Politics with Paul

Approachable, nonpartisan, and nonideological analysis of various political topics by nonpartisan political analyst, writer, researcher, and speaker Paul Rader.

How to Find Common Ground in Politics w/ Nathan Smolensky | Politics with Paul #61

E62 • Oct 7, 2025 • 72 mins

Common ground in politics seems more and more like a fleeting dream, a relic of the past. But it is attainable--and there are actionable ways for all of us to get there. This week's Politics with Paul guest, Nathan C. Smolensky, discusses what these practical tips are. Nathan also talks about how to make constructive dialogue more conducive to winning elections, whether you can have a civil conversation with anyone, and why hostile reactions to political views (even if justified) don't help solve anything.

Key Points

Conflict and divisiveness dominate political discourse because they drive engagement and media attention, but finding common ground is possible and necessary for healthy dialogue and problem-solving.
Nathan Smolensky's book, "Common Ground from the Ground Up," offers practical techniques and mindsets to foster constructive political conversations by focusing on shared goals, intellectual humility, and effective communication.
The empowerment of independent voices and the creation of viable political alternatives can disrupt the current divisive incentives in politics, leading to more collaborative and solution-oriented governance.
A hostile reaction to political views may be justifiable...but it doesn't mean that it helps solve issues.

Nathan's links:

Website: https://nathansmolensky.com/
Book "Common Ground From the Ground Up": https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHQPZ8QZ

My links:

Download my FREE 5-day educational email course on how to fight polarization: https://detoxifyamericanpolitics.com/
Buy my book on Amazon (ebook and paperback): https://www.amazon.com/Why-Independents-Rarely-Win-Elections-ebook/dp/B09K8PYM5J/
My website: https://paulrader.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulRaderWrites
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulrader352/
Medium: https://paulrader-42650.medium.com/
Email: [email protected]

Speakers

Paul Rader

Host • 31%

Nathan Smolensky

Guest • 69%

Chapters

0:00	Introduction to Nathan Smolensky, Common Ground in Politics
1:41	What Brought Nathan Into the Political Arena
5:55	Why Nathan Worked with the Florida Forward Party
12:00	Why Nathan Wrote "Common Ground From the Ground Up"
16:18	Making Civility More Appealing to Those Who Don't Seek it Out
19:39	Civility is NOT Politeness, Ideas Don't Inherently Conflict
25:17	Justified in Being Hostile Does NOT Mean it Helps Discussion
26:35	Is it Possible to Have a Civil Conversation with ANYONE?
31:47	How Do We Incentivize Constructive Dialogue in Elections?
39:28	Constructive Dialogue and More Competitive Congressional Elections
43:40	When Did Our Fracturing Begin? And Encouraging Signs of Fixing it
49:05	Being Collaborative When Discussing Moral Issues
54:30	What About People Who Overestimate Their Open-Mindedness?
1:00:58	Final Thoughts on Finding Common Ground
1:03:24	Random ? of the Day: Most Annoying Common Phrases
1:09:58	Closing and Our Media

Transcript

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