In BOOMSDAY, Buckley hilariously envisions the nation's next great brouhaha-generational warfare between profligate Baby Boomers and younger Americans who don't want to be stuck paying the bill. Cassandra Devine, a 29 year-old PR maven and blogger, incites massive generational war when, outraged by mounting Social Security debt, she suggests that Baby Boomers be given government incentives to kill themselves. Her proposal catches fire with millions of outraged citizens and a senator who tries to ride the issue to the White House.
Wow. Is Buckley the new Twain or Heller?
Buckley is definitely a student of these masters of satire, and even references Swift's absurd masterpiece, "A Modest Proposal" in this book.
The most frightening element of this book is when you realize that even the most absurdist PR tactics, flaming blog entries and conniving and underhanded political ploys all have a kernel of truth in them.
As one character in the book remarks, "My, my, my... how very different are the workings of government from what we all read about in books as children. I wonder, do the Founders weep in heaven?"
This is a fantastically absurd book that succeeds in illuminating some of the confusion and tactics employed by individuals who attempt to subvert an agenda for their own means.
Anyone else read (or seen) another of his works, "Thank You for Smoking?" How did that one strike you?
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