Y'all-itics: Recent Episodes
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Y’all-itics is the unofficial political podcast of Texas. Each week we’ll crack open an ice-cold Texas brew and explore a single hot topic affecting Texans. But this isn’t politics as usual. Y’all-itics doesn’t come from a fancy studio. We’re taking our podcast on the road to get past the soundbites and dive deeper into the issues that matter to y’all. Leave your labels at the door, this is a political podcast for all Texans… even the recent transplants!
Y’all-itics special release: September 13, 2023 The leader of the Republican Party of Texas says there will be an “all-out Republican civil war” if suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton is removed from office. In this special release Y’all-itics, Matt Rinaldi also explains why no matter the outcome, Republican primaries in 2024 could become a season of revenge. Guest Matt Rinaldi, Republican Party of Texas Chairman
Defense attorneys for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton did everything they could to have the impeachment charges against him dismissed. But state Senators, in this case the jurors, overwhelmingly rejected those efforts, one by one. In this special release episode of Y’all-itics, listen to the opening statements in the historic impeachment trial. State Representative Andrew Murr, a Republican who is the chair of the House board of impeachment managers, went first. He was followed by Paxton’s lead impeachment attorney Tony Buzbee and then another Paxton attorney, Dan Cogdell. Opening Statements: State Rep. Andrew Murr, (R) House board of impeachment managers chair Tony Buzbee, Paxton lead impeachment attorney Dan Cogdell, Paxton impeachment attorney
Former state Senator Beverly Powell is out of politics, but she's not done with fundraising. The Fort Worth Democrat started the project to build a new elementary school in Uvalde after the 2022 massacre. They need $60M. They’ve raised $48M so far. Plus, will she run for office again? Listen to what she told the Jasons in this episode recorded live at The Texas Ale Project in Dallas. Guest Beverly Powell, former state Senator
Location Texas Ale Project 1001 N Riverfront Blvd, Dallas, TX 75207
Former state Senator Beverly Powell is out of politics, but she's not done with fundraising. The Fort Worth Democrat started the project to build a new elementary school in Uvalde after the 2022 massacre. They need $60M. They’ve raised $48M so far. Plus, will she run for office again? Listen to what she told the Jasons in this episode recorded live at The Texas Ale Project in Dallas. Guest Beverly Powell, former state Senator
Location Texas Ale Project 1001 N Riverfront Blvd, Dallas, TX 75207
The battle over Texas’ educational soul will continue during a special session likely to be called in October when lawmakers once again grapple over the issues that have politicized Texas classrooms: education savings accounts (ESAs), per pupil spending and teacher pay. Two former superintendents turned education activists grabbed a beer to join the Jasons and discuss what’s at stake when lawmakers reconvene. Guests Dr. Brian Woods, Texas School Alliance President/Former Northside ISD Superintendent HD Chambers, Texas School Alliance Exec. Dir./Former Alief ISD Superintendent TSA: https://texasschoolalliance.org/home-2/
Synopsis: A small security company in Texas is swamped with calls from big school districts in a hurry to find enough officers to comply with a new state law that starts in September requiring an officer on every campus. The mandate is expensive, controversial, and filled with complexities. But can it prevent another Uvalde? Guest: Charlie Hollis, Director of Operations, L&P Global Security
Location: Bitter Sisters Brewery 15103 Surveyor Blvd, Addison, TX 75001
SYNOPSIS: Texas Democrats should not be satisfied with legislative scraps from Republicans, says state Rep. John Bryant. At 76, this veteran Dallas Democrat ordered an IPA and shared how much the Texas legislature has changed since his first stint there in the 1970s and offered advice on how his party could regain control. This episode was recorded at the iconic Stoneleigh P in Dallas, which will be changing locations in 2024 on its 51st birthday. GUESTS Laura Garrison, Stoneleigh P State Rep. John Bryant, D-Dallas (HD 114)
If you want to move grandma onto your own property, why can’t you? A growing, bi-partisan movement argues that if more people say “yes, in my backyard,” the housing crisis in Texas – affordability and availability - would begin to disappear. But as one of the leaders of that effort explains, it’s hard to convince folks that new neighbors don’t necessarily mean new problems.
