[Dawggie]

Buchanan seems to have a fixation with the Roman Empire. Rome never fell; it just changed it's form of governance. Rome's power may not be what it used to be, but it still holds influence over a large portion of the world population. Same war, just new battles.

[Perdogg]

Mark Russell once joked that Pat was such a reactionary he wanted to turn the country back over to Great Britain.

[nopardons]

SPOT ON!

[garbageseeker]

I think that he has an interesting take on this. His arguement that the "balkanization" of the Roman Empire by letting in foreigners caused it to fall. That lack of a national language and identity caused it to split apart. Much like what happened to Yugoslavia after Marshal Tito died. He an historical point.

[WoofDog123]

"Buchanan seems to have a fixation with the Roman Empire. Rome never fell; it just changed it's form of governance"

While there is no single date the western empire 'fell,' there is no doubt that it did whatsoever. The power exercised by the western church, usually from rome except when they had dual popes claiming the papacy, is an entirely different matter than direct colonial administration, taxation, and military control of the vast parts of europe, north africa and asia minor Rome had at one point.

[Cyclopean Squid]

Buchanan seems to have a fixation with the Roman Empire. Rome never fell; it just changed it's form of governance. Rome's power may not be what it used to be, but it still holds influence over a large portion of the world population. Same war, just new battles.

Western Rome fell. The Eastern part endured as Byzantium. Pat's use of Rome in conjunction with this issue is probably meant to stir up images of a USA that endures after the loss of the Southwestern portion. Pat does make some good points, in this as well as his contention that history will view the Fall of the West as caused by birth control, and the corresponding drop in population growth vis-a-vis the Third World.