Category: Episodes

Fall is here. And it’s crazier by the day. Trump drama, Ukraine war news, natural disasters, political dysfunction, election campaign warfare. It’s something new and terrible every day. But there’s one important issue you’re not seeing in the news. Important enough that it has dedicated citizens sleeping outside the US Capitol in Washington tonight. It’s… Continue reading 189. Matt Zeller & Afghan Activists. 24/7 Firewatch Outside the Capitol To Support the Afghan Adjustment Act. Ukraine’s Roll Continues. Biden Says Pandemic is Over. Trump Again Threatens Violence. Puerto Rico Slammed. Marcus King: Musical Freight Train.

Silly season is here. It’s less than two months until the midterms elections. And it’s on. Politicians are doing all kinds of crazy things. And the stakes have never been higher. Republican Senator and Sellout-in-Chief Lindsay Graham introduced a national abortion ban bill this week. Texas Governor Greg Abbot shipped busloads of undocumented migrants into… Continue reading 188. Christine Todd Whitman. Inside the Forward Party. Why Should Independents Trust It? Is There More Than Andrew Yang? Ukraine Running The Table. The GOP National Abortion Ban. “MAGA Republicans”. 9/11, 21 Years Later. Train Strike Gaining Steam.

 9/11 is the single most influential moment of the 21st century. It was terrible and tragic and it was a moment that will remain etched in our country’s history forever. It was a moment that redefined the trajectory of the entire world and will continue to shape the future for decades to come. 9/11… Continue reading 187. The 9/11 Episode. The Stories Behind the Day with First Responders. Rob Serra, Richard Naviasky, Joseph Cammarata, Al Barry and Survivor Lila Nordstrom.

9/11 is the single most influential moment of the 21st century. It was terrible and tragic and it was a moment that will remain etched in our country’s history forever. It was a moment that redefined the trajectory of the entire world and will continue to shape the future for decades to come. 9/11 was a moment that changed everything for the entire world. And it’s a moment that is engrained in the DNA of Righteous Media. 
Host and founder Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) was there at Ground Zero on 9/11. The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra host Rob Serra (@SerraRob) was there at Ground Zero on 9/11. They saw the horror first hand. They were there to witness it in person. The scale. The depth. The scope of it all. And while the rest of us watched in shock on TV, they were there, helping, scrambling through the wreckage trying to find survivors. Trying to find anything. 
It was as horrible as things can be and no one should ever have to endure what they saw that day. But we can never forget. And part of that never forgetting is the requirement we all have to not look away from the ugliness. To not look away from the horror. If we hope to truly honor the sacrifice of those we lost, and those we continue to lose, we can not ignore the horror. We must truly never forget.
So at least here — at Independent Americans and all of the shows produced by Righteous Media — we will never look away. We will never forget. We will honor those sacrifices and we will share the stories of the heroes that survived and the heroes that didn’t. Never forget is more than just a hashtag at Righteous Media. It’s what we do. It’s who we are. Join us.
Every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff (@PaulRieckhoff) breaks down the most important news stories–and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It’s independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve–and stay vigilant. 
Go Deeper:
Hear Paul’s full conversation with Rob Serra from Episode 2 of Independent Americans.
Hear Rob’s full conversation with Richard Naviasky from Episode 1 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).
Hear Rob’s full conversation with Joseph Cammarata from Episode 2 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).
Hear Rob’s full conversation with Al Barry from Episode 15 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).
Hear Rob’s full conversation with Lila Nordstrom from Episode 14 of The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, FDNY (Ret.).
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-Also check out new episodes of other Righteous Media podcasts including the B Dorm Podcast, The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra and Uncle Montel – The OG of Weed. 
Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media. Righteous is an independent, American, Veteran-owned and led content company. 

  Democrat Pat Ryan (@PatRyanUC) just won a special Congressional election in upstate New York that has the entire political world talking. Few picked him to win in the traditionally Republican-leaning area. But against the odds, the combat veteran pulled it off. And inspired people of all backgrounds nationwide. And now, analysts and strategists nationwide… Continue reading 186. Congressman-Elect Pat Ryan. Inside The Political Win of the Summer. A Case Study In Appealing to Independents. Fighting Gas Prices, Trump, Abortion Rollbacks, & His Own Party. An Army Intel Vet on Trump’s Classified Docs. A Where Is Yang Update.

One year ago this week, the great American betrayal of Afghanistan culminated with a total debacle of a withdrawal that ended in death and carnage.  On Aug. 26, 2021, 13 US troops and 170 Afghans were killed when a bomb ripped through the crowd at the Abbey Gate. The blast took only seconds, but the… Continue reading 185. Dan Lamothe. Washington Post Exclusive: Inside the Carnage at Kabul Airport. Afghanistan 1 Year Later. New Airstrikes in Syria. Month 6 of Russia’s Ukraine Invasion. Taiwan, The Arctic & Where War Could Come Next. Andrew Yang Ghosts on Our Show.

After her defeat this week, Congresswoman Liz Cheney said Tuesday’s primary is “certainly the beginning of a battle that is going to continue to go on. And as a country, we’re facing a moment where our democracy really is under attack and under threat.” The battle is on. It’s actually been on for years. We’ve… Continue reading 184. Buck Sexton. The Conservative Talk Radio Star Who Replaced Rush Limbaugh. What Will Trump Supporters Do After Mar-a-Lago? How Serious Is the Threat of Violence? When Will Trump Announce He’s Running? Can the GOP Attract Any Independents in 2022?

Just when you think things in America can’t get any dicier, they do. And now is definitely a time to stay vigilant. And in this episode especially, we’ve got you covered.  Unless you’ve been sleeping on the beach for the last week, you know that the Feds delivered a search warrant at the Mar-a-Lago residence… Continue reading 183. Sec. Pete Buttigieg. Infrastructure & National Security. Will He Run Again? Afghanistan Now. How Fatherhood Changed Him. Can DOT Projects Fight Extremism? PACT Act Reactions. Mar-a-Lago Raid Sparks Domestic Threats. Plane, Train or Automobile?

Sometimes, the good guys and gals win. Sometimes, the bad guys lose. This is one of those times. The historic SFC Heath Robinson PACT Act for veterans passed the Senate by a vote of 86-11.  But it was wild, it was emotional, it was dramatic, it was infuriating, and it was inspiring. It showed what… Continue reading 182. Matt Zeller. Inside The Inspiring PACT Act Victory. Rolling With Jon Stewart. Veterans Protest On The Capitol Steps. The Opposite of Jan 6th. Afghanistan Withdrawal: 1 Year Later. Al-Zawahiri Is Dead. Why Independents Don’t Want Yang’s New Party.

Summer is supposed to be a time to chill, relax and enjoy life. And we’re all trying to do that. But the threats and challenges and wars and insurrectionists and viruses don’t take summers off. As our host, Paul Rieckhoff @PaulRieckhoff) just found out the hard way. After two years of dodging it like Neo… Continue reading 181. Senator Jon Tester. The Montana Maverick. PACT Act Fuckery. Roe’s Impact on Veterans. Will the VA Ever Change Its Sexist Motto? Dr. Ronny Jackson Then and Now. Farmers, Basketball, Yellowstone, French Toast and Choco Tacos.