In this powerful episode of The Next Steps Show, host Peter Vazquez and guest Matt Coday, President & Founder of the Oil & Gas Workers Association, confront the Vanbōōlzalness Crisis head-on. Together they expose how American Energy Freedom is not only vital to national security but also to the moral and spiritual backbone of this nation. From surviving gunfire beside President Trump to defending the workers who fuel America’s prosperity, Coday delivers a hard truth: real independence begins with American Energy Freedom. Faith, family, and fortitude—not government control—are what keep liberty alive.
This episode challenges listeners to see energy as a moral issue, to reject propaganda disguised as progress, and to stand tall in the fire for truth, work, and American Energy Freedom.
Under the hot lights in Butler, Pennsylvania, a man stood where most would have ducked. The shots came. Panic surged. Matt Coday, President and Founder of the Oil & Gas Workers Association, did what real men do — he moved toward the danger. Not because it was easy, but because political violence has no place in a civilized nation. “We are at war for the soul of this nation,” he told us, and every word carried the weight of truth.
This episode of The Next Steps Show is not a chat — it is a confrontation with reality. It is about work that restores dignity, energy that fuels freedom, and a people who refuse to be ruled by fear or fooled by the manufactured chaos of modern politics. While bureaucrats sell fantasy and call it progress, Americans are staring at power bills that rival car payments and politicians who talk “equity” while destroying opportunity.
Matt Coday reminded us that energy security is national security — that real jobs, in real industries, build the foundation for strong families and sovereign communities. We pulled no punches on lawfare, propaganda, and the rot of hypocrisy coming from those who weaponize justice to protect their own power.
And yes — we called out the heart of it: the Vanbōōlzalness Crisis. That engineered confusion, that spiritual and cultural sickness, keeping Americans trapped in a fog of deceit while elites preach compassion and deliver control. It is not just politics. It is the battle for truth itself.
This episode is not for the faint of heart. It is for those who still believe in God, family, and country — who know that silence is complicity and comfort is the enemy of freedom.
Listen. Feel it. Decide what side you are on. Because if you are tired of being managed, taxed, silenced, and shamed, then it is time to stand. Take the next step with us — and fight back against the Vanbōōlzalness Crisis.
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Standing Tall in the Fire: Defying the Vanbōōlzalness Crisis
Featuring Matt Coday, President and Founder of the Oil & Gas Workers Association
Hosted by Peter Vazquez | The Next Steps Show | The Voice of Liberty
Peter Vazquez:
Look left, look right — what do you see? Where are you standing? In a world that changes daily, what will you do next? Welcome to The Next Steps Show, a place for discussion — y un poco de dirección.
Let me start with this: “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.” That’s Psalm 27:3 — a verse I kept in my pocket when I entered politics. Because as conservatives in America, the attacks never stop. But across this nation and around the world, people are finally saying enough.
They’re waking up — from the lies about race, DEI, and “social justice” to the Letitia James-style witch hunts. People are done being bamboozled.
Today’s guest is one of those who refuses to back down. A fourth-generation oilfield veteran, founder, and president of the Oil & Gas Workers Association, he stood on stage during the attempt on President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania — and he did not flinch. He continues to lead in the fight for American Energy Freedom.
It is my honor to welcome Matt Coday to The Next Steps Show.
Matt Coday:
Peter, thank you so much. It’s an honor to be here. I’m just an oilfield truck driver — my dad, both grandfathers, and even my great-grandfather all worked in the oil and gas industry. This work is in our blood.
Our organization, the Oil & Gas Workers Association, is not a union. We’re a grassroots, nonpartisan trade association dedicated to saving American oil and gas jobs. Energy jobs don’t just power America — they sustain families and communities.
Energy security is national security. If we lose control of our power grids or our production, we lose our sovereignty. And Peter, as a veteran, you know that freedom requires strength — both militarily and economically.
Peter Vazquez:
Absolutely. I grew up hearing that the oil industry wasn’t “for people like me.” But my father taught me differently. He said, “I didn’t sacrifice everything in Puerto Rico just for you to settle.”
Oil and gas build more than wealth — they build ownership, opportunity, and stability. And when politicians shut that down, they shut down the American dream.
