← Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff
Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff
Hurricane Trump Hits China. Intel Shows Iran Still Has Lots of Missiles w/ Brian Bengs - Independent Candidate for US Senate - South Dakota..
01:01:29
China is having a very good week. Trump landed in Beijing after a True Social tirade calling Barack Obama "the most demonic force in American politics," the Pentagon is asking for $1.5 trillion with no accountability, and new classified intel shows Iran has regained operational access to 30 of 33 missile sites around the Strait of Hormuz. The forever-war machine that was supposed to be "fast and easy" is now a sucking chest wound — bleeding the Army of $4-6 billion in training dollars, driving diesel up 13%, and handing Xi Jinping leverage he didn't have to earn. Paul Rieckhoff lays out the morning briefing with no-BS clarity, then rides into a conversation with the kind of leader the angry middle has been waiting for.
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- [00:00]
Brian Bangs
I have raised roughly three times as much as a Democratic candidate and our numbers are going up, his numbers are going the opposite direction. So what I'm hoping is that he will do the same self reflection that I do and go what is best for the country. Not what is best for me, not what is best for the party, but what is best for the country. And given the times we live in, I believe the importance of this election is such that hopefully we all make the right decision.
- [00:43]
Paul Rykoff
Welcome to Independent Americans. Welcome to episode five, two, one. I'm your host Paul Rykoff and it is Wednesday, May 13th. Since it's Wednesday, it's hump day. But it's also Whiskey Tango, Foxtrot Wednesday or what the fuck Wednesday because you never know what's going to happen on, on a Wednesday in America. And I'm coming to you from New York City, usa, where the weather here is very nice again. Very, very nice. Almost as nice as in South Dakota where there's a man running for Senate out there that lives by a code, the cowboy code of the West. More on that in a second. Today's artist is building on that theme. Today's artist is the country music superstar Toby Keith, because his very first single was should have Been a Cowboy, many many years ago. A much more mainstream Toby Keith with the line I should have been a cowboy. I should have learned to rope and ride Wearing my six shooter riding my pony on a cattle drive. I think nowadays when things are chaotic, a lot of us would like to be a cowboy. Toby Keith also had American Soldier, which was very popular, courtesy of the Red, White and blue, right after 9 11, which was very popular and controversial. Should have been a cowboy. I love this bar red solo cup. And honestly, one of my favorite songs of all time, Beer for My Horses with of course, the great Willie Nelson. It's a song that my soldiers and I used to play in Iraq. It's a song about justice. You know, justice is the one thing you should always find. You got to saddle up your boys, you got to draw a hard line. When the, when the gun smoke settles, we'll sing a victory tune and we'll all meet back at the local saloon. Now, Toby Keith was not without controversy. He got into a big battle with Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. They went back and forth. He had a doctored photo of her next to Saddam Hussein. She had a fuck Toby Keith shirt on. He was accused of boosting the war. He was seen as a conservative, but he described his politics as complex, saying he was a conservative. Democrat who actually voted for Barack Obama. He died in February of 2024, age 62. And I'll tell you this, I met Toby Keith once. I think it was at the Republican National Convention. And he was very nice. That's what I know. And he did a lot of good work for veterans. He considered himself a patriot. And he wrote a good song about cowboys. And it's a time for cowboys. We need some cowboys, the good kind of cowboys. And I'm going to bring you the five eyes riding in like the cavalry that I bring you in in every single show and especially today, independence, integrity, information, inspiration and impact. And our guest is going to bring you that in our Meet the Independent Candidate series. Next installment, I'm going to continue to bring you independent veterans who are meeting the moment, who are stepping up. And today we got a real cowboy for you. He is Brian Bangs, coming up in just a minute. He's a Navy and Air Force veteran, very smart and studious guy. He's, he's worked in academia. He's worked in the Air Force for a long period of time. And he's now running against GOP incumbent Mike Rounds and Democrat Julian Bedouin. The incumbent is Mike Rounds. He is heavily favored, but the Democrat wasn't born in South Dakota. He was an executive leadership fellow at the Obama Foundation. He is a state trooper, but he has no chance in hell in a place like South Dakota. But Brian Bangs does and he's surgeon. And we're going to get into it in a great conversation to help you through our what the fuck Wednesday and give you some of the cowboy spirit. Cowboy spirit that'll help us all stay vigilant. All right. On this Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Wednesday, I want to share with you another post that I saw from Coach Lyle yesterday. If everyone would strive to be the captain of their team as opposed to the mvp, there would be a lot better teams. Derrick Jones said this, whoever Derrick Jones is. But as a guy who's coaching Little League every day and coaching flag football and trying to be a positive role model for young people in our community, I see too many kids who want to be the MVP and not enough kids that want to be the captain, that want to focus on the team over themselves. But that's what we need from leadership, especially because democracy is a true team sport and we need a lot more captains and a lot fewer MVPs who are looking out for self. And that takes me to today's top topic. All right. Riding in off the sunset. There is a storm coming because Today, I think the top topic is this. Today is a very good day for China, and it's a very good year for China. Could be a very good decade for China, in part because Trump is very unpopular, very, very polarizing, very, very radioactive, and he's also very, very rude. Trump is a rude asshole, and China, among others, is loving it. Yesterday, there was a clip that's gone around that I have to play for you, underscoring how he is a rude asshole who continues to speak to people in an inappropriate way. Play that clip, please, Chris. So what happened is we have a ballroom that's under budget. It's going up right here. I've doubled the size of it because we obviously need that. And we're right now on budget, under budget and ahead of schedule. I doubled the size of it, you dumb person. Double the size. You are not as smart now. There's no cowboy respect there. He's speaking to Akayla Gardner, who is a White House reporter for Ms. Now. And I think we just have to underscore that this behavior from him, it never stops, and we should never normalize it. And it's a great thing for China. And on his way to China, he didn't stop. He had a number of posts, I think over 10 of them, on his