Ron Paul meets Ralph Nader on the Ron Paul Channel

For those interested in serious political talk often missed by the mainstream media, check out the Ron Paul Channel, especially when former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is joined by Ralph Nader to discuss issues that could bring new political coalitions. In my latest column, suggesting that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should avoid making the same mistake in 2016 that she made in 2008, I made the point that the American electorate today is anti-Washington, anti-incumbent, antiestablishment, anti-crony capitalism, anti-politics as usual and anti-status quo.

{mosads}In Paul’s exchanges with Nader and others on the Ron Paul Channel, which are well worth watching, there are two issues that might form the basis for new crosscutting political coalitions between right, left and libertarian: opposition to crony capitalism and opposition to the surveillance state and spying against Americans.

It is no coincidence that what Dave Brat said in opposition to crony capitalism when he defeated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) in his recent primary is similar to what Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has been saying in opposing a system that is too often rigged and fixed. It is refreshing to watch Paul and Nader discuss these same matters and begin a larger discussion exploring new political coalitions.

Opposition to the destruction of personal privacy and growth of the surveillance state is another issue where new coalitions are possible and desirable. Honorable liberals and Democrats should join honorable Republicans and conservatives to make certain that the IRS is never again used for political purposes. The next round of revelations on the National Security Agency controversy will reveal much about which Americans have been targeted, and I suspect the left and right will be aroused by the coming news.

It is very important that in the recent Supreme Court decision protecting the rights of privacy regarding cell phones and unacceptable searches and seizures, the court vote was unanimous with court liberals and court conservatives uniting, which could be a harbinger of the new coalitions that are more possible than mainstream politics and media currently expect.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was then chief deputy majority whip of the House. He holds an LL.M. degree in international financial law from the London School of Economics. Contact him at brentbbi@webtv.net.