[Peace-discuss] Ron Paul, Ralph Nader Agree on Progressive-Libertarian Alliance

[C. G. Estabrook]

     Ron Paul, Ralph Nader agree on ‘progressive-libertarian alliance’
     By Nathan Diebenow
     Saturday, January 22nd, 2011

In this corner, a libertarian, tea party hero who ran several campaigns
as a candidate for US president on the Republican ticket. And in that
corner, a progressive icon of the left who also ran several campaigns
for the US presidency but on the Green Party ticket.

One might think the two men, seemingly ideologically opposed to one
another, would rather argue than help one another.

However, on Wednesday's broadcast of Freedom Watch on the Fox Business
channel, Judge Napolitano sat down for an amiable interview with Rep.
Ron Paul (R-TX) and Ralph Nader to discuss a progressive-libertarian
alliance in the 112th session of respective chambers in Congress.

Nader, who has recently called this coalition "the most exciting new
political dynamic" in the US today, explained that it works well because
both groups stand against corporatists who believe government should be
run in the interests of corporations.

"I believe in coalitions," Rep. Paul echoed. "They talk about we need
more bipartisanship, and I say we have too much bipartisanship because
the bipartisanship we have here in Washington endorses corporatism."

Paul added that he agreed with Nader on a host of issues, such as
cutting the US military's budget, ending undeclared US wars overseas,
restoring civil liberties and civil rights by dumping from the Patriot
Act, and withdrawing from the NAFTA and World Trade Organization agreements.

"I think we should come together and work together, and I think we can,"
he said, noting that the coalition had previously worked on deficit
financing solutions.

Rep. Paul and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the most conservative and most
liberal members of their respective chambers, joined forces last session
to fight for an audit of the Federal Reserve, a private institution that
handles the America's monetary policy, which Nader explained is under no
legal control of Congress.

"The banks fund the Fed," Nader said. "It doesn't go through the
congressional appropriations process as it should under our constitution."

Paul is the current chairman of a congressional subcommittee that would
conduct oversight on the US Federal Reserve bank

He explained, however, that he would not have the subpoena power to
force Tim Geithner, US Treasury Secretary, and Ben Bernanke, the
chairman of the Federal Reserve, to testify under oath about the Fed's
policies. That power is in the hands of the chairman of the full
committee, he said.

"But that doesn't mean we'll go lightly on digging up for this
information because Ralph is absolutely right on this thing," Paul said.

When asked, Nader stopped short of endorsing a full repeal of the
Federal Reserve.

"The Fed, whatever it does, should be a cabinet-level, accountable
institution," he proposed instead.

Paul reiterated his stance that the spending on overseas bases in US
military's budget should be cut and that troops should be brought home
for national defense purposes.

"We as libertarians might not approve of some of these medical programs,
but is that the place to start?" he said. "All wars are fought with
inflation and destruction of the money, which is the reason we have
unemployment today."

<http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/ron-paul-ralph-nader-agree-on-progressive-libertarian-alliance/>.




























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