It’s Super Bowl week in America. And it’s a Super Bowl year of politics and national security. And as the world focuses on America’s big game, it’s also focused on America’s dysfunction. And so are we. The border deal has collapsed, funding for Ukraine and Israel is stalled, and the election division across the country is reaching peak levels of nasty and stupid. It’s an especially ugly time in America–as America again thrusts itself in the global spotlight. But there are glimmers of hope–and even fun. And in this smart, fast and fun episode, we’re digging into all of it. As only Independent America does. From Putin and Zelensky to Mahomes and Tony Romo. From the fight for The Lombardi Trophy, to the fight of our time, this is a conversation for everyone. And one of the most surprising and interesting ones you’ll hear this Super Bowl week.  Matt Gallagher is of the most important writers of our time, especially touching on issues of war and national security. And a sharp, real and funny voice of reason for America. He is the internationally-recognized author of the novels Empire City, Youngblood, the forthcoming Daybreak, the classic Iraq war memoir Kaboom, and a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. His work has appeared in Esquire, ESPN, The New York Times, The Paris Review and Wired. He’s also co-editor of the short fiction collection Fire & Forget: Short Stories from the Long War. He’s a popular, funny and insightful voice—including on Twitter–on everything from politics and war to his beloved Cleveland Browns.  Matt was featured in Vanity Fair as one of the voices of a new generation of American war literature. A graduate of Wake Forest and Columbia, Matt is a 2021-23 fellow with the Tulsa Artist Fellowship, based in Oklahoma, and a US Army veteran of the Iraq war. He lives with his wife, young sons and dog in Tulsa and works as a writing instructor for NYU’s Words After War program– devoted to bringing vets and civilians together to study conflict literature.  Stay vigilant, America.  Matt’s previous appearances on IA: Episode 161 - March 18, 2022 Episode 215 - March 23, 2023 -Get extra content, connect with guests, attend exclusive events, get merch discounts and support this critical show that speaks truth to power by joining us on Patreon. Where you can also see or watch extra content with this guest.  -Pre-order Matt’s new book Daybreak now here. -Meet Matt on one of his book tour dates nationwide–or invite him to visit your area.   -Watch the full video of this conversation with Paul and Matt here.  -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers on Twitter. And share yours.  -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us–where you can also grab some cool IA gear. Independent Americans is powered by Righteous Media.  Ways to listen: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0F1lzdRbTB0XYen8kyEqXe Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/independent-americans-with-paul-rieckhoff/id1457899667 Amazon Podcasts: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/49a684c3-68e1-4a85-8d93-d95027a8ec64/independent-americans-with-paul-rieckhoff TuneIn Radio: https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/Independent-Americans-p1214607/ Ways to watch: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@independentamericans Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/IndependentAmericansUS/ Social channels: X/Twitter: https://x.com/indy_americans BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/indyamericans.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IndependentAmericansUS/