We are no longer relying on Bernie Sanders; we’re relying on the movement that Bernie has asked us to build.

Sean’s Monologue: America the Militarized

Today Sean speaks with author and campaign activist Kacey Carpenter about the grassroots fight for progressive change. First, Kacey tells us his story of meeting Bernie Sanders and explains the event that helped him realize that the privilege he’d enjoyed in life was tenuous and the fight for democracy belongs in the hands of the people. With his eyes open to the problems in the world, Kacey was inspired to become a campaign volunteer and to write the book My Journey with Bernie: The Revolution Starts with Us.

Sean shares the moment when Bernie Sanders won his heart, and he talks with Kacey about Bernie’s policies, how Bernie prevented Trump from winning the 2020 election, and overcoming the neoliberalism of the DNC. “The solution to the corruption of the Democratic Party is to literally stop taking the money,” Kacey says, a concept that he expands upon in his book Ready, Set, Go! Playbook for Campaigns, Candidates, and Causes.

Sean asks Kacey about his biggest fear for Donald Trump 2.0, and Kacey warns about the biggest obstacle Trump will face in his second term. Kacey tells us about his involvement in local government elections, supporting corporate-free candidates, building a coalition independent of the 2-party system, rank choice voting, and “Bernie math.”

After discussing the possibility of AOC as president, Sean and Kacey talk about the playbook for building a successful movement, then Kacey shares a pivotal moment while canvassing for Bernie in rural Pennsylvania that taught him how to talk effectively with people and convert them to action.

Now that he has shifting his focus from running for office to supporting and mentoring other candidates, Kacey has plenty of insight to share about sustaining momentum in the face of setbacks and the power of different generations coming together to teach each other new skills. Listen to find out an easy way to get a free hour of campaign coaching from Kacey!

Next, Kacey talks about separating your personal life from your political life, the power of storytelling in effecting change, and what it means to be a “conservative progressive.” He tells us about his support of local organizations that don’t take corporate money (for example – fruit gleaners) and he gives tips for organizations forming partnerships.

Kacey talks about finding commonality with your enemies and how being open to others’ beliefs is the way to dial back the MAGA movement and create a People’s Movement in its place. He and Sean discuss how misinformation has divided us and how we can find truth despite obstacles like AI and a mainstream media with corporate interests. After Kacey tells us about his experiences as a union organizer, he and Sean end the episode by talking about the time they met in person.

Subscribe to Kacey Carpenter’s free weekly newsletter at:

https://lifeisajourney.substack.com/

Learn more about Kacey’s books:

READY, SET, GO! Playbook for Campaigns, Candidates, and Causes

My Journey with Bernie

Connect with Kacey on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/kacey.carpenter.104/

https://www.instagram.com/kaceycarpenter1/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaceycarpenter/

https://x.com/kaceycarpenter

https://bsky.app/profile/kaceycarpenter.bsky.social

The more you know about the U.S. criminal justice system, the more you realize how many innocent people are being incarcerated.

Sean’s Monologue: The Power of Presidential Pardons

For this special episode of Coup Save America, we are joined by Shannon Lynch, the producer and host of The Alley: DC's 8th and H Case, a podcast dedicated to telling the story of six men who were falsely accused of murder and who are now seeking presidential pardons after serving long prison terms for a crime they did not commit.

On October 1st, 1984, Catherine Fuller was murdered in an alley near the intersections of 8th and H streets northeast in Washington, DC. Shannon begins by telling us the background of this brutal case and how a miscarriage of justice resulted in the arrest of eleven young black people who were falsely accused of committing a vicious gang rape. Shannon and Sean discuss the possible reasons why police and prosecutors might latch onto an incorrect theory of the crime and pursue it so doggedly despite evidence that pointed to more logical explanations of what happened that afternoon. Shannon lists the many reasons why law enforcements’ narrative of the event makes little sense, and she explains the problems posed by tunnel vision and confirmation bias.

Most people are surprised to learn that the police are allowed – and even encouraged – to lie to citizens during interrogations. Shannon sheds light on the many tactics used to obtain confessions and how these practices can destroy the accuracy of the acquired information. She talks about the evidence that was withheld during the 8th and H Case and how difficult it is to prove that prosecutors have committed a Brady violation. Why did the Supreme Court wrongly decide that the nine men ultimately charged with Catherine Fuller’s murder had received a fair trial?

Shannon goes on to explain why having eleven defendants in one case meant that the accused young people did not receive adequate representation. Why were two of the accused acquitted while the other nine were found guilty?

What is the process of applying for a presidential pardon? Shannon describes the complexities and required details that result in these petitions being upwards of 400 pages long. She walks us through what happens after your application is submitted, talks about the power of sole discretion that the president wields, and tells us why it’s so difficult for a person charged in Washington DC to receive a pardon for their crime. Listen to learn why the falsely accused men chose to remain in prison when they could have been released years earlier.

Why seek a presidential pardon? What are the potential benefits? Shannon tells us what makes her feel so hopeful that Biden will grant clemency to the six petitioners from the 8th and H Case.

We hear about the longstanding involvement of The Innocence Project in this case, then Shannon tells us what inspired an audio engineer to step out of her comfort zone and host her own podcast about the 8th and H murder. She talks about how her impressions of our country’s criminal justice system have changed and what she has learned from her experience. Shannon plans to continue The Alley with episodes featuring the current lives of the falsely accused survivors so the whole world can be as impressed as she is by their attitudes, resilience, kindness, and their many contributions to their communities and society as a whole.

We conclude our show with a call-to-action, hoping our listeners will be inspired to spread the word and to sign the petition that might help six men receive the presidential pardons they so badly deserve.

To learn more about the 8th and H case and to sign the pardon petition, visit:

https://8thandhjustice.org

To hear the full story and connect with Shannon Lynch, visit:

https://www.newamerica.org/the-alley/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonleighlynch/

“There will be a lot of dead people, but politicians don’t tend to care about dead people.”

Sean’s Monologue: Israeli-Palestinian Relations Recap

On today’s episode of Coup Save America, Robert Cook joins us to talk about the conflict in the Middle East. Robert is a US Veteran, Western Civilization Expert, public intellectual historian and the author of "The Mahdi," a timely thriller novel which explores geopolitical tensions through a fictional lens.

The episode opens with Robert telling us about his series of national security thrillers starring a modern, liberal Muslim character, Alex Cuchulain or “Cooch.” In previous novels, Cooch has proven his heroism in Colombia, Yemen, and Iran … but in this latest installment – The Mahdi – he returns to his Bedouin homeland and finds himself mixed up in a clash between Jewish and Islamic ideologies. Can technology and enlightened thinking prevail over entrenched dogma?

Robert talks about how his military experience has shaped his perceptions of Middle Eastern conflicts and how writing fiction allows an author certain liberties with the storytelling. As for the harsh realities of the situation between Israel and Palestine, although he “doesn’t have a dog in the fight” Robert would like the Middle East to be a good place for children to grow up. Is a US war with Iran inevitable? Listen to find out what Robert means when he says that problems in the Middle East will not be solved by politicians or by warfare – they will be solved by religion.

Sean and Robert go on to discuss “unintended consequences”, quantum computers, and how AI chatbots could be used to educate children. On the topic of innovative styles of teaching, Robert tells us about the Cook Honors College he launched at the University of Alabama in Pennsylvania.

On the topic of America’s impending regime change, Robert feels that Trump will “really break a lot of glass” but will ultimately make our country better in the end. Listen to learn why Robert feels we are better off funding the government with tariffs rather than with tax revenues. He also explains the diversity of opinions across the MAGA movement and tells us how to listen through the noise for the real message.

The conversation turns back to the implications of AI in modern warfare, along with the genocide & the future of the Palestinian State. We conclude the show with Robert’s advice for people wanting to remain informed about current events – Keep an open mind and listen to reliable voices on both sides. Don’t just be a viewer, be a thinker.

Follow Robert Cook and buy his books at:

https://x.com/robertcooknovel

http://www.robertcooknovels.com

Cook Honors College:

https://www.iup.edu/honors/index.html