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Commons
Rise of the 'Unholy Alliance' of Libertarians and
Leftists
ThaddeusRussell | Aug.16,201412:00pm
In2010,LindseyGrahamcouldseeitcoming.
"YouknowwhatIworrymostabout?"theRepublican
SenatorfromSouthCarolinatoldCNNaboutthegrowing
oppositiontothewarinAfghanistan."Anunholyalliance
betweentherightandtheleft."Ifthewarcontinuedtoyield
noclearvictoriesfortheU.S.,libertarianleaning
Republicanswhobelieveditwas"impossibleforustowin"
couldjoinwith"peopleontheleftwhoaremadwiththe
presidentbecauseheisdoingexactlywhatBushdidand
wereinawarwecantwin."Suchacoalitionwouldposethe
gravestthreattothejointwarmakingprojectoftheRepublicanandDemocratic
establishments."Myconcernisthat,fordifferentreasons,theyjoinforcesandwelosethe
abilitytoholdthisthingtogether."
Sixmonthslater,progressiveiconRalphNadersawthepotentialpowerofalibertarianleft
alliance,too,butwelcomedit.AppearingwithRonPaulonJudgeAndrewNapolitanos
"FreedomWatch"showonFoxBusinessNetworkinJanuary2011,Naderissuedamanifesto
for"adynamicpoliticalforce"thatwouldnotonlystopthewarinAfghanistanbutradically
reshapeAmericanpolitics.Whathecalled"genuinelibertarianconservatives"were"great
allies"andtogetherwith"manyliberalsandprogressives"couldchallenge"thebloated,
wastefulmilitarybudget,""undeclaredwarsoverseas,""hundredsofbillionsofdollarsof
corporatewelfare,""invasionsofourcivillibertiesandcivilrights,""thesovereignty
shredding,jobdestroyingNAFTAandWorldTradeOrganizationagreements,"andthe
"completelyoutofcontrol"andunaccountableFederalReserveSystem.Nadercouldalso
havementionedthecriminalizationofdrugs,policeabuses,andimmigrationrestrictions,
whichtheleftandlibertarianshavefoughttogetheragainstforyears.
Infact,GrahamsfearsandNadershopeshavenowbeenrealized.Neverhastherebeena
greaterconvergenceoflibertarianandleftistactivities,neverhasitgivenmoretroubleto
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thepowersofWashington,D.C.,andneverhasitbeenagreatercauseofconcern,hope,and
conflictamongthepoliticalintelligentsia.
EightmonthsafterNaders"FreedomWatch"pronouncement,RonPaulsupportersalong
withsocialists,antimarketanarchists,andotherleftiesofvariousstripeswerethefirstto
setupcampinZuccottiParkandlaunchtheOccupyWallStreetmovement.Therewere
argumentsoverwhetheradvocatesoffreemarketsbelongedinthemovement,whetherthe
economiccrisiswascausedbyderegulationorbygovernmentencouragementofhighrisk
financialspeculation,andwhetherthesolutiontothecrisiswasgreaterorlessgovernment
controlofbusiness,butthelibertariansstayed.AsOccupyspreadtoothercities,libertarians
werealmostalwaysavisiblethoughminoritypresenceattheencampments."Onewould
morereliablycomeacrossvocalRonPaulsupportersatOccupyeventsthanvocalObama
supporters,"reportedMichaelTraceyintheAmericanConservative."Itwasnotlostonthe
ZuccottiParkcrowd,forinstance,thatRonPaulpersonallyexpressedameasureofsupport
forthemovementearlierthanmostanyothernationalU.S.politicianasidefromSen.
BernieSandersorRep.DennisKucinich."
Occupyisoftenderidedashavingbeenleaderlessandineffective,butinconjunctionwiththe
TeaParty,fewifanysocialmovementsinAmericanhistoryhavedonemoretoidentifyand
discreditcollusionbetweengovernmentandcorporations."Corporatism,"onceaterm
confinedtoacademicdiscourse,isnowroutinelyusedtodescribethegeneralrelationship
betweengovernmentandbusinessintheUnitedStates.Moreover,itseemssafetoassume
thatbecauseoftheeffortsofOccupyandtheTeaParty,whichbeganin2009largelyasa
protestagainsttheTroubledAssetsReliefProgram,fewifanymembersofCongresswill
voteforanothermassivecorporatebailoutintheforeseeablefuturewithoutfearof
upsettingtheirconstituents.