true social post, including one that called for the arrest of Barack Obama. He called Obama by name, including one that called Trump's predecessor in his first term, quote, the most demonic force in American politics in decades. He attacked the New York Times, he attacked lots of other folks. And today he's in China getting the red carpet rolled out for him. But never normalize this behavior. Don't let it fall below the radar. It's extreme, it's dangerous, and continues to hurt the global image and the trust of all Americans. It also stokes more division, more extreme rhetoric and behavior all across the US and it drives more of the world to China instead of us. As Trump heads to China today, the Chinese are celebrating the instability, the recklessness, the infighting. Iran is celebrating it, too, and probably making a new Lego video as we speak. Putin is celebrating it. North Korea is celebrating it. And I think it's more grounds for impeachment, which too many have stopped talking about now. But this will not stop because America is less trusted every single day he's in office. We should never normalize this behavior. We should never accept this behavior. And we should recognize that China and all our enemies are celebrating. Our enemies are celebrating. All right, one more. Just to underscore how Trump is very uncowboy like, very undignified, very unsamurai. Like, around the world, people hate Trump. And this one is maybe below the radar. You know who hates Trump? Yeah, almost everybody. But Rod Stewart hates Trump. Rod Stewart, the great pop music icon, the English gentleman who mentioned it in a recent exchange with Britain's King Charles, that I'll play for you here. Hello, sir. May I say, well done in the Americas. Put that little rat bag in his place. Now, that was Charles meeting with celebrities to mark the 50th anniversary of the King's Trust at London's Royal Albert Hall. And that is the great Rod Stewart calling our president, quote, that little rat bag, which is how most folks feel. He is unpopular. He is the enemy to many people around the world as much as Iran, which I'll get to in a second. But don't accept it, don't normalize it. And of course, keep in mind Rod Stewart and stay vigilant. All right, let's get to Iran. Another reason that China is celebrating Iran continues to be a sucking chest wound. I talked about it a bit yesterday on MSNBC and in other places. I'll have more later today on News Nation, again on Ms. Now and maybe on cnn. But I continue to underscore that this has become a sucking chest wound for our military and our economy and that we can't trust anything coming out of the regime in Iran. Of course, but we also can't trust the White House. Jonathan Swan at the New York Times and others has new classified military intelligence assessments from earlier this month that show Iran has regained access to most of its missile sites, launchers, and underground facilities. U.S. intel assesses Iran has restored operational access to 30 of 33 missile sites it maintains around the Strait of Hormuz. And 90%, roughly, of Iran's underground missile sites are partially or fully operational. This is a big deal. They are not annihilated. They are not totally destroyed. Our own intelligence agencies are sharing that. We can't believe the Iranian regime, and we can't believe Trump and his regime. And this is our very, very dangerous reality. And a friend sent me a note yesterday with regard to the testimony on Capitol Hill, where Acting Secretary of Culture War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Kaine both testified. At one point, Kaine said that he's, quote, encouraging Iran to open the strait. My friend added, aren't we at war? Did we encourage Japan to leave the Philippines? Also, the chairman says he's encouraging allies and partners to join in and solve this tactical problem. How do you think Iran views this? I think it's very, very important. I think Iran is celebrating. I think China is celebrating. It's a big week for China. And check this out. Related underscoring why Iran is becoming a sucking chess wound that has been unauthorized. There is breaking news from ABC that says the army is cutting training because it's short billions of dollars. What do you know? The army has a shortfall between 4 and 6 billion dollars. A sudden budget crunch. They're slashing training cross across the force. It has drastically expanded its operational footprint. The army has at home and abroad. The cuts are going to include elite schools to unit level training, abrupt cancellations and unusually aggressive spending scrutiny before the fiscal year ends on September 30th. So now our army has to scramble major drivers. You should not be surprised, but you must remember have been associated with the costs of the war in Iran and expanding mission securing the southern border. And additionally the National Guard has ongoing deployment to Washington D.C. which alone is projected to cost roughly 1.1 billion. Now the service is trying to absorb ballooning personnel expenses and trying to cover homeland security missions. And the army is hoping to be reimbursed for some of the expenses that it also incurred during the shutdown. So this is what happens when Trump starts a whole new war in Iran and uses the army for that and his deportation agenda without approval and budget from Congress. This is what happens when you do whatever you want and you don't have any way to pay for it. Now both Iran and the border mission have become sucking chest wounds for our army and our entire military. It's extremely disruptive. We are all less safe because of it. China is reading this headline today and smiling, especially in their negotiations. China is celebrating and our enemies are celebrating. Our enemies are celebrating. They're also celebrating because over at DHS it's not good either. We're going to talk about Christy Noem in just a second with Brian Bangs, who is from South Dakota. I'm going to ask him how he feels about the most famous person from South Dakota around the world, Kristi Noem. But she's been replaced by Mark Wayne Mullen, who is a grammatical train wreck. But dhs not good either. And more reason for China to celebrate. Check out this clip. Play that one, please. Chris, you recently said in an interview that you had some concerns about the locked up funding for DHS and ice. With these big events coming, how concerned should we be about potential, potential attacks at any of these this summer?
- [14:35]
Chris
Well, we have, we have the FIFA that's going to have 78 super bowls in 39 days. 38 days here in the United States and 11 cities. Seriously, that's what, 30 or 78 super bowls in 39 days. That's a lot. We have, obviously, freedom 250 that DHS employees are working very hard for. We're getting ready for the world Military games that follow right after that. And then we have the Olympics in 2028. What happened with FIFA and Freedom 2028 is because we were in a shutdown for 76 days and the Democrats were just playing this political game because they want open borders and they don't want to deport criminals that's walking on our streets. They put us in a position where we were just being reactive to threats that were facing us leading up to these games. The first game.
