What if paying for the roads meant giving up your privacy?

This week on Seasoned & Unfiltered, Steve O takes a closer look at the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax—a proposal that could fundamentally change how Americans pay for highway infrastructure.

With gas tax revenues shrinking due to electric vehicles and increasingly fuel-efficient cars, lawmakers are exploring a mileage-based tax that charges drivers for every mile they travel. While supporters say it's a fair way to fund America's roads, critics argue it opens the door to unprecedented government tracking and raises serious questions about privacy, fairness, and taxation.

Steve breaks down how these programs work, why several states are already testing them, and what it could mean for your daily commute, your wallet, and your personal freedom.

Whether you're skeptical, supportive, or hearing about the VMT tax for the first time, this episode provides the context you need to understand one of the least-discussed policy proposals currently being explored.

In this episode:

• Why the Highway Trust Fund is running out of money
• How a Vehicle Miles Traveled tax works
• Why electric vehicles have changed transportation funding
• Pilot programs already underway across the country
• Privacy concerns surrounding mileage tracking
• Could Americans end up paying both gas taxes and mileage taxes?
• What this proposal could mean for rural drivers and long-distance commuters

Stay informed. Ask questions. And decide for yourself.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Sponsor Message
01:52 – Why We're Revisiting the VMT Tax
02:22 – What Is the Vehicle Miles Traveled Tax?
03:09 – Why the Highway Trust Fund Is Running Out of Money
03:50 – The Gas Tax Hasn't Changed Since 1993
04:34 – Would the Government Track Every Mile?
05:17 – What a Mileage Tracking System Could Know
06:05 – States Already Testing VMT Programs
06:54 – The EV Funding Problem Explained
08:51 – Are EV Owners Paying Their Fair Share?
10:10 – Why This Isn't About Electric Vehicles Alone
11:24 – The High Cost of Collecting Mileage Taxes
12:18 – Privacy vs. Infrastructure Funding
13:35 – Could Location Data Be Misused?
14:15 – Why Every Driver Should Know About This
15:27 – Tracking, Privacy & Government Oversight
18:02 – The 2028 Highway Funding Deadline
18:41 – Colorado, Oregon & California Pilot Programs
20:53 – Fuel Efficiency and the Funding Gap
21:37 – Will the Gas Tax Ever Disappear?
22:21 – Voluntary Today… Mandatory Tomorrow?
23:46 – How We Got Here
24:28 – Understanding Road Usage Fees
25:12 – How the Pilot Programs Actually Work
26:42 – Could States Add Their Own Mileage Tax?
27:17 – The Impact on Rural America
27:57 – What About Farmers and Long-Distance Drivers?
28:39 – Final Thoughts & What Comes Next
29:18 – Like, Subscribe & Join the Conversation

What if you spent nearly your entire life in America…

Served your community.

Wore the badge.

Protected your neighbors.

…and still weren't allowed to become an American citizen?

In Episode 2 of Pull Up a Chair, Steve sits down with Edgar Vasquez, a Mississippi deputy sheriff, DACA recipient, and proud patriot whose dream is simple: To become a United States citizen.

Brought to America from Mexico at just three years old, Edgar shares the deeply personal story of discovering he wasn't a citizen, pursuing a career in law enforcement, and navigating an immigration system he believes is broken—but still deserves respect.

Whether you agree or disagree with immigration policy, Edgar's story challenges assumptions and reminds us that behind every headline is a human being.

This is a conversation about service, identity, sacrifice, family, and what it truly means to love a country.

Pull up a chair.

Chapters
00:00 – Meet Deputy Edgar Vasquez
01:44 – Growing Up American Without Citizenship
04:26 – The Day He Learned He Wasn't a U.S. Citizen
08:58 – Why He Chose Law Enforcement
12:21 – Serving Without Full Certification
14:37 – What People Get Wrong About DACA
17:13 – Support From Fellow Deputies
21:50 – Respecting the Law While Seeking Change
23:21 – Why He Refuses to Marry for Citizenship
25:42 – His Message to Congress
27:56 – Serving the Country That Raised Him
28:21 – Racism, Identity & Finding Acceptance
31:45 – Social Media vs. Real Life
33:31 – Politics, DACA & Common Ground
36:18 – What He Would Say to President Trump
37:38 – Honoring His Mother's Dream
40:40 – Lessons From a Life of Service
42:52 – Steve's Message to America
45:21 – Edgar's Final Plea to Americans

The gas tax isn't enough anymore...

So what's the government's next idea?

Charge you by the mile.

This week on Seasoned & Unfiltered, Steve O takes a deep dive into the growing push for a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax, a policy that could fundamentally change how Americans pay for the roads they drive on.

