VIEWSrnToward One Nation, IndivisiblernA Course of Actionrnby Patrick J. BuchananrnIt is time we looked at the world from a new perspective, onernof enlightened nationalism. Cliches about a “new” globalrneconomy aside, there has always been an international economyrn—ever since Columbus stumbled onto the Western Hemispherernwhile seeking new trade routes to the East, in the hire ofrna nation-state, Spain. The Dutch East India Company wasrnfounded in 1602 to displace the Portuguese in the lucrative FarrnEastern trade; and the Dutch West India Company, in 1621, torncapture the American trade.rnThe American economy, however, is more than simply arnpart of the international economy, and its purpose is not to benefitrnmankind but to benefit Americans first: our workers, farmers,rnbusinessmen, and manufacturers. What is good for thernglobal economy is not automatically good for America, anyrnmore than what is good for our transnational elite is necessarilyrngood for the United States.rnA Revenue TariffrnAmerica should declare to the world that the present globalrnThis article is adapted from Patrick J. Buchanan’s new book,rnThe Great Betrayal: How American Sovereignty and SocialrnJustice Are Being Sacrificed to the Gods of the GlobalrnEconomy (Little, Brown).rnregime must be revised, that we no longer intend to make thernworld prosperous at the expense of our own country. A 15 percentrnrevenue tariff on all imported manufactures and goods inrncompetition with American-made goods would be a fitting wayrnto declare our economic independence.rnAs part of the “Nixon Shock” of August 15, 1971 —to jolt thernworld into understanding that the United States could nornlonger continue under the Bretton Woods agreement—a 10rnpercent tariff was imposed on Japan. Thus, we need not gornback to the Tariff of 1816 to find a precedent for unilateralrnAmerican action in defense of our economic security. UnlikernClinton’s threat of a 100 percent tariff on Lexus cars, a 15 percentrntariff would not destroy American businesses set up inrngood faith. The tariff could be imposed in stages: five percentrnimmediately, five percent in six months, and the final five percentrna year later, giving merchants 18 months to adjust. IfrnRonald Reagan could impose a 50 percent tariff to save Hariey-rnDavidson, surely we can impose a 15 percent tariff to inauguraterna new industrial age in the United States.rnThe revenue tariff should be high enough to generate a powerfulrnstream of revenue, but low enough not to destroy trade.rnWith American merchandise imports now exceeding $700 billionrna year, this 15 percent tariff would yield a cornucopia ofrnrevenue while giving American products a marginal new advantagernin their home market. Every dollar in tariff revenue, inrn14/CHRONICLESrnrnrn