Guest
Nicole Nosek, Chair/Texans for Reasonable Solutions Texans for Reasonable Solutions
The state of Texas is investigating claims that troopers working along the border were ordered to withhold water from migrants trying to cross… even reportedly pushing some back into the river. It’s happening in Eagle Pass, Texas, the same area where the Governor recently deployed a long line of buoys to deter crossings. Just before Mexico filed an official diplomatic complaint, a kayaker and lifelong resident became the first to sue the Governor over his wall of buoys on the Rio Grande. Not only is it destroying his business, but Jessie Fuentes says it will do nothing to stop migrants seeking asylum. Before he makes his argument in court, he’s first explaining it to the Jasons. Guest Jessie Fuentes Owner, Epi’s Canoe & Kayak Team Epi's Canoe & Kayak Team LLC - Home (episcanoekayakteam.com)
Y’all-itics early release: July 14, 2023
John Scott might not be a household name, but he is a go-to for Governor Abbott. As we were releasing this episode of Y’all-itics, Scott was leaving after six weeks as the temporary Texas Attorney General. And that was not too longer after he served for more than a year as Secretary of State. Scott provides us our first glimpse inside the office since Paxton’s suspension. And he left something the office needed right now.
Guest
John Scott Former provisional Attorney General of Texas/Former Texas Secretary of State
Y’all-itics: July 10, 2023 Hours after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan announced an agreement on property taxes, Patrick took our call to explain what made the deal. And what did not. The final version of this legislation included something new.
GUEST
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, (R) Texas
Y’all-itics: July 9, 2023
It has been another momentous term for the U.S. Supreme Court, full of bombshell decisions, from “gutting” affirmative action in college admissions, to upholding the Voting Rights Act. The high court has always made important and controversial decisions... one of the nation’s premiere constitutional law experts, Professor Stephen Vladeck from the University of Texas at Austin, says what makes this court stand out is how it is conducting its business. ** The Jasons recorded this interview hours before the SCOTUS ruling that struck down President Biden’s plan to forgive student loan debt and their decision in the case involving a Colorado website designer and LGBTQ rights
GUEST
Stephen Vladeck, University of Texas School of Law
Texans pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation. And despite big promises, Texas Republicans still haven’t delivered relief to property owners. Can they finally agree on anything during the second special session now underway in Austin? The Jasons turn to the political insider’s insider to find out. And Scott Braddock, the editor of the Quorum Report, explains why property tax relief has become a “legislative Vietnam.”
GUEST
Scott Braddock, Quorum Report editor www.quorumreport.com
Suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton is required to attend his own trial. But will he testify? What will his defense be? The Texas Senate laid out 29-pages of rules by which the Paxton impeachment trial will happen. Travis County GOP chairman and veteran political consultant Matt Mackowiak shares what he expects to happen next. Guest: Matt Mackowiak Travis County GOP Chairman and veteran political consultant
A third political party is challenging two decades of Republican dominance in Texas. Former Democratic Presidential candidate Andrew Yang and former Republican New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman argue the two-party system has created a one-party monopoly that deprives voters of choices and solutions. And they've come to Texas to drum up support for their new Forward Party.
Guests
Andrew Yang Forward Party Founder/Former Candidate for President https://home.forwardparty.com
Christine Todd Whitman Former NJ Governor
After the deadly 2021 winter blackouts that left millions of Texans in a deep freeze for days, lawmakers have now had two sessions to remedy the state's flawed power grid. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by two experts who say recently passed "fixes" haven't made the grid more reliable, but that it could have been worse.
