Paul Rader

I'm a nonpartisan political analyst with both educational and hands-on experience with the American political system. I have a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of South Florida and a master's degree from the University of Florida's political campaigning. My first book, Why Independents Rarely Win Elections: And How They Could Become More Competitive, was published in 2021. It takes an impartial look at the struggles independent candidates face, how those obstacles work in tandem, misconceptions about what being "independent" in America means, and some steps that could be taken for those candidates to give themselves more of a chance in elections. The book is available in ebook and paperback form on Amazon, and you can buy one of these formats from various other retailers including Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Kobo, and more. I also write on Medium.com from time to time.

***WHY I DO WHAT I DO***

I see some serious gaps in the public discussion of politics. It's not just about the excessive partisanship and ideological battles. Civics is in a dire state. Political efficacy and political participation are at much lower levels than they should be. Analysis and commentary can often be dry, bland, and unappealing to many people. They also often have too little depth to them, looking barely past the surface-level data and geared toward generating ratings instead of substance. It's these kinds of issues and more I'm seeking to alleviate in whatever way I can.

So, I'm building my nonpartisan political analyst career. I enjoy writing, speaking, and productively discussing politics. I want more people to realize that politics is interesting and does not have to be divisive.

***OUTSIDE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE***

But it's not politics 24/7 for me. Variety is the spice of life, as they say. Some non-political things about me:

• I regularly exercise. I especially enjoy playing basketball and lifting weights.
• I'm a video game enthusiast. I'm a particularly avid fan and player of The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series.
• I'm very interested in voice acting and hope to add that to my repertoire at some point. I like doing all sorts of voices and impressions (though their quality varies).
• As a proud alumnus of both the University of South Florida and University of Florida, I'm a supporter of both sports programs, especially USF. I am a season ticket holder for USF Football and make it to USF Basketball games when I can.
• I love astronomy. I was a big space nerd when I was a kid, and I still find it fascinating now. I find Venus to be the most interesting planet (not counting Earth).
• I'm a cartophile—a big fan of maps. That goes for both the real world and those that come from my favorite fictional franchises.
• I can't get enough of history, particularly American history. It's arguably the most important subject—you know how the old saying goes about those who don't know history.
• My favorite band is Alice in Chains—both their older music with Layne Staley and their newer music with William Duvall. My two favorite musicians are Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains) and Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park).
• For all its absurdity, I love my state, Florida. It's both because of and in spite of said absurdity.