Matt Coday:
That’s right. Oil and gas jobs lift people out of poverty. You can start at 18 years old and earn $80,000 to $90,000 your first year. These are real careers.
In 2021, Fox News asked me to go to the Texas-Mexico border because Zapata County — a traditionally Democrat area — had voted for President Trump. Why? Because oil and gas jobs changed lives.
When people vote based on issues instead of party, they realize we all want the same things — good-paying jobs, safe neighborhoods, quality schools, lower taxes, and affordable, reliable energy. That’s why more Hispanics and Black Americans are voting conservative.
Peter Vazquez:
That’s real America. But Matt, I want to go back to that day in Butler, Pennsylvania. You were standing on the stage when bullets started flying.
Matt Coday:
Yes. I spoke earlier that day about bringing back Pennsylvania oil and gas jobs. I was about 15 feet to President Trump’s right when shots rang out. Later, Fox News showed a graphic — the bullets flew directly over my head.
My friends and I climbed into the stands to help save Corey Comperatore’s life. I’ll never forget his family’s faces. Political violence — no matter who it targets — has no place in a civilized society. But sadly, it’s become a trademark of the radical left.
Peter Vazquez:
You said, “We are at war for the soul of this nation.” Define that for me.
Matt Coday:
Joe Biden once said this was a “battle for the soul of the nation.” I agree — but he’s fighting for the wrong side.
What we see today is propaganda straight out of history’s darkest chapters — censorship, media control, intimidation. The same tactics used by fascists are now being used against Americans who love their country.
And it all ties back to energy, because American Energy Freedom is the foundation of independence. When we surrender that, we surrender control of our lives.
Peter Vazquez:
Here in New York, we’re feeling it. Everything must be electric now, and low-income families are showing me their bills — $35 for service, $55 for taxes and distribution fees. I tell them, “Take that bill to the voting booth.”
Matt Coday:
Exactly. Every vote counts. Look at New Jersey — green fantasies and European imports are driving utility bills through the roof. These “green” policies are not green, they’re greed. They do not create jobs; they export them.
American Energy Freedom means lower costs, stronger families, and fewer foreign dependencies. It’s common sense — which is why Washington hates it.
Peter Vazquez:
You know what I call all this madness? The Vanbōōlzalness Crisis — that engineered confusion that keeps people enslaved by nonsense sold as compassion.
Matt Coday:
That’s exactly right. The Vanbōōlzalness Crisis is the weaponization of emotion over reason. It’s how bureaucrats and activists keep people divided and distracted.
Look at Letitia James. She weaponized her office against President Trump, then cried “victim” when she was indicted. It’s propaganda, pure and simple.
Peter Vazquez:
It is. And yet they quote Scripture while doing it. “Faith and fear cannot share the same space,” she said — while standing knee-deep in corruption.
Matt Coday:
The hypocrisy is staggering. These same officials claim to defend rights while attacking free speech and religious liberty. They accuse others of hate while practicing discrimination themselves.
We’ve lost sight of Dr. King’s message — equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome. Racism, in any direction, is still racism.
Peter Vazquez:
You’ve been to the White House. You’ve met President Trump. What’s your take on the media narrative around him?
Matt Coday:
I wish every American could meet him. He’s genuine, grounded, and kind. What you see from the media is a smear campaign.
President Trump, J.D. Vance, and leaders like them understand the importance of American Energy Freedom. It is economic independence, national defense, and moral backbone rolled into one.
Peter Vazquez:
You said it — this is about truth versus deceit, courage versus comfort. The people destroying this country are counting on our silence.
Matt Coday:
And silence is complicity. Evil has no power when good people stand together. That is what this movement — and your show — is about.
Peter Vazquez:
Amen. To our listeners — do not be bamboozled by career politicians and moral pretenders. The Vanbōōlzalness Crisis ends when we stop accepting lies as leadership.
Thank you, Matt Coday, for standing tall in the fire.
Matt Coday:
Thank you, Peter. It’s an honor. God bless you, God bless the oilfield families, and God bless the United States of America.
Peter Vazquez:
And to our audience — never forget: Though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. Be a leader. Be a light. Be a voice for liberty.
Until next time — God bless these United States of America.