- [15:23]
Paul Rykoff
Yep. When FOX News is worried and is unsettled, you should be worried, too. I mean, that's saying the quiet part out loud. And here's another question. Is Mark Wayne Mullen telegraphing their punches? I think they're definitely telegraphing their message. And if anything happens at the World cup or this summer, they're going to blame the Democrats. But are they telegraphing their punches again? Will they say that because of all this, they'll have to send in the military to cover down and provide security for every single World cup game? Is that what they're saying? This is one way they could put more troops in more cities this summer ahead of the elections, without congressional authorization. Don't have a failure of imagination. They don't stay vigilant. All right. Just because it's related. The FBI is also in chaos. Don't believe the hype. And that's largely because of Crash Patel, who had a nightmare of a week of testimonies Yesterday was testimony Tuesday. I have to play this one because it's just a reflection of how bad it's gotten. Crash Patel and Senator Chris Van Hollen continue to have a very, very nasty series of exchanges. But let me just play this for you so you can see it for yourself. Play the clip, please. Chris, you still haven't answered my final question. Do you know, Mr. Director, that it is a crime to lie to Congress? You know that I do not lie to Congress. I didn't ask you that. You're insinuating that I am. I asked whether, you know, you want to correct your time in this session where you got steamrolled by the facts so you can have a Twitter narrative, raise more money and spend more money on $7,000. Just let the record the director so here's the deal. Even if you're a fan of Crash Patel, I mean, this is not good to have him battling with our Senate like this and our Senate battling with him. Of course, if they're covering your drinking, it's generally not a good sign of your leadership. But most importantly, this is our FBI director. This is our FBI director, people. And it's another reason China is celebrating and especially because it's also overflowing into our economy. And there's more bad news there that's good news for China. Today we found out that producer prices have shot up 6%, adding pressure on companies to hike prices on you. Yep, the wholesale fail, wholesale inflation came in hot last month. The AP has the story. Producer prices went up 6% from a year earlier, the highest point in morely three years. Of course, the Iran war is pushing up energy prices and companies are pushing those costs onto you. Energy prices went up almost 8% from March to April and, and 22.7% from a year earlier. You probably know this if you need energy, unless you live off the grid or in a tent. We'll talk to Brian Bangs, who is living close to on the land in contrast to Mike Rounds, who lives in a mansion. But if you're using gas or diesel or fertilizer, you've seen that the dominant fuel used in shipping, Diesel, has jumped 13%. Gas prices continue to rise overnight and the national average is now $4.51 a gallon, according to Motor Club AAA, which I guess still exists. But 551 is the average. That means, you know, roughly half of you are even higher. Shoot me a note on social media or sound off in the comments on YouTube or anywhere else. Tell me what gas prices are like in your area and how you feel about it because if you're not angry, you're really not paying attention or maybe you're walking to work and living off the land. But it's another reason we all need to remember that China is very happy this week. You need to try to be a cowboy and ride on above it and stay vigilant. All right, next generation cowboys are the people of Ukraine. Brian Bangs is coming up. He's a veteran, he understands Ukraine. He's going to talk about that. But Today is day 1530 of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. And sometimes I just want to bring you a little snippet of what's happening in Ukraine to remind us of the tremendous human cost that these people are enduring every single day and what Putin is doing. The key Post has a story that a nine month old baby had her leg blown off after a Russian drone slammed into a residential building in Zelensky's hometown of Kyory. The infant was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Nine month old babies are being hit. Nine month old babies are losing legs. Every day the civilian death toll and wounded toll continues to pile up. And every day the Ukrainians are holding steady even as acting Secretary of Culture War Pete Hegseth denies them the meager couple hundred million dollars that was in our defense budget, less than 1% of our defense budget. And Hegseth can't even get the net. So he's standing with Putin instead of the nine month old girl who had her leg blown off. But even if they won't, if Trump won't, if Hegset won't advance, won't we all need to stand on the side of freedom. We all need to stand with the children, we all need to stand against Putin, and we all need to stay vigilant on behalf of Ukraine. All right. We've talked a lot about how veterans can lead the way. You're going to hear from Brian Bangs in a second in my latest Meet the Independent Candidate series. Yesterday was another day of primaries. We talked about how many thousands of folks are squeezed out of the primaries in places like West Virginia. But there was a big race that the independent community in particular was watching, and that was the primary in Nebraska for Senate. And the Democrat that won the Senate is Cindy Burbank. And here's the interesting part. Cindy Burbank won handily last night, significantly, there's no question about that. And she says she's going to exit the general election race, which would clear the field for veteran independent Dan Osborne to face off against billionaire Pete Ricketts, the Republican incumbent who is not a veteran. Now, this is really, really significant because the path is now clear for independent veteran Dan Osborne to make history. I'll have him on again on the show soon. But it's become clear in more parts of the country that independents are not the spoilers. The Democrats are the spoilers in many states. The Republicans are the spoilers in others. And they're both spoiling our democracy. It's time to shift the dialogue. It's time to underscore that the Democrats and Republicans are the real spoilers and we are the plurality. And soon we'll be the majority. I'm going to talk to Brian Bangs about how this impacts his race in South Dakota in just a second. But remember, the Republicans are bankrupt and gone The Democrats suck and will not save you. But independent candidates and independent leaders are rising to meet the moment. They are the people's champion. And the Democrats and Republicans would be smart to acknowledge it, if not only because it will help our democracy. It'll help their standing with independence. Independents pay attention and they know who stands with democracy, who stands with common sense, and who stands with the parties and the billionaires. Because independence especially. Stay vigilant. Stay vigilant. All right, before we get to Brian in just a second, let's talk about sports. NBA continues to be amazing. Last night the spurs crushed the Timberwolves 126 to 97 at home. Victor Webayama with 27 points and 17 rebounds. This dude is so fun to watch. Even if you're not a basketball fan. Watch Victor webayama. Watch a 7 foot 4 guy run the floor and shoot threes. He's a very, very special player. And it looks like the spurs are in control. It can close it out. They now lead 3 2. I think the Wolves are done. They spurs are in overdrive and they're going to meet OKC in what should be a fantastic Western Conference finals. Meanwhile, on the east coast, the eastern bracket, the series is tied 2 2. Tonight we have the Pistons at home against the Cavs. Cade Cunningham continues to be amazing. Donovan Mitchell continues to be amazing. I Hope they go 25 games and exhaust themselves so the Knicks have an easy flow into either OKC or San Antonio. NHL also continues to be great. The Sabres won a big one in Montreal last night to tie the series at 22 and the Golden Knights won 3 to 2 at home over the Ducks. They now take a 3 to 2 lead there and can close it out in the next game. And tonight the Avalanche take a 31 lead at home, looking to close out the wild. And speaking of