The Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, meets annually, usually in Washington DC, and is a key gathering of conservative policymakers, media and officials from all over the country.

Over the last decade it has also become ground zero for the Trump wing of the Republican Party. This year the line-up of speakers included Trump himself, JD Vance, Elon Musk, Steve Bannon, various Republican elites of the MAGA stripe.

But CPAC is more than just its speakers, its also its devoted attendees – the thousands of every day activists fly from all over the country to make connections, share ideas and – this year, relish in the restoration of Donald Trump and buz with excitement over what he might do over the next few years.

I was interested in talking to those people to learn more about what it is that interests them about trump and what specifically they want to see out of a Trump presidency. I heard a lot of different answers, with consensus on issues like immigration, DEI and humor over Trumpian theatrics. There were also some divisions among attendees, particularly on the topic of Ukraine and Trump’s approach to foreign policy.

I found it all fascinating. Whatever one’s views – and mind tend to be more on the left – I think its important and enjoyable to listen to other people’s perspectives and get a better understanding of what inspires their activism. The people I met at CPAC were friendly, chatty and open to sharing their views – and this episode contains excerpts from a range of conversations I had while on the ground.

I hope you enjoy the show, if so – please make sure to subscribe and share. Enjoy

Show Info
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Twitter
@KevinAMaley
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Email
ZipcodeZeroPodcast@gmail.com
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Music
Urban Deer Hunt: https://linktr.ee/urbandeerhunt

Famed libertarian activist and author Sean Dempsey returns to discuss early takes on Trump 2.0. We discuss Trump's attempts to sledge-hammer parts of the government (CFPD, U.S.AID, Dept of Education), potential attempts to cut military spending, assessments of Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr., the legacy of COVID, Ukraine, Gaza, trilateral talks with China and Russia, and more.

You can find Sean's latest book "Trump Again!?" on Amazon.

Chapters

00:00
Libertarian Perspectives on Government and Corporations

00:00
Corporate Influence and Consumer Protection

00:18
The Debate on the Department of Education

05:01
Cultural Wars and Political Divides

15:55
The Culture War Distraction

17:31
Government Spending and Military Accountability

20:59
The Illusion of Change in Politics

24:12
Surveillance and Whistleblowers

29:55
Health Care and the Role of Bobby Kennedy

36:01
Nuance in Political Discourse

48:47
Pandemic Response and Historical Context

49:58
Lab Leak Theory and Censorship

51:17
Polarization and Nuance in Society

52:30
Political Accountability and Historical Reflection

54:09
Foreign Policy and Military Spending

56:00
Ukraine Conflict and Diplomatic Solutions

58:10
Trump's Approach to Foreign Relations

59:29
Hypocrisy in International Relations

01:01:41
Free Speech and Political Hypocrisy

01:04:29
Trump's Controversial Statements on Gaza

01:06:12
European Free Speech Standards

01:08:04
Final Thoughts on the Trump Administration

Show Info
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Twitter
@KevinAMaley
-----
Email
ZipcodeZeroPodcast@gmail.com
-----
Music
Urban Deer Hunt: https://linktr.ee/urbandeerhunt

Today I'm joined by John Strand, a man who participated in the January 6 protests on Capitol Hill. John committed no violence nor was he ever *charged* with any violence. Prosecutors don't dispute that he simply walked in and out of the building that day. For that offense he was facing almost a quarter century in prison. Is that justice?

I hope everyone, especially those who are on the political left or otherwise not Trump supporters, will consider this question with an open mind.

There was indisputable violence on January 6 and most people can agree those who physically attack another human being should face legal consequences.

But for the millions of Americans who have been conditioned to despise January 6 protesters as domestic terrorists or insurrectionists, there is little attention paid to what happened to the hundreds of non-violent protesters that went in and out of the Capitol that day. Many of those protesters were not only charged with misdemeanor offenses, like unlawful entry, but also found themselves facing felony charges that were pulled from 2002 financial accounting law in order to give the Department of Justice the ability to seek up punishment of up to 20 years in prison.

No matter what you think of the protesters themselves or what they were protesting, it is important to ask oneself this: For those who were non-violent, should they face 20 years in prison? And would then fairly apply this principle to *any* other protester?

After listening to the show you can learn more about John's story:

Website: https://www.johnstrand.com/
Twitter: @JohnStrandUSA
Book: @PatriotPlea

00:00
Understanding January 6th: Myths and Realities

01:54
The Role of the Justice System

04:10
Personal Background and Political Awakening

06:54
The Freedom Rally and Activism

09:30
January 6th: The Day of the Capitol Incident

12:18
The Narrative of the Rally and March

14:40
Government Response and Security Failures

17:29
Reflections on Accountability and Future Implications

21:39
The Super Bowl Analogy: Crowd Dynamics and Expectations

23:09
Chaos at the Capitol: The Columbus Doors

25:19
Inside the Capitol: A Bystander's Perspective

27:47
The Aftermath: Realization of Legal Consequences

30:07
FBI's Most Wanted: The Unexpected Turn

31:41
The SWAT Team Assault: A Terrifying Experience

34:38
Four Days of Silence: Detention Without Charges

36:26
Common Treatment: The Reality for January 6 Protesters

38:11
Weaponization of Government: A Call to Awareness

42:35
Weaponization of Government Power

46:58
The January 6th Protests: A Double Standard

47:30
Legal Charges and the Justice System

01:01:07
Sentencing and Political Critique

01:03:10
Exoneration and Moving Forward

Show Info
-----
Twitter
@KevinAMaley
-----
Email
ZipcodeZeroPodcast@gmail.com
-----
Music
Urban Deer Hunt: https://linktr.ee/urbandeerhunt