Hill Billy Jon Radio Show

The Real Cost Of Gas

Gas is expensive, but the part that really makes people furious is the feeling that the system is built to take more and explain less. We start with Pennsylvania’s sky-high gas tax and quickly get into the bigger question: when politicians collect billions, why do roads, services, and everyday life still feel like you’re falling behind? From state budgets that outspend real revenue to taxes stacked on top of taxes, we talk about what this looks like for the working person trying to live, drive, and raise a family.  Mike Tremont joins me with an economist’s lens and a liberty-minded edge. We break down why borrowing is not “free money,” how debt becomes a burden on future generations, and how inflation acts like a hidden tax that quietly reduces purchasing power. We also argue through tariffs and trade policy: can tariffs bring manufacturing back, what happens when unemployment is already low, and why tariff revenue can’t realistically replace today’s federal income tax without shrinking government.  Then we go global and get blunt about foreign aid, overseas spending, NATO, and why funding everybody doesn’t mean anybody respects you. We connect foreign policy back to energy and prices, including why the Keystone Pipeline debate still matters for refining and energy independence. We close with a practical path forward: the Republican Liberty Caucus, what it stands for, and why building local chapters is where real political leverage lives. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s fed up with runaway spending, and leave a review with one policy you’d cut first. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/support]

Pennsylvania’s Death Tax

Pennsylvania can feel like a place where you get taxed coming and going and then somehow taxed again after you’re gone. We get into that hard truth head-on, starting with the inheritance tax that can bite families at the worst possible time, turning grief into paperwork, bills, and forced decisions about land that’s been in a family for generations. If you’ve ever asked why it’s so hard to get ahead here, this conversation puts real names on the pressure points: property taxes, state taxes, and the kind of “fees” that act like taxes without the label. Then we zoom out to the daily grind. We talk fuel tax and why the cost of filling a tank doesn’t just hurt drivers, it ripples into groceries, deliveries, farm work, and every job that depends on transportation. We also challenge Harrisburg’s spending habits, the growing budget gap, and the risk that “unsustainable” budgets always end with someone reaching back into your pocket. Along the way, we question whether lawmakers who’ve never run a business truly understand payroll realities like workers’ comp, unemployment taxes, and what it takes to balance a budget without punishing the people doing the work. We also touch the political machinery behind policy: campaign money, outside influence, accusations of dark money, and why transparency matters when elections start costing millions. And we bring it back to opportunity, because Southwest Pennsylvania has real wealth in natural gas, agriculture, and industry, yet permitting delays and regulations can choke progress before it starts. If this hits home, listen through, share it with someone who’s fed up, and then subscribe and leave a review so more Pennsylvanians can find the conversation. What’s the one tax or fee you’d repeal first? Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/support]

Take Back The Party

We make the case that Pennsylvania’s Republican Party is built by working people, not insiders, and we argue it is time to hand power back to the grassroots. Larry Dougherty joins us to explain why he is running for State GOP committeeman in Fayette County and how he plans to stay reachable, listen hard, and push real ideas for local jobs.  • sponsors, bills, and how local advertising keeps the show going  • why grassroots voters feel pushed out by consultants and party insiders  • Larry’s reasons for running and what he wants the role to mean  • staying accessible to voters and tracking down answers  • moving past social media fights and focusing on results  • Fayette County challenges: population loss, higher taxes, and weak vision  • building blue-collar jobs by treating agriculture as the county’s strength  • ideas for vet assistant training, farm equipment mechanics, and local supply chains  • protecting the nursing program while expanding practical workforce options  If you want to advertise, go to Harrietta Broadcasting Network dot com and uh leave a message and get we'll get you up on there.  If you feel it in your heart to vote for me on May 19th, I sure appreciate um everything.  Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/support]

Faith, Freedom, And The Constitution

If you’ve ever looked at politics and thought, “How did we get this far off track?”, this conversation goes straight to the foundation. We sit down with John Diamond, a field representative for the John Birch Society, to talk about faith, freedom, and the idea that our rights are not granted by government but secured by it. That one distinction changes how you see everything from daily headlines to the choices made in your state capitol and county courthouse. We dig into the Freedom Index, the John Birch Society’s vote-based scorecard that grades legislators on whether they actually uphold constitutional limits. Instead of voting on vibes, slogans, or party labels, we talk about tracking records, educating neighbors, and using primaries to reward courage and punish “go along to get along” politics. We also spend time on civic education, why so many Americans were never taught the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, and how that ignorance shows up in policy. Then we tackle the heavy stuff: election integrity and public trust, questions about voter rolls and counting systems, and why local officials can matter more than national talking heads. We also connect constitutional rights to everyday life through the Second Amendment, taxes, government waste, NGO funding, and eminent domain after the Kelo decision, especially as pipelines and large projects push into rural land. If you care about constitutional rights, election integrity, limited government, and practical steps you can take locally, listen through to the end. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s tired of party politics, and leave a review with the biggest issue you want your community to tackle next. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/support]

How A 250-Year Family Farm Feeds A Community

George Washington’s name is everywhere, but it hits different when the story lives on a real front porch you can still stand on. We sit down with Mark Cook to trace the living history of Cook Farm in Washington Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and why one family is opening their home place to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. We talk about what people miss when they talk about food like it just “shows up” in stores: watching the forecast, racing frost nights with covers, timing the pick before tomatoes split, and the constant labor puzzle that makes or breaks a season. It’s a grounded look at modern vegetable farming and why the farmer’s work still feeds both bodies and communities. Then we zoom out into local Revolutionary-era history, including the Cook Farm’s multi-century land story, a farmhouse finished in 1776, and the documented thread of George Washington’s 1784 travels recorded in his diary. We also touch the early tensions of the new nation, including the Whiskey Rebellion’s local impact and what it revealed about taxation, government, and rural life. Finally, Mark lays out plans for the Cook Farm 250 Celebration on Saturday, August 8, 2026: historian reenactors, blacksmith demonstrations, period music on historical instruments, food vendors, family activities, and the real logistics of parking, shuttles, and costs like insurance and tents. If you care about American history, heritage tourism, and family farms, this one connects it all. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves local history, and leave us a review with the one place in your hometown that deserves more attention. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2596298/support]