Sincethestartof2013,the"dynamicpoliticalforce"hasproveditselftobejustthat.
Obamassecondinauguraladdresswasgreetedwithtepidapprovalandgrumblingsof
discontentfromhisformerlyorgiasticsupporters,whowerelikelymorechastenedbyfour
yearsofrelentlessexposuresandcriticismsoftheirherospoliciesbyleftistsand
libertariansthanbythepoliciesthemselves.InMarch,punditswhootherwiseconsiderRand
PaultobeanexoticwhitesupremacistcheeredtheKentuckySenatorashefilibusteredthe
nominationofJohnBrennanasdirectoroftheCIAinprotestoftheadministrationsuseof
dronestokillU.S.citizenssuspectedofterrorism.AtSalon,DavidSirotacalledPauls
stand"heroic"whileJonStewartcelebratedhimfor"usingthefilibusterthewayitsmeant
tobeused."StraightupcommunistcolumnistTedRallwentfurther,declaringthatPaulhad
become"themost,perhapstheonly,establishmentpoliticalfigureexpressingaprogressive
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visiononahostofincrediblyimportantissues...issuesthathavebeenabandonedbythe
statesanctionedLeft."
AtthelibertarianInternationalStudentsforLibertyConferenceinFebruaryofthisyear,
JeremyScahill,whoseassociationsincludetheInternationalSocialistOrganization,
DemocracyNow!,andTheNationeventhoughhehasconsistentlyalliedhimselfwith
libertariansonnationalsecurityandforeignpolicyissues,forthrightlydeclaredthatRand
Paulwas"reflectingwhatshouldbesomeofthecorevaluesofliberals,whenitcomesto
questionsofcivilliberties,oftherightsofAmericanstoknowwhethertheyreonakilllist,
ontherightoftheCongresstoknowwhatassertionstheWhiteHouseismakingaboutwho
itcanassassinatearoundtheworld,howitdeterminestheguiltofindividualsthatitwants
totargetfordronestrikes."Scahillacidlynotedthat"notasingleDemocrat"wouldjoinwith
Paulinhisprotest.
ThoughvariouspollsshowthatroughlytwothirdsofAmericanssupportObamasuseof
dronesagainstsuspectedterroristsinforeignlands,thatnumberwouldalmostcertainlybe
greaterwereitnotforthecontinuedprotestsagainstthedroneprogrambyan
amalgamationoflibertarianleaningRepublicanpoliticians,suchastherecentlyretiredRon
PaulandhissonRand,Rep.JustinAmashofMichigan,andRep.WalterJonesofNorth
Carolina,antiinterventionistlibertarianintellectualsandpundits,andpublicfiguressuchas
ScahillandGlennGreenwaldwhoaretotheleftoftheDemocraticPartyestablishment.This
isthegroupthatpublicizedtheexecutiveorderedkillingsofU.S.citizensAnwaralAwlaki
andhis16yearoldsonAbdulrahman,gaveforcetoRandPaulsfilibusterprotest,and
turnedpublicopinionagainstoneoftheadministrationsmostsignificant,autocratic,
unconstitutional,anddangerousforeignpolicyinitiatives.FollowingPaulsdayonthe
Senatefloor,GallupreportedamajorityofAmericansopposingdronestrikesagainstU.S.
citizens,evenagainstthoseonforeignsoilsuspectedofterrorism.
Inthesummerof2013the"unholyalliance"wreakedhavoconthenationalsecurityand
foreignpolicyestablishments.EdwardSnowden,aRonPaulsupporter,receivedpassionate
supportfrombothlibertariansandabroadarrayofleftistsforrevealing,attheriskof
imprisonment,theNSAsdragnetsurveillanceofAmericancitizens.Snowdensdisclosures
werepublicizedbythejournalistGlennGreenwald,whoisaregularspeakeratthe
InternationalSocialistOrganizationsannualSocialismConference,arecipientoftheNation
InstitutesI.F.StoneAward,andaccordingtoRachelMaddow"theAmericanleftsmost
fearlesspoliticalcommentator."ButGreenwaldisalso,likeScahill,aneagercollaborator
withlibertarians.HeauthoredastudyfortheCatoInstituteonPortugalsdecriminalization
ofdrugsandfrequentlypraisedRonPaulforbeing"farandawaythemostantiwar,anti
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SurveillanceState,anticronycapitalism,andantidrugwarpresidentialcandidateineither
party."