With electric vehicles becoming more common and gas tax revenues shrinking, states across the country are experimenting with mileage-based fees that could eventually replace—or possibly be added on top of—existing fuel taxes.

But there's a bigger question:

How much information should the government collect just to tax you for driving?

Steve explores:

• Why the Highway Trust Fund is running out of money
• How VMT programs work
• Privacy concerns surrounding GPS tracking
• Double taxation fears
• The impact on EV owners and everyday commuters
• Whether this is a reasonable solution—or government overreach

Is this the future of transportation funding... or the beginning of something much bigger?

Chapters

00:00 – They're Tracking Your Miles
00:50 – Why the Gas Tax Is Failing
02:19 – What Is a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Tax?
03:12 – The Original Highway Funding Model
04:27 – Why the Highway Trust Fund Is Running Dry
05:31 – The 2028 Funding Crisis
06:14 – How Electric Vehicles Changed Everything
07:04 – Inflation & The Shrinking Gas Tax
08:02 – Is the Government Fixing Its Own Mistake?
08:36 – Why VMT Requires Tracking Your Vehicle
09:24 – Privacy Concerns & Government Surveillance
10:53 – What Your Car Could Reveal About You
11:40 – Is This "Big Brother" for Drivers?
13:57 – States Already Testing Mileage Taxes
15:01 – California & Colorado's Pilot Programs
15:50 – The Risk of Double Taxation
16:49 – The $20 Billion Collection Cost
17:23 – Voluntary Today… Mandatory Tomorrow?
18:57 – The Case FOR a Mileage Tax
20:27 – Can Privacy Actually Be Protected?
22:33 – Will Gas Taxes Ever Go Away?
23:23 – Are Americans About to Pay Even More?
24:39 – Final Thoughts & Audience Discussion

A former President is suing the Department of Justice.

Let that sink in.

This week on Seasoned & Unfiltered, Steveo dives into one of the most controversial legal and political battles of the year: former President Joe Biden filing a lawsuit to stop the release of roughly 70 hours of audio recordings known as the Ghostwriter Tapes.

The recordings were made during Biden's post-vice presidency years while working on his memoir and later became part of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation. Now, with a June 15 release date looming, the question isn't just whether the tapes should be released…

It's why they're being fought over so aggressively.

Steveo examines:

• The classified documents investigation
• The role of the DOJ under two administrations
• Privacy vs public accountability
• Allegations involving classified information
• Questions surrounding transparency and presidential leadership

If the tapes are released, they could reshape how history remembers an entire presidency.

Or they could remain locked away forever.

Chapters

00:00 – Biden Sues the DOJ
01:03 – What Are the Ghostwriter Tapes?
03:48 – How the Recordings Were Made
05:52 – Classified Documents Resurface
06:26 – Special Counsel Robert Hur's Investigation
07:10 – The Classified Information Allegations
08:46 – The DOJ's Sudden Reversal
10:10 – Privacy Rights vs Public Accountability
11:10 – Are There Political Double Standards?

12:10 – Angel Pillow Sponsor Break

13:53 – Why the DOJ Changed Course
15:46 – The June 15 Deadline Approaches
16:35 – Biden's Legal Strategy Explained
18:03 – The Judge Who Will Decide
19:45 – Should the Public Hear the Audio?
20:25 – Is This About Damage Control?
21:19 – The Fallout From the Hur Report
21:58 – Questions About Biden's Cognitive Decline
23:21 – Why Steve Says Americans Need to Hear It
24:21 – Comparing Biden and Trump Document Cases
25:53 – Public Interest or Political Theater?
26:43 – What Happens If the Tapes Confirm the Allegations?
27:33 – Countdown to the Court's Decision
29:15 – Final Thoughts & Audience Reactions

This week on Seasoned & Unfiltered, Steveo takes aim at one of the most viral political claims making the rounds:

“Nobody earns a billion dollars.”

Using names like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and the Walton family as examples, Steve breaks down how modern billionaires actually built their wealth—and why capitalism, technology, and risk-taking still matter in America.

Then things shift to the border.

Steve dives into immigration enforcement operations across Texas and Arizona, discussing:

Illegal crossings
Human smuggling
Sanctuary city policies
And why he believes agencies like ICE and Border Patrol are being unfairly attacked

But it’s not all black and white.

The episode also tackles the broken immigration system itself—especially the complicated reality surrounding DACA recipients and legal immigration delays.

Money. Power. Politics. Immigration.
Nothing stays filtered for long.

