Prestowitz: A dissenting believer
In an increasingly bipolar America, it is hardly a surprise to hear stinging criticism on President George W. Bush's policies from those on the far Left, such as the likes of Michael Moore or the Moveon.org Political Action federal committee.
But it will be hard to swallow similar criticism from a card- carrying Republican who once served at the Secretary of Commerce in a Republican administration -- Ronald Reagan's, that is.
And in a time when "neo-con" has emerged as a derogatory term that refers to Bush supporters who cheer on every American venture -- and failure -- it would seem natural that one would shy away from being associated with that crowd.
However, this is also the time for those who still believe in the virtue of Republican values to speak out in their defense.
But writing a book warning of the impending downfall of the empire?
For economist Clyde Prestowitz, it is still possible to adhere to Republican values while at the same time, criticize a Republican government.
"I'm an elder in the Presbyterian church. I'm a conservative, a registered Republican, I grew up in a rock-ribbed Republican family. Republicanism kind of came in the DNA. In fact, I can remember my father saying that he'd vote for a dead horse if it was a Republican," said Prestowitz.
In spite of his Republican tone, Prestowitz talks about America's impotence in dealing with the rise of two Asian giants, China and India, in his new book, Three Billion New Capitalists: The Great Shift of Wealth and Power to the East, published by Basic Books.
During a recent book tour to Jakarta, The Jakarta Post interviewed Prestowitz -- who spoke with such candor that untrained ears could mistake him for an anti-war activist.
"Sending troops everywhere to spread democracy around the world, the notion of preemptive war is undermining American values; this is not in keeping with them," he said.
What Prestowitz means by "American values" is the primacy of a small government, fiscal responsibility, a balanced budget, respect for human rights and individual liberty and caution against foreign involvement, none of which are adhered to by the Bush administration.
"If you look at the Bush administration ... the federal budget is deficits as far as the eye can see. It has given us big government, not small government. The federal government is now spending more in percentage of our total GDP than any other government."
He continued, "The Patriot Act has been a restriction of individual rights and the treatment of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, they were against the basic principle of human rights."
Asked about his stance on the war in Iraq, Prestowitz quoted former president John Adams: "America does not go abroad and slay the dragon."
And when it comes to such imperialistic projects, Prestowitz said that he could never support them, including those initiated by his boss.
At the height of his administration, Reagan had ordered military intervention in several Central American countries, including Nicaragua and El Salvador. In Nicaragua, Reagan wanted the removal of the Left-leaning Sandinista regime, a move that led to a protracted civil war that virtually crippled the Latin American country.
"I didn't like it either. Just because I was part of the Reagan administration, it didn't mean I had to agree with all its policies," Prestowitz said.
During his time under that administration, Prestowitz led several U.S. trade and investment negotiations with Japan and China in his capacity as a consular to the Secretary of Commerce.
Later, he was vice chairman of the President's Committee on Trade and Investment in the Pacific and also served as a member of the Asian Pacific Council -- and continues to sit on its board today.
Prestowitz obtained an Masters in East-West Policies and Economics from the East-West Center of the University of Hawaii, and an MBA from the Wharton Graduate School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Currently, Prestowitz is the director of the Economic Strategy Institute, a Washington-based think thank on international trade policy. -- M. Taufiqurrahman