AccordingtoUSAToday/PewResearchCenterpolls,attitudestoward"thegovernments
collectionoftelephoneandinternetdataaspartofantiterrorismefforts"turneddecidedly
negativeafterSnowdenandGreenwaldbegantheirexpos.InJune2013,whenthepublic
firstheardoftheNSAsprogram,48percentofthosepolledapprovedofitwhile47percent
disapproved.ByJanuary2014,approvaldeclinedto40percentanddisapprovalroseto53
percent.ThatdisapprovalturnedtoragethatspilledintothestreetsandacrosstheWorld
WideWebon"TheDayWeFightBack,"aglobalprotestinFebruarywhenmorethan6,000
websitesandtensofthousandsoffleshandbloodprotestorsin15countriesdemanded"new
lawsthatcurtailonlinesurveillance."Supportersoftheprotestincludedtheastonishing
combinationofFreedomWorks,RonPaulsCampaignForLiberty,theLibertarianParty,
Greenpeace,andGreenpartiesacrosstheworld.
LessthantwomonthsafterSnowdenandGreenwaldtookonthesurveillancestate,the
Obamaadministrationreceivedyetanothersetbackfromtheunholyalliance.Whileliberal
andneoconservativepunditscheeredthePresidentsannouncementonAugust31that"the
UnitedStatesshouldtakemilitaryactionagainstSyrianregimetargets"andhissubmission
ofadraftresolutiontoCongressseekingauthorizationforanattack,anunprecedented
vanguardoflimitedgovernment,antigovernment,andworkersgovernmentactivistsled
thousandsofpeopleintothestreetstostoptheintervention.Atdemonstrationsacrossthe
country,RonPaulsignsandGadsdenflagssharedsidewalkspacewithbannersoftheParty
ForSocialismandLiberation.EvenTheNewYorkTimesnoted"someunusualnewcomers"
atantiwarralliesTeaPartiersmobilizedbytheirlocalorganizationsandby
FreedomWorks,whichorganizedaphonebankofitsmemberstolobbymembersof
CongresstoopposeinterventioninSyria.Meanwhile,intheCongressmembersofthe
RepublicanLibertyCaucusjoinedwiththeindependentsocialistSenatorBernieSandersof
VermontandleftofcenterDemocratstoargueagainstObamasresolution.Thatresistance
compelledtheWhiteHousetoabandonitsplanstosendTomahawkmissilesintoSyriaand
seekanagreementwithSyriasAssadregimetodestroyitschemicalweaponscache.Widely
deridedbyRepublicanhawksas"afailure,"Obamasdecisiontoforegolethalactionshould
certainlybecountedagreatsuccessfortheantiwarleftandlibertarians.
Inadditiontotheseimpressiveachievementswehaveseenlongstandingcollaborationof
theleftandlibertariansbringtworevolutionstotheconsciousnessofAmericans.The
movementtodecriminalizedrugs,whichsincetheearly1970shasbeenledbyleft
libertarianorganizationsliketheNationalOrganizationfortheReformofMarijuanaLaws
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(NORML)andtheDrugPolicyAllianceanorganizationthatreceivesfundingfromboth
GeorgeSorosandtheKochbrothersnotonlysucceededwiththepassagein2012of
initiativesinColoradoandWashingtonlegalizingrecreationaluseofmarijuanabutalsowith
aseachangeinAmericanattitudes.InOctoberoflastyear,Gallupreportedthatforthefirst
timeaclearmajorityofAmericans58percentintheirlatestpollsaidthedrugshouldbe
legalized.WhenGallupfirstaskedthequestionin1969,theyearbeforeNORMLwas
founded,only12percentfavoredlegalization.
