Pat Buchanon is the leading conservative protectionist, a seeming oxymoron.  Over the years, he has fought tooth and nail to allow government intervention into free markets by advocating protectionist trade policies.  Buchanon believes that the government should erect one way trade barriers to protect American manufacturing jobs.

It is that policy, along with executive short sightedness, that has lead to the destruction of the auto industry.   Detroit's Big Three auto company's labor costs spiraled out of control because our federal government erected protectionist tarde barriers on foreign auto makers which artificially inflated the cost of imports, thus allowing Detroit to pay outrageous hourly rates for UAW workers and executives.  Had, Detroit been forced to compete in a free global market place, the companies likely would have forced labor costs lower with periodic downsizing.  

Now, Buchanon is criticizing the GOP for their opposition to a bailout of the American car commpanies.  Buchanon's position is ridiculous.  His is not a conservative free market position, and never has been.  You'd think that after policies he vociferously supported failed in such spectacular fashion, Buchanon would have a moment of self -realization and pipe down.

But don't think for a minute that Buchanon is even somewhat cognizant of just how ridiculous his position is.  The man has never been a leading intellectual.  He has been a blow hard braggart who has half developed theories that rarely if ever are succesful.  GM, Ford, Chrysler and the UAW are Exhibit A.

  

Posted By:Brian Goettl @ 11/18/2008 7:01:00 PM  |    |