Review: Red and Blue and Broke All Over
by Patrick Krey Recently by Patrick Krey: Planning for Disaster
In a just world, Charles Goyette would sit atop the radio broadcasting industry as one of our most preeminent political radio personalities, where Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or Mark Levin would be fetching him coffee and the latest issue of The New American (TNA) magazine. Goyette had a long and illustrious career in radio, where he promoted his views on limited government, individual liberty, and Austrian economics. Unfortunately for him, having viewpoints that run deeper than the talking points forwarded from Karl Rove can be a liability in a broadcasting world dominated by political pundits who march to the tune of the Republican establishment. His fatal mistake was being a principled conservative during the budget-busting, nation-invading Bush years. Talk radio is not known for being friendly territory for independent thinking. Goyette stood firm on his traditional conservative stance regarding both the immorality and idiocy of foreign wars for visions of global democracy. His reward for such disobedience was dismissal. Much to the chagrin of the neocons, Goyette did find work elsewhere and broadcasted his views for a few more years. Podcasts of some of his later interviews can still be heard over at Antiwar.com. Goyette eventually left the world of radio and began writing. Goyette’s last book, The Dollar Meltdown, which this writer previously reviewed for TNA, became a New York Times bestseller. His latest book, entitled Red and Blue and Broke All Over: Restoring America’s Free Economy, was released in mid-March. This latest offering is an indictment of the two major parties and increasingly oppressive and destructive government actions, both foreign and domestic. The name itself, Red and Blue, is a direct shot at the bipartisan effort to create an all-powerful state and the parties’ embrace of centralized economic planning and endless interventions abroad.
Goyette argues that both parties are to blame for our predicament. Freedom, Goyette writes, “has been double-teamed by Republicans and Democrats alike; it has been sucker-punched by the red gloves of one and has taken a hit on the blind side by the blue gloves of the other. American freedom is on the ropes.” Party loyalists might be taken aback that this book takes numerous potshots at party leaders, both past and present. In regard to the 2008 election, Goyette quips that “candidates were really just like practice squads, wearing different jerseys, one red and one blue, but playing on the same team.” Much like his on-air radio personality, Goyette’s writing is informative yet entertaining, and the book is immensely quotable. Gems abound, such as his quip that the term “‘jobless recovery’ falls into the same class as a lifeless resuscitation: the operation was a success, but the patient died” or the “shape of our economic future can be discerned in the lengthening shadows cast by the growing intrusions of the state.” He does an excellent job of painting a vivid picture with his words that make concepts that might be foreign to readers vibrantly come to life. For instance, he attacks our brewing debt crisis from the perspective of its impact on future generations. “Surely one must question the morality of people who would approve paying for present consumption by burdening little children and those yet to be born with a lifetime of debt.” Goyette also brings up classic works of literature like George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World to draw parallels to today. April 5, 2012 Patrick D. Krey, Esq. is a freelance writer who works in the corporate world and has an M.B.A., J.D. (law degree) and an L.L.M. (masters of law) from the University of Buffalo. Patrick is also a general practice Attorney admitted to the bar in New York State. His writings focus on national issues and have been published online at JBS.org, PrisonPlanet.com, Antiwar.com, Infowars.com, The Tenth Amendment Center and in The New American bi-weekly print magazine. Copyright © 2012 The New American
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