Zero Hour with James Poulos

Joel Salatin — the self-described "Christian libertarian environmentalist capitalist lunatic farmer" — joins James Poulos on "Zero Hour" to expose how America's farming system went off the rails. Salatin shares the story of revitalizing his Virginia farm by embracing natural systems, local markets, and regenerative agriculture, instead of government subsidies and chemical dependence. They discuss the roots of America's health crisis, why our food supply chains are dangerously fragile, and why restoring food freedom through neighbor-to-neighbor transactions could save our nation. Salatin lays out his "Food Emancipation Proclamation," warns against top-down government fixes, and explains why the future of America depends on rebuilding local, decentralized food economies. From RFK Jr.'s "Make America Healthy Again" movement to Trump's potential role in freeing the food system, this is a powerful conversation about food, freedom, faith, and America's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ana Kasparian, co-host of "The Young Turks," joins James Poulos to discuss the collapse of Democratic credibility, political homelessness, and corporate rot. What is behind the fall of both the Democrat and Republican Parties? As the establishment becomes more disillusioned, Americans are sick of seeing candidates like Kamala Harris cozy up to politicians like Dick Cheney. California continues to fall under the Democrat leadership of Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass, leading to a new homelessness-industrial complex and misleading constituents on crime and immigration. Will the neoliberal activists lead a quiet coup inside the Democrat Party? Is RFK Jr.’s switch a signal of the media industry’s crumbling influence? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former ESPN anchor and reporter Sage Steele joins James Poulos to discuss the current state of sports media, cancel culture, faith, and politics in America. Steele opens up about what really happens behind the scenes at ESPN. From political bias to double standards, Steele has taken a stand against the mainstream media norm. After helping on the Trump campaign, she has inspired more people to be politically courageous in sports by taking a stand against the COVID mandates and Obama’s identity politics. She discusses leading the fight against cancel culture and media conformity while seeing faith make a comeback in shaping America’s political future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters joins James Poulos to discuss the war over America’s future. From putting Bibles back into classrooms to fighting teachers' unions and woke indoctrination, Walters has a bold vision for reclaiming public education and restoring Judeo-Christian values in America’s schools. He continues to fight the woke Left by banning pornographic content in libraries, restoring parental rights, and launching the first religious charter school in the country. With Trump’s victory in 2024, education reform has become a central issue for the MAGA movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephen Limbaugh, composer and concert pianist, joins James Poulos to discuss the new era of the arts. After having work performed by the Russian Philharmonic and being featured at the White House and Golden Globes, Limbaugh is releasing an upcoming symphony for America’s 250th birthday. They discuss how classical music, film scores, and American identity intersect, creating artistic inspiration that can’t be replaced by AI. Limbaugh explains how identity can be expressed through melody and how great composers help us hear the soul of a nation. From Beethoven to "Baby Shark," the future of art is blurred by technological innovations in a changing digital age. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark McKinnon, political strategist to George W. Bush and John McCain, joins James Poulos to discuss how he went from politics to creating Showtime’s "The Circus." They break down the new era of politics, media, and digital manipulation being seen in AI-driven campaigns. Gen Z’s main form of activism is via TikTok, leading to increased disinformation, personalization, and storytelling that have been reshaping American democracy and leading to a rise of conservative Gen Z support. After a new wave of Trump populism, Hollywood has steadily been collapsing, while the mainstream media continues to lose touch with reality, leaving a vacuum in how Americans consume information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Sindelar, CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, joins James Poulos to discuss the future of conservatism in Trump’s America. They discuss how the new administration will work with states like Texas to tackle issues like border security, immigration reform, and cartel violence. Will Trump dismantle the administrative state? How will this and the rise of AI change public education? This new era of American politics is confronting the rise of tech-authoritarianism as the American spirit makes a comeback in a post-woke America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cenk Uygur, founder of "The Young Turks," joins James Poulos to discuss populism, media bias, the deep state, and the future of American politics. As someone who was critical of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Cenk argues the real war is against the establishment leading to a collapse of credibility from both the Republican and Democrat Parties. Corporate money, political corruption, and foreign lobbying are threatening free speech, and Americans are finally pushing back against the establishment. They discuss the current populist movement and the illusion that mainstream media is trying to push. The 2024 election proved that the political bubble is bursting and common sense is returning — something Trump has shown by appointing people like RFK Jr. and Elon Musk. Whether on the Right or Left, most Americans can agree on moderate issues like paid family leave, anti-war foreign policy, drug price reform, and breaking up corporate influence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dick Boyce, investor and entrepreneur, joins James Poulos to discuss his latest film, “Lost on a Mountain in Maine.” Co-produced with Sylvester Stallone, the story spans multiple generations and returns cinema to a time before smartphones, helicopter parenting, and digital overload. As Hollywood continues to decline, faith-based indie films like those produced by Angel Studios indicate a cultural shift toward meritocracy, resilience, and family values. Boyce also mentions the union overreach in industries like Hollywood, which has limited creativity and the ability to produce movies the audience wants to see. They also discuss the importance of private equity and the impact of AI on jobs. Companies lost productivity and value by pushing DEI and ESG, which were worsened by COVID-19. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cliff Maloney, founder of PA Chase, joins James Poulos to discuss how Pennsylvania became the decisive state in Donald Trump’s 2024 victory. He reveals the behind-the-scenes of how PA Chase set records knocking on over 500,000 doors and building a massive grassroots campaign. The group found that JD Vance surprisingly resonated with working-class voters, being from a blue-collar background. They also saw an unexpected surge of support from black male voters in Philadelphia who disliked Kamala Harris for being unrelatable and inauthentic. With the help of other grassroots organizations like Turning Point USA and Scott Presler, Pennsylvania made history this election cycle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices