This seems to be a theme on MSNBC yesterday. Was it right wing populism that defeated Eric Cantor? The idea was floated on several TV shows (Al Sharpton's, Chris Hayes, and I believe Ari Melber's). It appears that Brat managed to link on at least more than one occasion the Chamber of Commerce and immigration reform - the dreaded AMNESTY! Other evidence of Wall Street bashing from Brat is cited by Crooks and Liars and The New Republic.
And from some of his rhetoric, Brat takes on what he considers to be the "crooks" in the banking industry. He claims to be pro-business, but he is against crony capitalism. And he manages to throw Obama in with those who reward crony capitalist.
While the left would certainly applaud if many of the criminal bankers and lenders went to prison, I'm not convinced that left wing populism can find common ground with the right's version on policy prescriptions. Frankly, I'm not sure what if any new banking regulations Brat and other so called right wing populists would support. My limited experience with those who embrace right wing populism is that government is the largest and most powerful enemy to freedom.
Government is a focal point for those who have a special economic agenda, and if those with special economic interest seize the reigns of governmental power, they reward themselves at the expense of others. This is actually an old idea or argument dating back to the founding of the U.S. government, especially with regards to a national bank. The belief was that a diffusion of power was necessary to preserve economic and political freedoms from those who wanted to rig the system.
However, the founding fathers and the later Jacksonians didn't take this diffusion of power to its logical extremes, as the current crop of Tea Party folks do. Instead of limited government, right wing populism wants to ELIMINATE the government or destroy the economic and political system in order to bring down the government. Think how many of the so called right wing populists go on about raising the debt ceiling.
Some of those Tea Party or right wing populists go on about how nothing will happen if the U.S. government defaults. This just shows how deluded some are. However, I think some of the other right wing populists or extremists know it will destroy the system and the government, and it is their goal. In one fell swoop they can demolish what they consider to be the greatest threat to the American people: the government.
So as a progressive, I can never make common cause with the likes of right wing populists. While I may cheer on the sight of Eric Cantor being eaten alive by the lions in the Tea Party Arena, I will not endorse their ultimate dangerous aim.