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A lot of political talk starts with slogans. We start with receipts and a life story. I’m Teresa Carpenter, and I sit down with Carl Lester Boyenton, an independent candidate for Congress in Mississippi’s 4th congressional district, to ask the questions voters rarely get to ask: what shaped you, what do you actually believe, and what happens when party power collides with real-world accountability? Carl lays out how growing up poor, working as a kid, and leading blue-collar teams built his view of responsibility and leadership.

Carl’s career runs from warehouse labor to managing a produce company that grew into a near-billion-dollar operation, then back to Mississippi to build again and get wiped out overnight by Hurricane Katrina. That experience feeds his blunt take on Washington: campaign finance incentives are stronger than campaign promises. We walk through how FEC filings, PACs, leadership funds, and joint fundraising committees can blur who is really bankrolling a candidate and why voters often never see the trail. If you care about political corruption, ethics enforcement, and transparency, this conversation puts a spotlight on how the system works when nobody is watching.

We also get practical about solutions Carl says he would pursue, including term limits with a realistic path to passage, a truth in legislation requirement that names who wrote a bill, and a push for single-issue bills so massive packages can’t hide surprises. He connects “affordability” to food supply chain realities, farmer impacts, and smarter food safety policy, and he talks about supporting veterans through community partnerships and on-the-ground needs. Subscribe, share this with a friend who feels politically homeless, and leave a review with one reform you want Congress to tackle first.

Stories of Service presents guests’ stories and opinions in their own words, reflecting their personal experiences and perspectives. While shared respectfully and authentically, the podcast does not independently verify all statements. Views expressed are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the host, producers, government agencies, or podcast affiliates.

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