Ralph Nader, a great man of the American left, discusses American politics with the Paleoconservative and populist Patrick Buchanan, in an older but very thought-provoking interview here.
What is remarkable here is how much agreement there is in this interview.
There is a real sense in which America might be able to get a mass, populist movement against neoliberalism, if people on the right and left could put aside certain differences and unite beyond a political figure who combines the best elements of Ralph Nader and Patrick Buchanan.
While I don’t think Trump is this person, he is – at the very least – a sign of movement towards such a populism. My ideal political figure would be a populist New Deal Democrat who could shift left-wing American opinion on the issue of mass immigration and at the same time distance himself from cultural leftism.
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Well, that looks like Bernie Sanders, doesn´t it?
ReplyDeleteI doubt that he believes in cultural leftism, but AFAIK he hasn't publicly distanced himself from it, probably because a significant number of his supporters are cultural leftists and he wouldn't want to lose their support.
DeleteA pied piper of folly.
DeleteI agree the demand is there, and Trump is not the right guy. If one emerges it won't be a career politician.
nah dude it sounds like he's suggesting Trump without the combover. Bernie completely misses the mark on "the issue of mass immigration and at the same time [distancing]himself from cultural leftism." Trump is a new deal democrat.
DeleteSaw that interview when it 1st came out. Ralph sure had Pat squirming in his seat over the point about separate states for the different ethnic groups.
ReplyDeleteThing is, I've mentioned this before but from the way you and others describe the immigration problem in Europe, I don't think it's comparable to the US. We don't have open borders, for one.
I would maintain the US doesn't actually have an immigration problem:
http://www.newsweek.com/2015/10/23/myths-half-truths-about-immigration-reform-382855.html
http://www.cracked.com/article_23872_6-dumb-myths-people-constantly-believe-about-immigration.html
Good interview. Pat Buchanan is right about multiculturalism too. Nader makes a good point about corporate culture but that only goes so far. There are still important differences between people based on religion, race, etc. In fact, I would say that American race relations are worse now than they have been since the early 1990s.
ReplyDeleteThe regressive Left has been promoting identity politics and tribalism and now you have a situation where it is hard to build an economic Left coalition because people are so divided based on race, religion, gender, etc. People feel little solidarity with each other so working people are divided and fighting each other over identity issues while the neoliberal elite gets everything they want and dominate both major political parties.
This exchange helps highlife the main difference between left and right. The right sees race, culture and language as the main barriers that divide people. The left sees class, education and income as the main barriers that divide us.
ReplyDeleteIs this a joke? The modern regressive Left is all about race and culture as the root of all evil. You're daft.
DeleteNo its not.
DeleteThe right see and values (familiy vs individualism,materialism vs religious values (or secular version of social conservative values,localism and nationalism vs globalism and cosmopolitism).
DeleteWhile the right concerned with values (you can agree or not with their views) the regressive left obssesed with race identity and multiculturism.
Only the rational left is concerned with classes and income and job barriers.
Its not even about values but its just worshiping the PC culture no matter what.