cowboys, Cowboys are people who are independent, who have integrity, who represent the land and the people. And in sports, we lost a cowboy of a good kind yesterday. Jason Collins, the first active NBA player to come out as gay, died yesterday at age 47. He came out in 2013 bravely and declared, I'm a 34 year old NBA center. I'm black and I'm gay. He was a journeyman in the NBA but bravely came out. He's died of a form of cancer. He was a true trailblazer. He was a brave person and remembered as a great teammate. Someone who always sacrificed for the team. That's what we need, great teammates, less MVPs, more captains and more brave leaders. Leaders who live by a samurai code. That's what Collins kind of did and that's what our guest coming up does. Brian Bangs is running in a really tough race in a really tough part of the country, but he has a code, an ethos, and I want to read to you the values that he has on his website that I think are important not just for a political campaign, but for life. Live each day with courage. Always finish what you start. Do what has to be done. Be tough but fair. When you make a promise, keep it. Ride for the brand. When he says, what is a brand for a public official? It's the regular folks, not the career partisans, but most of all for South Dakotans. And he's riding for South Dakota. Talk less, say more. Remember that some things aren't for sale and know where to draw the line. Brian Bangs is a cowboy and he's leading a cavalry. Men and women all across this country who are rising to meet the moment, who are representing the best of the American spirit and are looking out for the people, not for the parties. He's coming up. He's a cowboy, he's a leader, he's an inspiration and he's going to help us all, especially on this what the fuck? Wednesday. Ride forward and stay vigilant. Independent Americans around the country and around the globe. I am continuing to bring you important independent voices that you must see, you must hear from the independent leaders that are rising to meet this moment. This is the next installment of my Meet the Independent Candidate series with a special focus on independent veterans. And we've got a returning champion, a guy that I have been rooting for for a long time now many of you have been rooting for. He joined us in October of last year. Most recently he served in the Navy and in the Air Force. He has a degree in history, international studies. He has a JD from the University of Iowa, masters from Louisiana Tech. He's a very well educated, thoughtful man and a leader that has a career that spanned a lot of different educational backgrounds and serving as chief counsel and an assistant general counsel in the U.S. air Force. I want to read you something from his website. It says what I stand for. Every person needs a code, a creed to live by, particularly someone in a position of public trust. Consider the chivalry code of medieval knights that emphasize courage, loyalty, honor, integrity, compassion and fair play. The Bushido code of the Japanese samurai that prioritized righteousness, courage, mercy, integrity, honor and self control. Or the code of the west that focused on integrity, loyalty, perseverance and respect for others. That's a heart of what this country is supposed to be all about. It's what leaders need to be all about. And it's what our guest today is all about. A returning champion, the great and powerful Brian Bangs is back on Independent Americans. Welcome back, sir.
- [27:47]
Brian Bangs
Thank you.
- [27:47]
Paul Rykoff
I hope I can live up to
- [27:48]
Brian Bangs
what you just said about me.
- [27:51]
Paul Rykoff
You know, I think you do, man. And if I didn't mention you're in South Dakota and you're running for U.S. senate against the Republican incumbent, who we'll get to in a second. But I really, really want to focus on you, because if anybody's been watching, I think you're running the kind of campaign that people can be proud of, that my kids can look up to. And when you reference the samurai and the Bushido code and the code of the west, that's what we need in this country. I use a line from my friend Dave Chastine all the time when he says, if America was a religion, veterans would be the clergy. But I feel like you're a samurai or a guardian of our democracy. And that's been your message throughout, man.
- [28:28]
Brian Bangs
It has been. I can call that a hangover from my time in the military, where the core values of every branch. You'll note that the codes that I mentioned talked about integrity, and the military codes across the board mention integrity as a fundamental thing. And I think the political leadership that we have does not live by the codes that we teach the military personnel what is necessary to be an honorable public servant.
- [28:56]
Paul Rykoff
It's such a stunning contrast to the corruption, the despicable behavior we're seeing out of Washington, especially today. I want to get to China and what Trump's been saying and doing. I want to get to Iran. But let's go back to where you are and how are you? I mean, you're still in the trailer. Last time we talked to you, this is how grassroots, your champ, your campaign is. Is your campaign headquarters, is a trailer, you know, somewhere in South Dakota. But where are you, man? And how are you?
- [29:24]
Brian Bangs
Yeah, I'm still in the trailer in hot Springs, South Dakota, about 50ft from where my house is. That was supposed to be done last summer, will hopefully be done this summer. We're in the process of firing the general contractor today, actually, so I can get somebody new that will actually show up and work and finish what needs to be done. So, yes, my wife and I are both tired of the trailer. My. My office here is the. The kitchen table. So when it's time to eat, I have to Pack everything up and shove it off to the side. So, yes, it. It would be nice to have a house or an office somewhere where we don't have to do double duty with food and drinks and everything.
- [30:03]
Paul Rykoff
But it underscores how real you are. I mean, you're pretty much as connected to the land as you can be without pitching a tent. I mean, but it's also a contrast. I mean, Trump's building a billion dollar ballroom, Folks are getting rich off the war and lots of other stuff, and folks in South Dakota are hurting and angry and looking for a leader. I want, again, I want to go deeper in that. But how's it been being on the road, traveling that state? You put a lot of miles on. You're talking to a lot of people. You know, what. What are you seeing and feeling out there in South Dakota, man?
- [30:35]
Brian Bangs
Yeah, well, for everybody that. That doesn't know, we had to submit signatures. I needed 3,500 signatures to get on the ballot by the end of April, and I'm proud to say that we got 4,600. And we had the highest validation rate for signatures of any candidate this cycle that turned in signatures at 94%. So I logged a lot of miles. You start at the beginning of January, and our deadline was April, so we were out at 15 below, standing outside for cars to drive through to sign, and then towards the end, it was 85 degrees when we were standing outside, so 100 degrees swing over our signature collection. But it is a lot of work to do that. But at the same time, it's very fulfilling and encouraging because I talked to so many people and I heard pretty much the same thing about, can you just make it work? Can you just make the government do what it's supposed to do, like it used to do, which we're not seeing anymore? And of course, with this, this party space situation, that is a big contrast. I've not met anybody that's like, oh, yeah, that's what we needed. That's what. That's what Mike Rounds needs to be focusing on, is getting a billion dollars for a party room. That if you work out the numbers, the space that they destroyed, the east wing, it had a capacity of roughly 200 people. And the new one, the current plan, I guess, is supposed to have a thousand people. So the numbers work out. We're paying $1.25 million per extra seat to have a bigger party space, while South Dakotans are going broke, filling up their gas tanks and paying for groceries these days. So the difference is crazy. It's like the 100 degree swing. What people experience in D.C. versus what people who actually work for a living experience out in South Dakota. It's insane. It's a different world.
