Forgotten America

This week, Jason Huffman, state director of Americans for Prosperity - West Virginia, joins us for a second time on Forgotten America. He and Garrett discuss new legislation bringing transformational change to the Mountain State as well as thoughts on how to combat political polarization and why more engaged citizens are needed in state politics today.

Dr. Abigail Hall Blanco is an Associate Professor in Economics at Bellarmine University. She received her PhD in Economics from George Mason University. She is a co-author with Christopher Coyne of the books Manufacturing Militarism: US Government Propaganda in the War on Terror and Tyranny Comes Home: The Domestic Fate of U.S. Militarism. She joins Garrett to discuss development economics, why regions like Appalachia are still so poor, and what solutions economists have for poverty and economic growth.

JD Tuccille is a self-proclaimed anarchist living in the desert of Arizona. He is an author for Reason magazine and a novelist. He believes in personal responsibility and loves the freedom of the American Southwest. He joins Garrett to discuss how he came to be in AZ and why, for him, the deserts of AZ are the truest manifestation of a freedom philosophy. They also dive into the relationship between libertarianism and rural America, environmentalism & anarchy in fiction, and the joys of canning food.

John Hood is a newspaper columnist, historian, and foundation executive with a deep passion for both the American Founding and speculative fiction. The author of critically acclaimed books of economic and political history, Hood has reported on governments from town councils to Congress and written for dozens of publications. Today he joins Garrett to discuss his upcoming novel, Mountain Folk, folklore across a variety of cultures, conspiracy theories, cryptids, and more!

Join Garrett as he interviews Luke Huffman and Brandon Denison from Coalfield Development about the work they’re doing in their southern, West Virginia community to eliminate generational poverty. Located in Wayne, WV, their team is rebuilding the Appalachian economy from the ground up. Coalfield Development believes in developing the potential of Appalachia through the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit.

Learn about Coalfield Development’s programs at https://coalfield-development.org/

Montana is affectionately known by those that live there as the “Last Best Place On Earth.” Today Garrett is joined by Kendall Cotton, the President & CEO of the Frontier Institute. Kendall grew up in Florence, Montana along the banks of the Bitterroot River. In this episode, he guides us through the best places in the state to visit if you want to enjoy pristine nature. He also dives into some of the challenges that face Montana & the solutions that the Frontier Institute is developing in response.

Tim Barto is the Vice President of External Relations at Alaska Policy Forum. Tim is a retired Defense Department Special Agent, having worked in the field of personnel security. He also spent time as a Marine infantryman and Naval intelligence specialist, all of which was aimed at preserving and promoting the values of economic freedom and individual liberty. He joins us today to talk about Alaskan politics and culture as well as his outlook for the future of the state.

Vance Ginn, Ph.D., is chief economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He earned his doctorate in economics at Texas Tech University and has an accomplished career as a policy director and university lecturer with experience in public policy, academia, and government. He joins us today to talk about the growth of Texas as it continues to evolve to face the future while holding onto the character traits that make it a unique place to live.

Jack LaPant lost over a million dollars in an 8-year legal battle because the Army arbitrarily enforced an environmental law it had no authority to enforce. His huge loss is bad enough but why in the world is the Army even regulating agriculture in the first place? This week we have Tony Francois from the Pacific Legal Foundation talking to us about the intersection between agriculture and government. He shares Jack's story of fighting with the Army Corps of Engineers over his farmland in CA.

Is your only cultural reference to the Sooner state the old Rogers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma!? Or maybe you’re a sports fan and you’re familiar with the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball team. Today, Trent England Executive Director of Save Our States and fellow at Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs discusses living in Oklahoma, the culture and politics of the state, a little bit of history, and takes a dive into what makes OK unique.