Guest #56 | Clayton Cuteri. Resilience.

America doesn’t need another hot take — it needs adults in the room. Clayton A. Cuteri shows up in a suit, a flag pin, and a plan: stop the forever wars, clean up food/water/medicine, and build a party that actually serves citizens. The conversation hits hard: Epstein, Gaza, omnibus “big, beautiful” bills, ballot access, faith, and why neighbors on opposite sides still signed the same petition.

🎙️ From “Trust the Process” to “Build a New Party”. Clayton Cuteri on Epstein, Gaza, & The American Congress Party.

America doesn’t need another hot take — it needs adults in the room. Clayton A. Cuteri shows up in a suit, a flag pin, and a plan: stop the forever wars, clean up food/water/medicine, and build a party that actually serves citizens. The conversation hits hard: Epstein, Gaza, omnibus “big, beautiful” bills, ballot access, faith, and why neighbors on opposite sides still signed the same petition.

Episode Overview

In Episode #356, Ray sits with Clayton A. Cuteri — podcaster, organizer, and Secretary General of the American Congress Party (ACP) — for a no‑BS tour through America’s political rot and what it takes to replace it. We cover the Epstein file standoff, Gaza and the “Greater Israel” debate, DC’s spending theater, how third parties really get on ballots, and Clayton’s shift from MAGA to movement‑building.

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Epstein files = credibility test for institutions; Clayton argues due process, Ray calls the stall a shell game.

• American Congress Party: founded 2021; platform centers on ending wars, denuclearization, clean food/water, reformed education, and free medication.

• The “Big, Beautiful Bill” isn’t beautiful: omnibus tricks + long‑tail corporate perks + trillions more debt.

• Gaza & “Greater Israel”: distinguish Jews/Israelis/Zionists; oppose collective punishment; stand with civilians everywhere.

• Ballot reality: FEC paperwork + tens of thousands of signatures per state; ACP is playing the long game.

🧠 Summary

We open on Epstein. Clayton refuses to toss due process overboard, but points out the obvious: DOJ silence and political hedging have shredded public trust. Ray pushes further — predicting a neat “Ghislaine testifies, immunity, case closed” escape hatch — and calls out the same voices who demanded transparency now dodging it.

From there, Clayton lays out the American Congress Party: protect nature, serve the next generation, end the war economy, purify food, water, and minds, and stop treating health and education like profit centers. The ACP filed with the FEC as a party; now comes the grind — signature collection and state‑by‑state ballot access.

On Gaza, Clayton separates Jews / Israelis / Zionists and condemns civilian suffering on all sides. His critique isn’t abstract: it’s a throughline from US‑backed regime change to today’s instability. The standard is simple — stand with the innocent, everywhere.

Then the money: the so‑called “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Clayton calls it what it is — omnibus political theater. Sneak in expiring sweeteners (tips/overtime) while locking in corporate carve‑outs and slapping on $5T more debt atop $37T already owed. If you vote “no,” they say you “voted against troop pay.” It’s engineered to corner anyone with a conscience.

Closest to home, Clayton tells the two‑neighbors story: a Kamala fan and a MAGA diehard — both sign his petition within minutes after an honest conversation. The lesson: Americans agree on more than the algorithm admits.

🔎 Practical Tips

• Talk past the script: Ask neighbors about food, water, medicine, debt — not team colors.

• Spot omnibus traps: If a bill lumps “troop pay” with unrelated goodies, it’s leverage — not policy.

• Support where it matters: If ACP’s agenda resonates, donate at the party site or directly to Clayton’s campaign page.

• Hold consistent standards: Due process + transparency aren’t partisan depending on who’s in power.

📚 Research Spotlight

During the Middle East segment, Clayton cites the ~$7T cost and ~1M lives lost across the 20‑year war on terror — roughly ~500k civilians — to ask the only question that matters: what did we buy with it?

❓FAQ

Is the ACP just “Libertarian‑lite”?
No. ACP defends free markets but rejects profit‑first models for health and education; the aim is alignment with human well‑being, not corporate margins.

Is the party real or just a brand?
Real. FEC paperwork filed; now pursuing multi‑state ballot access via signature drives.

Where does Clayton stand on religion?
Spiritual, not denominational — critical of institutional gatekeeping; emphasizes a direct connection to the divine.

What’s the ACP’s short list?
End wars/denuclearize, clean food & water, reform education, free medication, tax sanity, and citizen‑funded politics.

⏱️ Chapters & Timestamps

00:02 — Cold open & why this one’s “two episodes in one”
02:06 — Epstein files, DOJ trust, and political gamesmanship
05:36 — AIPAC, foreign influence, and citizen‑funded campaigns
09:22 — Why ACP exists: war fatigue, homelessness, drug crisis
10:39 — ACP origin story & platform pillars
13:27 — FEC status & the signature slog (ballot access)
23:49 — “Greater Israel,” Gaza, and standing with civilians
30:37 — The “Big, Beautiful Bill” — why omnibus is a scam
34:52 — How to support ACP + the two‑neighbors story
41:28 — From Presbyterian to spiritual: cutting out the middleman to God

🧭 Final Thought

If the choice is between war as default and citizens as clients, pick citizens. That starts with saying no to omnibus theater and yes to clean inputs — water, food, medicine, education — and leaders who work for you.

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