Mostrecently,libertarians,progressives,andevenmanyestablishmentliberalsflooded
socialmediaandtheairwavesinresponsetothepolicekillingoftheunarmedblackteenager
MichaelBrowninFerguson,Missouriandtothesubsequentuseoftanks,snipers,andtear
gasbytheSt.LouisCountyPolicetocounterprotesters.Thephrase"militarizationofthe
police,"firstpopularizedbytheworkofformerReasonsenioreditorRadleyBalko,isnow
coursingthroughAmericanpoliticaldiscourse.NotingthatRandPaulandtheCongressional
BlackCaucuswereleadingthepushonCapitolHillforpolicereforminresponseto
Ferguson,theliberalWashingtonPostbloggerGregSargentwelcomedthis"leftright
alliance"forfocusing"nationalattentionontheovermilitarizationofourpoliceforces."
OnemightthinkallthiswouldbecauseforcelebrationamongthosewhoshareNader's
objectives,butmanyfinditmoreacauseforgraveconcern.Sincelastsummer,liberalmedia
outletshavestreamedoutwarningstotheirreadersto"BewareofLibertariansBearing
Gifts,"astheCenterforAmericanProgressputit.Anyalliancewithlibertarians,evenfora
causeasworthyasreiningintheNSA,"couldkilltheNewDeal."Salonhasfrequently
traffickedinhysteriaoverthelibertarian"threat"toprogressivism."DontAllyWith
Libertarians,"admonishedoneofmanyheadlinesaboutthe"fatallycompromised"coalition
thatproduced"TheDayWeFightBack."AtTheNewRepublic,Princetonhistoryprofessor
SeanWilentzexplainedtothe"liberalestablishment"thathadfalleninwithSnowden,
Greenwald,andWikileaksfounderJulianAssangethatthesepurveyorsof"paranoid
libertarianism"wereoutsidetheboundsofrespectablepolitics.Theyoccupy"apeculiar
cornerofthepoliticalforest,wherethefarleftmeetsthefarright,oftenbutnotalways
undertherubricoflibertarianism."Whereunwittingliberalshave"portrayedtheleakersas
truthtellingcomradesintentonprotectingthestateandtheConstitutionfrom
authoritarianmalefactors,thatshardlytheirgoal,"Wilentzwarned."Infact,theleakers
despisethemodernliberalstate,andtheywanttowoundit."
Someleftwingobservershaveofferedmoreconstructiveevaluationsofthealliance.Ralph
Nadercontinuestoleadtheway,withanewbookonthe"EmergingLeftRightAllianceto
DismantletheCorporateState"andalengthyinterviewpromotingitonReasonTV.Perhaps
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themostnotableamongtheleftwingsympathizerstoNaderscauseisPeterFrase,aneditor
atthesocialistJacobin,whoquestioned"thisobsessionwithpeoplelikeGreenwald
andSnowdenasvectorsfornoxiouslibertarianismratherthanpeoplewhoaredoing
courageousandusefulworkeveniftheirpoliticsarentsocialist."Fraseidentified"an
instinctamongsomeontheLefttosupposethatdefendingthepossibilityofgovernment
requiresrejectinganyalliancewithlibertarianswhomightcriticizeparticularlynoxious
aspectsoftheexistingstate."ForthoseontheleftwhoshareNadersoptimismabout
libertarians,Frasesconclusionshouldserveasamanifesto:
Oneshouldnothaveanyillusionsthatcriticsofthenationalsecuritystateallshare
socialistpolitics.Butweshouldjudgethesecriticsbywhattheysayanddoandwhat
theirpoliticalimpactis.Anendlessinquisitionintohiddenbeliefsandmotives,andthe
attempttounmaskadeviouslibertarianhiddenagenda,makesforasatisfyingpurity
politicsforthosewhowanttojustifytheirowninaction.Butitdoesnothingtocontest
thepredatoryfusionofstateandcapitalthatconfrontsustoday,whichmustbe
confrontedinthegovernment,theworkplace,andmanyotherplacesbesides.
Hear,hear.Soletussaytoleftistsandlibertarians:Unite!Youhavenothingtolosebutyour
ideologicalchains.