Chapters

00:00 – “You Can’t Make a Billion Dollars”
02:11 – Steve Reacts to AOC’s Comments
05:53 – America’s Billionaire Boom Explained
07:55 – Elon Musk, Tech Wealth & Capitalism
11:23 – Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos & The Tech Empire Era
15:42 – Should Billionaires Be Taxed More?
17:22 – Redistribution vs Hard Work
20:11 – Which Billionaires Lean Left or Right?
26:44 – Tax Cuts, Corporations & Economic Reality
29:41 – George Soros, Politics & Billionaire Influence

32:26 – Operation Take Back America
34:24 – Illegal Entry vs Felony Reentry
36:51 – Human Smuggling Cases Exposed
39:30 – Why Steve Supports ICE & Border Patrol
40:18 – Arizona Border Enforcement Operations
43:00 – The Immigration System Is Broken
44:14 – DACA, Citizenship & The Human Side of Immigration
45:57 – Final Thoughts & Closing Remarks

This episode covers a lot—and none of it is simple.

In Episode 13 of Seasoned & Unfiltered, Steve O breaks down a controversial question that hits close to home:

Who’s actually paying to teach English in American public schools—and how much is it costing you?

Using insights from Congressman Chip Roy, the conversation dives into:

The true cost of educating English learners in Texas
Why taxpayers may be carrying more of the burden than they realize
And whether the system is working the way it should

Then the conversation shifts globally…

Steve tackles the Iran conflict, civilian casualties, and the fog of misinformation—asking what’s real, what’s propaganda, and what it means moving forward.

And just when things get heavy…
He takes it back to a different time—the 60s and 70s—with a nostalgic look at childhood, culture, and how much simpler things used to feel.

Three very different conversations.
One big question underneath it all:

Where is all of this headed?

Chapters

00:00 – How Much Does It Cost to Teach English?
01:48 – The $830 Million Question
06:10 – English Learners Across Texas Schools
08:37 – Where the Money Actually Comes From
12:31 – Why We Can’t Track Immigration Status
22:11 – Who Should Be Paying for This?
26:23 – Should English Be Required Before School?
29:17 – Iran Conflict: What Really Happened?
31:52 – The School Strike Controversy
34:23 – Truth vs Propaganda
36:47 – Civilian Casualties & The Reality of War
40:40 – Quick Break: Sponsor Message
42:22 – Back to Simpler Times
45:59 – Toys, Games & Growing Up in the 60s/70s
49:14 – Childhood Memories That Still Hit
58:13 – Music, Culture & What We’ve Lost

This isn’t a normal episode.

In this special edition of Seasoned & Unfiltered, Steve O reacts in real-time to a chilling event—an attempted assassination targeting President Trump during a high-profile Washington event.

What was supposed to be a night of politics and press turned into something far more dangerous.

Steve breaks down:

Who the attacker was and what we know so far
The disturbing mindset behind politically motivated violence
Why these incidents keep happening—and what it says about the country

More importantly, he draws a line:
Disagreement is one thing. Violence is something else entirely.

From historical assassination attempts on leaders like John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Abraham Lincoln, to what just unfolded—this episode asks a bigger question:

Are we losing control of the line between politics and extremism?

Raw. Immediate. Completely unfiltered.

Chapters

00:00 – This Isn’t a Normal Episode
00:51 – Who Was the Attacker?
01:50 – The “Friendly Federal Assassin” & Twisted Logic
03:05 – Another Attempt on Trump’s Life
04:55 – When Political Hate Turns Violent
06:25 – Credit Where It’s Due: Law Enforcement Response

This one doesn’t tiptoe around anything.

In Episode 12 of Seasoned & Unfiltered, Steve O. dives headfirst into one of the most heated debates in America right now: Should truck drivers be required to speak English—or is that crossing a line?

What starts as a safety conversation quickly turns into something bigger—touching on immigration, regulation, discrimination, and the real-world consequences of policy decisions.

From there, things escalate.

Steve breaks down the political firestorm surrounding Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, unpacking accusations, media narratives, and why both sides seem to be questioning him.

And then comes the big one…

The SAVE America Act—why it’s stalled, why it’s controversial, and why Steve believes it’s one of the most important (and misunderstood) issues in the country right now.

No filters. No soft takes. Just one perspective that’s guaranteed to get a reaction.

Chapters

00:00 – The Question That Sets It All Off
02:08 – Should Truck Drivers Be Required to Speak English?
05:47 – Executive Orders & Policy Changes Explained
08:54 – Enforcement, Backlash & Industry Reactions
12:19 – Trucking Companies vs. Safety Concerns
15:23 – Discrimination or Common Sense?
18:44 – The James Talarico Controversy Begins
24:02 – Accusations, Media Narratives & Political Fallout
31:52 – What Is the SAVE America Act?
42:57 – Why It’s Stuck (And Who’s Blocking It)
50:21 – Does This Impact Voters—or Politics?
55:57 – Final Thoughts: Where Do We Go From Here?