- [32:18]
Paul Rykoff
It's one reason why I think your race is so important, because it's such a stunning contrast. People of South Dakota have integrity, they're tough, they have tons of ingenuity. They stick together. Right. They look out for each other. I mean, you have to when the temperature's like that and you're that isolated geographically. But it's a great, like, beating heart of what this country is all about. Let me ask you to do what I think is our top topic, right? We say there's a lot going on if you're not angry and you're not paying attention. But today, Trump is in China. As he was on the plane, he posted a bunch of stuff on Truth Social that I think is just disgusting stuff. Like he continues to call people names. He called a reporter yesterday a stupid person. He says now that Obama should be arrested. Meanwhile, the Iran war, they're requesting $1.5 trillion. I don't know what gas prices are in South Dakota, but I hope you'll fill us in here. Just talk about, you know, and corruption is something I think folks are really pissed off about, whether it's Iran or a potential deal with China or tariffs or people just getting rich while other people are struggling. Talk to me about the impact of all of these policies and I think a failure of both parties. But I don't want to put words in your mouth. What's the impact of what's happening been like for the people you're talking to all across that state?
- [33:37]
Brian Bangs
What you've got, everybody's kind of conditioned, South Dakota in particular, that you, you defend your team and you attack. It's always the other side's fault. As an independent and you know this, I can come in with an open mind and go, well, you know, everybody's got some blame to go around. So it's a systemic failure. We know how the Constitution is supposed to work. The framers designed it for a specific reason. And the single biggest cause of prices going up at this point, and that will continue to go up for the indefinite future, potentially quite a bit more, is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a result of a war that was either unconstitutional when it started or unconstitutional when the War Powers Resolution deadline passed. I know as a, as a personal background situation that it is a violation of international law that it occurred. And I get people now like, well, Iran was a threat, nuclear threat, and you want to soft and let them attack us. This is why no prior president did this, because they knew the situation. And if the Constitution had worked, if Mike Round Jones had actually stood up and done his damn job and said, hey, what's the plan here? What's our objectives? Then we could have had the discussion back and forth and Americans could have been sold on. This is what we're doing this for. Instead, we just jumped in head first because the administration said, yeah, we're gonna do it. We're, we're gonna do it fast and easy. And turns out it's not fast and easy, but, you know, it was the right decision anyway. So people are angry about that.
- [35:05]
Paul Rykoff
Yeah, I think I wore my old angry American shirt in the spirit of that because I feel like the angry middle and the angry majority is growing by the day. And maybe especially yesterday for the folks who were tracking the Pentagon made a request for $1.5 trillion, but with no accountability, couldn't answer hard questions, didn't get congressional approval. We found out that it's not cost 25 billion in Iran, it's actually cost 29 billion. And then today there's reporting that the army has got to cut training because they have spent so much money and resources on Iran and using the military as a backstop on their deportation plan. So the deportation plan, use of the army wasn't authorized or funded. The Iran war wasn't authorized and funded, and now our troops are paying the price. But it feels like everybody's getting ripped off except for the billionaires. Maybe the 20 or so that are on the plane right now with Donald Trump and others. But talk about how people are reacting to the cost of everything. They see all this money flying out the door and, and gas prices, fertilizer, so many other important costs in South Dakota continue to go up.
- [36:14]
Brian Bangs
Everybody's increasingly edgy. I, I, when I was filling up the gas, gas tank a couple days ago, there was a woman filling up on the other side of me and I mentioned, like, oh, you know, it's getting kind of expensive to fill it up these days. And then she was basically, she just told me what you just mentioned, like, oh, yeah, the billionaires are getting richer. Well, we pay more and we're stuck and the debt's going up. So the anger is brewing even when you just make casual conversations at the gas station. So this is not sustainable. I think everybody recognizes that. It's just a matter of, are you going to step up and do something about It. And it's easy to point fingers like, ah, it's this administration, it's the prior administration. The system. The system is broken. Congress for decades hasn't done its damn job because they're more happy to just try to stick it to the other side and dodge accountability. We need people, as you know, you mentioned the code at the beginning. We need people who adhere to the code and accept the responsibility of the job and are willing to go, this is what's right. You may not agree, but I think this is what's right. And I'm going to do my job as designed by the Constitution. And that's what I hope to do.
- [37:22]
Paul Rykoff
I've watched your race with so much focus because I think you're so articulate on defending the Constitution, which is something that I think is core, especially to the veterans community, but core to independence and core to America. I mean, Republicans used to be the party of the Constitution, used to be the party of laws, used to be the party of not engaging in regime change and forever wars. But now we've got both parties complicit in regime change, wars, forever wars, no accountability and just blowing through the Constitution. And I've really been impressed by your ability to put a point on that. I want to ask you to talk about the failure of the system, right from a national security standpoint, and then we'll go deeper into your campaign. But as a service member, as a guy who's dedicated your life to this, and you're talking to veterans out there, you know, putting the nuke threat aside, which some people may be convinced by, you know, this doesn't seem smart and it doesn't seem like it's coming home to South Dakota. But what are you hearing, especially from veterans and people to the right of center out there?
- [38:23]
Brian Bangs
There, there is still a lot of concern. You know, you've got, as I said, the diehards are like, Iran was a nuclear threat, but there's an implicit recognition that the process that we have was not followed. And the framers of the Constitution obviously said, hey, Congress, you have the power to declare war, but the commander in chief, the president, has the power to act before you do that. In the event of something, some pressing situation. And this has been going back and forth. 1973 War Powers Resolution was, I've heard it when I've done interviews before for local TV stations, people will comment like, oh, no, the War Powers Resolution gives the president XYZ timeline. And they seem to think of it was a grant of authority. It was definitively Not a grant of authority. It was an attempt by Congress over the president's veto to yank his chain back and say, you don't have this power. It belongs to Congress. So we've lost this and subsequent Congresses have let it slide. You know, I get asked occasionally what about what Obama did and what about what Bush did? And I wasn't in the political sphere at that time. I was a, you know, at the time when Obama was doing his thing in Libya, I was a teacher of international law at the Air Force Academy. So did we talk about it? Yes. Did we talk about where's the legal grounds for this? We did. And I had my students at the Air Force Academy debate the legality of going to war in Iraq as a matter of international law. So these are things that Congress is supposed to be doing and holding up their power according to James Madison, the father of the Constitution, but they're too happy not to do that. So again, I want the Constitution to work like it's supposed to work. It's a systemic failure that we're just ignoring it. And the administration either does not respect Congress or is not worried that Congress will actually live up to its obligations. So either way, it's a, it's a problem for our system and it's been brewing for quite a while.
