In this conversation, Matt. Maasdam, a former Navy SEAL and current congressional candidate for Michigan's 7th district, shares his journey from military service to politics. He discusses the importance of leadership, integrity, and compassion in both high-pressure situations and political environments. Matt emphasizes the need for affordable healthcare, the significance of collective bargaining for workers, and the role of trust in government. Plus, let's address young men abandoning the democratic party. He expresses hope for the future of America, highlighting the resilience of its citizens and the importance of community involvement in governance.

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Care for the entire being, be a man or woman for others. In this conversation, Matt Conroy, candidate for Illinois’s 5th Congressional District, breaks down why the United States is falling behind countries like China when it comes to infrastructure, clean energy, and long-term economic planning. He argues that America’s biggest threat isn’t another nation, but our own refusal to update aging systems and political mindsets that no longer meet the moment.

Matt talks about what he’s seeing on the ground in IL-05, from affordability pressures to outdated transit and energy grids that hurt both families and businesses.

Throughout the conversation, Matt discusses why he chose to run against an entrenched incumbent, how corporate money shapes congressional priorities, and why younger, working-class voices are essential in shaping the country’s future. He closes with a hopeful vision of a more responsive, modern, people-centered government, one capable of meeting the challenges of this century rather than the last.

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Anthony David Vernon is back! This time to unpack the escalating situation in Venezuela and what it reveals about U.S. power abroad. Together, they trace the historical roots of American intervention in Latin America through the Monroe Doctrine, examine the real-world consequences of economic sanctions, and break down how U.S. rhetoric around oil and democracy shapes public understanding. Anthony argues that when these developments are viewed together, the dots increasingly point toward the United States moving in the direction of effectively colonizing Venezuela.

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Check out some of Anthony’s articles:

https://academeblog.org/2025/04/17/double-booking-against-higher-education/

https://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/are-jazz-hop-instrumentals-jazz-an-observation-and-playlist-by-anthony-david-vernon/

https://www.bardicsanonymous.com/nonfiction/optimistic-absurdism