Hubert Flottz]

48. Thanks to Pat's GOP, the American worker with a good paying job,

in now well on the road to extinction.

[LSK]

57. your problem with John Edwards is what exactly???

:shrug:

[Zomby Woof]

58. A working person doesn't need him around, anyhow

He's a racist, anti-semitic piece of shit.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

59. His idol Hitler was a "populist" too, staunchly supported by the "middle class".