- [40:25]
Paul Rykoff
Let me ask you to respond, Brian, to something else from the news today. There was a primary yesterday in Nebraska. We are all rooting for Dan Osborne, the independent veteran out there. I know you and Dan stay in touch. But Cindy Burbank has won the Senate primary in Nebraska for the Democrats. But she says she's gonna drop out because she realizes that she is a spoiler. This is somewhat like your state, right? I mean, in your state, Democrats have no chance. They're actually less popular than, than Donald Trump and they are the spoiler. I would argue the Republicans are spoiling our country too. But for the sake of the election, in a state like yours, in a state like Nebraska, Democrats are the spoilers. But can I get your immediate reaction to that news out of Nebraska and how you hope it might impact your race in South Dakota?
- [41:14]
Brian Bangs
Obviously, I'm rooting for a similar outcome here. And I would just note that the traditional way that you judge the vitality and vigor of a campaign is by polling and fundraising. And polling shows that I am competitive in a one on one race with Mike Rounds. People like my background, the military service and the law of armed conflict specialization, that sort of thing. And so my polling for three polls over the course of nine months show Me either tied or leading him. And I've got ads going on this month to try to get the word out about me as an option. So we anticipate the next poll will be even better. The fundraising. I have raised roughly three times as much as a Democratic candidate and our numbers are going up. His numbers are going the opposite direction. So what I'm hoping is that he will do the same self reflection that I do and go what is best for the country. Not what is best for me, not what is best for the party, but what is best for the country. And given the times we live in, I believe the importance of this election is such that hopefully we all make the right decision.
- [42:19]
Paul Rykoff
Brian, you have a new ad out because the GOP primary is coming up. Let's go below the radar and get under the hood a little bit on your campaign. You are running against Mike Rounds. He does have to have a Republican primary, right? That will be on June 2nd. And then it looks like we will have the matchup that we've been waiting for. I think most folks would like to see a head to head matchup. But talk to us about what you think that primary means for you as an independent, where, you know, independents can't vote in that primary, as I understand it. So you've got, you know, Mike Rounds basically getting a rubber stamp. He's been supportive of the Iran war. He hasn't been exercising his authority. But talk about the primary in particular and why you think it's important for folks inside of South Dakota to think about.
- [43:07]
Brian Bangs
Well, in South Dakota, like most of the rural red states, whoever wins the Republican primary is basically the de facto winner of the general election because people just go, are good. That's my guy. So Mike Rounds does have a Republican opponent. He is woefully underfunded, but we actually just shared part of his interview, TV interview on our social media post because I'd agreed with him on the situation with Iran. He and I share the same opinion that you should have done your job, Mike Rounds in advance and gamed out. What, what are the issues here? Why are we doing this? And that wasn't done. So he and I are in agreement on that. Is he going to win the, the primary? It is a theoretical possibility, but given his lack of funding and lack of name recognition, I kind of doubt it. So I'm anticipating Mike Rounds to just sail through that without basically just a minor speed bump for him.
- [43:58]
Paul Rykoff
And then what happens after that? I know, you know, usually there are debates. Do you have any indication of whether or not Rounds will, will debate you. How many debates do you want? And if he, you know, what often happens is the incumbents especially that are wealthy and well established, try to ignore you until they can't. How are you going to overcome that and be creative in making sure that Mike Rounds can't ignore you?
- [44:22]
Brian Bangs
Yeah, that is going to be what I expect is that he, I would suppose probably at best we might get one debate late, late, late after early voting has started. Realistically, I don't anticipate that he will debate me. I will happily debate. I would in fact go so far as to say the, what I call sound bite debates where everybody gets 30 seconds to respond and you turn out your sound bite and then you move on to another subject. Those are largely a waste of time because you don't dive into anything. So what I would like to do and what I propose to him to do is to have one or two subjects where we dig into the meat and we ask each other questions to in front of voters. And I do this at any point. So I'm happy to have as many debates like actual debates, Lincoln Douglas style debates as he would be wanting to have. And as you highlighted, I don't anticipate he'll want to have any. So far he has dodged town halls even because he doesn't want to answer for what he is and is not doing in Congress.
- [45:23]
Paul Rykoff
I think this is really, really important. I mean, you know, especially for Republican voters in South Dakota. You've got basically like a coronated guy who isn't been accountable to the voters. He's taken your vote for granted and he's not a veteran. Right. And now you've got a contrast with you, a guy who can talk about the issues. And also you have a respectful tone here, Brian. You're not a bomb thrower. You're not waging personal attacks. You're talking about policy, you're talking about issues for folks. Since we may not get that debate or if we do, it's going to be later. Can you dig a little bit deeper on the differences between you and Mike Rounds? I mean, he's on one column, you're on the other. Help. Help voters understand in South Dakota and folks around the country how you're very different from Mike Rounds?
- [46:05]
Brian Bangs
Well, I would say just at the core, what I've gone, you know, when I was out gathering signatures and when I do town halls, I start by asking people, do you think that big money controls our politicians? And you know, I of course think that. And literally to a person, every single person. And I've talked to thousands of South Dakotans, Republicans, Libertarians, independents, Democrats. To a person, everybody thinks, yes, big money is controlling our politicians. And so I've sworn off corporate or any PAC monies, special interest monies. And I'm not, I'm not looking for them. They wouldn't give it to me anyway. But I'm not soliciting them, so I'm relying on small dollar donors. And you contrast that with Mike Rounds when you think of like, everybody opposes big money controlling politicians. He is the embodiment of big money controlling politicians. His monies, his campaign funds, 98% come from big money donors and corporate PACs and that sort of thing. And you just get 2%, roughly coming from regular folks that aren't able to write you a max out check. So who wants to reform the system? The guy that benefits from the system right now or the guy that actually is taking the harder path here, because it is harder to raise money when people are giving you 10, 20, 30 bucks than when people are writing checks for $10,000. So that, from the onset, is the biggest difference between us, that he's happy with status quo. I think the status quo, as does every South Dakota voter, I think the status quo needs to change. Beyond that, of course, Mike Rounds does not want to do his job. I believe, you know, for better or worse, if the president is doing something that I consider wrong or is exceeding his constitutional authority, I believe in what the framers believe that we should, you know, legislative branch should jerk the chain and say, look, you can't do this. That's not constitutional authority. Mike Rounds does not believe that. So these are the big structural issues.
