The State of U.S. Foreign Policy with Connor Echols

Voices of CPAC

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

Assessing the Early Days of Trump 2.0

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!? [https://www.amazon.com/Trump-AGAIN-Could-America-Happen/dp/B0DS8LPTWV/ref=sr_1_2?crid=QS6I10ZIAYAY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Lr0DXQtDzCcp-nEqE3KRiPMhB16s_pNrjxNhn88jZ4mf9lMVQ-Y-dTTcgWBMPhMQ4mx0VImo3ClR5gHTBtMN9emdjfzFnaC-D3HNW2CZ65e-37Yy7_cjueNV_AJY2N7b3naqM4ZI_D6CM7qAqjqfJti8lzyZxTbnsiL9nhS4prx5xhuTVT2c0uJh3eoQxAj7iYZpZgu3Kg_elE7J-i3fxShTO6ejF9EZDcX85ohChcg.Qe1ShhxGrVMcrfsqHYd62CmKLSwPl2-iO3QtGx-q6sI&dib_tag=se&keywords=sean+dempsey&qid=1739728633&sprefix=sean+demp%2Caps%2C107&sr=8-2]" 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 ----- Twitter @KevinAMaley ----- Email ZipcodeZeroPodcast@gmail.com ----- Music Urban Deer Hunt: https://linktr.ee/urbandeerhunt

Why Everyone Should Oppose How The Jan. 6 Protesters Were Treated

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

The Biden Legacy in Foreign Affairs

As the Biden administration winds down, the mainstream/corporate media is assessing the impact of his presidency and the legacy he leads. Unfortunately, the media is largely whitewashing that legacy - largely concluding that Biden may have made mistakes but was always acting with noble intentions to promote freedom and a "rules based order" around the world. Substack writer "The Dissident" had a different take and joins Zipcode Zero to discuss the legacy Biden leaves. "A Retrospective on the Biden Administration's Foreign Policy" https://the307.substack.com/p/a-retrospective-on-the-biden-administrations Substack https://the307.substack.com/ Twitter https://x.com/leftist_news12 Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Background of The Dissident 01:38 Biden's Foreign Policy Legacy 04:30 The Ukraine War: A Deep Dive 17:29 The Impact of the Ukraine Conflict 24:02 Future Predictions and Trump's Role 28:39 Disillusionment with American Politics 29:14 The Legacy of Cold War Mentality 31:12 NATO Expansion and Its Consequences 32:56 The Ongoing Crisis in Israel and Gaza 37:04 The Role of the Israel Lobby 43:38 Biden's Foreign Policy Legacy 50:39 Future Global Hotspots and Concerns Show Info ----- Twitter @KevinAMaley ----- Email ZipcodeZeroPodcast@gmail.com ----- Music Urban Deer Hunt: https://linktr.ee/urbandeerhunt

The State of U.S. Foreign Policy with Connor Echols

Connor Echols is the managing editor of NonZero. Connor came to NonZero by way of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, where he worked as a reporter covering global conflicts, the arms trade, and other fun stuff. His work has also appeared in the New Arab, the Intercept, and Injustice Watch, among other outlets. Based in Washington, DC, Connor writes about the people and ideas that drive American foreign policy.  Today we talk about the current situation in Ukraine - including the impact of President Biden's decision to approve Ukraine's use of long raise missiles into Russia - the Israel/Gaza conflict, U.S. relations with China, what a Trump approach to international relations, and the prospects for a better approach to the world. You can find Connor's work at https://nonzero.substack.com and follow him on X at @connor_echols. Chapters: 03:10 The Current State of the Ukraine Conflict 06:10 Trump's Potential Influence on Ukraine 09:08 Impacts of the Ukraine Conflict on U.S. Interests 15:09 The Situation in Gaza and Israel's Actions 20:55 The Future of Gaza Post-Conflict 27:01 The Role of Arab States in the Israel-Palestine Conflict 37:01 The Palestinian Rights Dilemma 39:18 Iran-Israel Relations and U.S. Involvement 46:06 The China Challenge: U.S. Foreign Policy Dynamics 53:15 Trump's Foreign Policy: A Balancing Act 01:00:06 Democratic Foreign Policy: Continuity or Change? Show Info ----- Twitter @KevinAMaley ----- Email ZipcodeZeroPodcast@gmail.com ----- Music Urban Deer Hunt: https://linktr.ee/urbandeerhunt