- [48:07]
Paul Rykoff
Can I ask you also to talk about tariffs? I mean, tariffs are impacting rural states really, really profoundly. But talk about your view on tariffs, Brian, and the Trump tariffs and how they've impacted South Dakota.
- [48:20]
Brian Bangs
Tariffs should be a surgical tool. So they're not bad by default, but they're bad by default when you say, I'm gonna tariff everything. And by the way, the president doesn't have the power to do that. It's not his constitutional authority. It's the legislative branches. So the legislative branch should have again stood up and said, you can't do that. If you want tarif us and if it's a good idea, we can do that. But it is. South Dakota is a agricultural state, obviously. So the first victim for reciprocal tariffs from countries that have gotten targeted is agricultural imports. So the South Dakota ag markets have taken a big hit and farmers are suffering from that. You tack that onto the fact that now the gas and fertilizer, diesel and fertilizer costs are skyrocketing and farmers are looking at a very bad year. So the tariffs was the first wave. The diesel oil prices is the second wave. That unfortunately farm bankruptcies are on the upswing, and these are factors that are key to that happening.
- [49:22]
Paul Rykoff
Let me ask you one last question, then we'll get to something good. I'll go first and you can go second. But talk about Trump. I mean, Trump is the elephant in the room. He dominates every conversation, especially on Iran and tariffs and to some degree, ice. He is losing his base. He promised no new wars. He promised no regime change wars. He promised to be the guy of peace. And now he just keeps starting wars and is now talking about Cuba and additional wars. Can you talk about how you talk about Trump and to what degree you see his popularity falling in South Dakota and how many folks have just had it with him?
- [49:58]
Brian Bangs
Well, we've done three polls, as I said, and the last poll was, I want to say February. So we did poll. How's Trump doing? And he was still reasonably popular. It was before the war started, or so we don't know the impact of the war. We're going to be doing another poll probably in the next four to six weeks, but it is coming down. So you hear more people talking about that this isn't a good decision and that sort of thing in South Dakota, I don't know that the dam has burst on that, but it is. There's some leaks certainly coming through. So how do we talk about it? I tend to talk about it as Mike Rounds, because he's the rubber stamp and he's who I'm running against. So my job, I look at my job as if the president is doing something that I agree with, then I will support him. I'm not just a default. Trump is bad on everything. For example, there's been talk of taking action against the meatpacking industry that has an antitrust issue. So I'm a proponent of that. So if the President is going to lead the charge on that, yeah, I'm behind it. So there's those sorts of things. I look for ways that I agree with him. Of course, if I, if I disagree, we talk about it and people can tell me how wrong I am and we'll have that discussion. That's a discussion I'm happy to have.
- [51:11]
Paul Rykoff
So I've got one more that I'm going to. I can't. I can't Forget to ask you about Kristi Noem is, you know, arguably the most famous person from South Dakota right now in the world. She is out at ICE after an abysmal run. I mean, if I'm from South Dakota, I would much rather have you representing us to the world than Kristi Noem. But I can't have you on without asking about her implosion at ICE and just her in general. Your thoughts on that and how it's also impacted South Dakota's image.
- [51:43]
Brian Bangs
Yeah, obviously it didn't do any favors for South Dakota's image, particularly when the follow on came out about her husband, which is unfortunate because he seems like a genuinely nice guy. The people that I've talked to in that area that knew him liked him. He thought he was a decent individual. I would note that the polling. Christie was consistently well ranked amongst South Dakota voters. Not so much anymore. So after the ICE situation and her DHS tenure, she has fallen dramatically in South Dakota popularity polling for politicians. So does that signal a change? The governor's race right now we've got four candidates and they're each trying to be more extreme right than the next. So it is an interesting situation to see who will come out on top of that because it's kind of a. She was doing the extreme right thing before they were. So they're trying to follow in her path in many ways. So, yeah, I don't know how it's going to shake out, though.
- [52:48]
Paul Rykoff
All right, we will see. If folks want the status quo, vote for Mike Rounds. If you want change, you know, Brian Banks is going to be your guy. But let's talk about something good. I'll go first and over to you. Something good. You know, it is springtime in much of the world and much of the country, even out there in South Dakota, hopefully you guys are finally getting some warm weather. And I am reminded, I was reminded today about something that is important to reflect on. We're not wearing masks anymore. There was such a long period of time where the weather got good and we, in many places, and some places more than others, kids had to wear masks. We had to wear masks. And it just sucked. Especially when the weather got hot and, you know, you wanted to be outside and feel that sun on your face and everybody everywhere was wearing masks. That is no longer the case. And I want to just celebrate all the scientists who've helped us get through this, all the common sense politicians who moved us forward beyond that, and especially all the kids who had to endure all that they were especially resilient I know it was difficult for me and my big guy was a kindergartner at the time, but they just plowed through it. And as the sun begins to warm this country, as summer is around the corner, I just want to reflect on something good, is that we're not wearing masks anymore. Now there's a new virus coming off the ship and hopefully that won't change things. Hopefully, Trump will be on it and Cash Patel and Kennedy will overperform and be on it. But for now, I'm going to reflect on the fact that not wearing a mask this spring and summer is something good. Over to you, Brian. What do you got on this Wednesday, as I sometimes call a what the fuck Wednesday, because you never know what's going to happen. But what have you got? This something good.
- [54:27]
Brian Bangs
Well, this is obviously it's spring, so it's planting season. You've got some flowers coming up. We see the fawns. I've got a lot of deer wander through my property. So the fawns are wandering through. Young turkeys are wandering about. We've had some young birds out at the bird feeder this morning. So just seeing everything come alive again and the birds are all singing, that is what I missed for quite a while. So it is quite nice to have it back.
- [54:52]
Paul Rykoff
All right. I celebrate that. That is something good. If folks don't follow you on social media, they should, because like our Fred, Todd, Achilles and others, you're in some of the most beautiful places in America. And you're a great advocate and champion and cheerleader for South Dakota. You make everybody want to visit there, especially in the summertime and especially what you're describing. And I just want to make a note, look, if you want to vote for the guy who's in the mansion and building ballrooms, vote for Mike Brown. If you want to vote for the guy who's literally living on the land and we'll defend the land, then Brian Bangs is your guy. You know, Independent Veterans of America is continuing to recruit and support. We're looking for more Brian Bangs. So if that means you check us out@independentveteransamerica.org, we're going to continue to make endorsements that will likely include Brian in the next couple of days and weeks. He continues to be a great champion for independence, but for all Americans, you're the finest kind of patriot, man. Every time I talk to you, I'm inspired and I hope people feel the same way. Just keep it up, man. We're rooting for you. We're behind you and we're grateful for you.
- [55:50]
Brian Bangs
Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. I would be killed by my staff if I didn't mention the website bangsforsouthdakota.com and that is B E N G S4 south dakota.com. check it out. You can read more about the Code of the west and a variety of other things. I've been criticized for having more words on my website than any other Senate candidate in the country. I think that's a good thing. Others think it's not, but yeah, you can judge for yourself. You check it out.
- [56:13]
Paul Rykoff
I think it's a good thing because it's really well written, it's really smart, it's really thoughtful. It shows your commitment. I think your website is great. I think your new ad is great. And you're a guy who's continuing to get momentum and I think also focused on execution. And I'm going to go back to the samurai code, the integrity that's so important. Brian, you know, you're one of those candidates that even if you don't win, and I am rooting for you to win, and I hope you win, you are adding such a positive force to the national discussion and that's what's so exciting about all these independent candidates. You're driving the dialogue in a positive direction. You're focusing on issues that people care about. And you're a people's champion, the kind that we can all root for, man. So I wish you the best, but maybe next time you'll be in the House, or maybe even better, you'll be in the Senate. But the great Brian Banks, folks. Check him out, link in the bio, Donate, volunteer, do what you can. He's out there fighting for all of us. Thanks, Brian.
- [57:04]
Brian Bangs
Thank you for having me. Appreciate it.
- [57:07]
Paul Rykoff
My thanks to Brian Bangs coming to us from the trailer again. This dude lives in a trailer and his opponent lives in a mansion. I want the dude in the trailer who knows what it's like to struggle. I want the dude who knows what it's like to struggle to fill up his gas tank and stays among the people. That's what Brian Bangs is all about. Every week, I'm going to have new independent veterans that I will introduce you to. Next Wednesday, you will meet Karen Matthews, who is an independent running for Congress from California's 23rd district. She is a Navy veteran, a doctor, a small business owner, very captivating and inspiring leader. She will join us next Wednesday and I'll try to bring you independent veterans at least every Wednesday. If not more. Tomorrow, a different veteran, a different kind of analysis. Preston Stewart is a monster on YouTube. He's got over a million followers. He's an army veteran who, who breaks down national security issues. We're going to talk about the latest out of Iran and around the world. I'll be on News Nation today as I am every Wednesday with Connell McShane at 3. I'll be on Ms. Now, maybe at 4, maybe at 5 with Nicole Wallace, maybe again tomorrow with Katie Tur. But we're daily here if you dig what we're cooking. If you want to ride with us, follow everywhere, especially on YouTube, on Spotify, on Apple podcasts. Leave us a review. Tell people if you like us. If you don't like us, keep it to yourself. No, let us know. We're open to all feedback because we're trying to get better every single day and spread the word. Also, our new morning newsletter is cooking. It's called tmi, the Morning Independent, but also tmi, which we think Chris and I think is a pretty good name. So get TMI every morning in your inbox. Go to IndependentAmericans US or link in the show Notes here to get that. And of course, to subscribe, go to our Patreon community. Chip in a couple bucks if you can. And if you want to run for office like Brian banks, check out independentveteransamerica.org we are announcing new endorsements every day. Today we are proud to announce that we are endorsing Lindsay Church, who's running for Congress outside of Chicago and Illinois. You've heard Lindsay Church on the show and today they are getting the endorsement of iva, the latest. We're going to try to get one every couple of days. So if you're not signed up for iba, please do that. Follow them on social. And we're going to continue to launch new independent veteran leaders. Tell you about new independent veteran leaders. We're looking for 100 of them and we're on track. So check that out. And if you're among the 45% of Americans who are independent, this is your show. We're not the spoilers they are. And our independent movement is bringing hope for the future. I hope you felt that today with Brian Bangs. Country over party, people over politics, light over heat, challenging the status quo in a way that the cowboy spirit has always done and fueling a new movement that spans all across our society. And as you hear every week on this show, that movement is growing. More and more of them are coming. Cowboys, cowgirls, cavalry, samurai. They're all coming and they're bringing the hope that is the oxygen of our democracy. If you enjoyed this episode with Brian Bangs, please share it far and wide, especially with anybody in South Dakota. Share it with anybody you know who's a veteran. Share it with anybody you know who's a cowboy. And invite others to declare their independence. And stay vigilant, my friends, because eternal vigilance is the price of freedom. And no, you're not alone in your vigilance. We're all vigilant and we're all in this together. You know, Joe Rogan and others, Sean Ryan, have been saying that we are politically homeless or they are politically homeless. I don't think we're homeless. I think we're free. We're choosing to be free of the parties, of the corporations, of the billionaires. We're not homeless. We're free. And there are more and more of us by the day. I'm your host, Paul Rykoff. Thank you for tuning in to independent Americans, y'. All. I hope to see you Again Tomorrow on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen or watch. Until then, happy what the fuck Wednesday. Stay vigilant, America, and keep riding on dreams for those without a clue and when you wake it's time to grow and it's not cool to believe in school but if I can say one thing I've seen the children of the revolution and the good trouble they can bring he says the red and blue identity dependent is an attitude an island in the sea of rhetoric and I can probably go he tells me the left and right Our dreams for those without a clue and when you wait it's time to grow Powered by righteous media.