Guests Doug Lewin Founder, Stoic Energy Professor Ed Hirs Energy Fellow, University of Houston
The kids did it again. They helped to alter the trajectory of the 2022 midterms for the third election cycle in a row, and helped prevent a predicted Republican “Red Wave.” 27% of eligible voters between the ages of 18 – 29 showed up to cast a ballot and they overwhelmingly backed Democrats, by a nearly 30-point margin. Politicians would be wise to understand why Gen Z is so important, their careers literally depend on it. Some Republicans have even responded to Gen Z’s growing political power by suggesting the legal voting age in the U.S. be raised to 21. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons have a conversation with Jack Lobel with the Gen Z political organization “Voters of Tomorrow.” And Lobel says much of the rhetoric coming from the right tells young people they’re not to be trusted and his generation is motivated by politicians who are fighting for their futures. GUEST Jack Lobel, Voters of Tomorrow Twitter: @jackplobel
Almost as soon as the election ended in Harris County calls to investigate began. Of the 782 voting locations there, 23 of them ran out of paper ballots on election day. Others opened late. But was a crime committed? Texas Republican leaders have called for investigations and even the Democratic District Attorney in Harris County, Kim Ogg, asked the Texas Rangers to get to the bottom of it. On this episode, the Jasons get two perspectives of the problem plaguing Houston and the state’s most populated county. Chris Hollins is a veteran of the Harris County Elections Office. He ran the 2020 election for Harris County and admitted even he’s surprised by the shortage of paper on election day. But Chris also tells the Jasons why he thinks these calls for investigation are rooted in politics. But one Republican state senator says not so fast. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, led significant changes to the state’s election law last year. And Sen. Bettencourt said he thinks the investigators will have no problem finding a crime. GUEST Chris Hollins, (D) Former Harris County Clerk State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, (R) Houston BEER SELECTION: Wheeler’s pick: FUBAR (Red Ale) 5X5 Brewing Company, Mission, Texas https://www.5x5brewing.com/
Whitely’s pick: Bowie Bock Freetail Brewing Company, San Antonio, Texas https://www.freetailbrewing.com/
Former congressman Beto O’Rourke is now 0-for-3 in his campaigns for higher office. So, what’s next for this former congressman from El Paso? Jason Lee was O’Rourke’s Deputy Campaign Manager and takes us inside his run for governor on this episode of Y’all-itics, explaining why Texas Democrats should be optimistic despite the loss, what Greg Abbott’s campaign did well, and the lesson for Texas Democrats in it. But what’s next for Beto O’Rourke himself? Would he run for office again? Will he remain active behind the scenes in Democratic politics? He’s leaving his successors with lots of data on donors, voters, and volunteers. And that’s one reason, Lee says, Texas Democrats have a lot to look forward to. GUESTS Jason Lee, Beto O’Rourke Deputy Campaign Manager
It wasn’t even close. In this episode, we go inside the Greg Abbott campaign and ask ‘how did you do it?’ Dave Carney, Abbott’s long-time political consultant who also worked for the first President Bush and former Texas governor Rick Perry, pulls back the curtain on Abbott’s winning campaign. Carney tells Y’all-itics why he never worried about Beto O’Rourke, how he would have managed Beto’s campaign differently, why there’s only one gubernatorial debate, the good and bad of polling, why the independent voter wields the real power, and how Abbott’s team knows exactly who to target with political ads. And to top it off, Carney says they already started work on Abbott’s 2026 gubernatorial campaign. 2026. Seriously. This is an ‘Ask Me Anything’ with one of the GOP’s veteran consultants.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Texas Republicans swept every statewide office on Tuesday night. Governor Greg Abbott even won by a similar, wide margin as he did four years ago, but this time against an opponent with much better name recognition and fundraising ability. Texas Republicans said they could also sweep three congressional seats in South Texas, but they’re projected to win only one Congressional District there. And after yet another brutal election for Texas Democrats, where do they go next? How about Beto O’Rourke? For this special Election Hangover episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons assembled one of the best teams of political analysts in Texas to explain what the results mean for the future of Texas. Oh, and we go there. 2024 Presidential talk officially starts now.
We are now just days away from the midterms and many Elections Administrators across Texas are asking the same question: where are the voters? Even taking into account this isn’t a Presidential Election driving higher turnout, those running elections just aren’t seeing the numbers they expected. In this early release episode of Y’all-itics, we head all over the state to check the temperatures of those behind the vote. And turnout isn’t the only thing keeping those folks up at night. Because of the current political climate, we’ve discovered many firsts: from de-escalation teams to elections workers being told how to politely end a call with an irate voter. Join us as we travel from north Texas to the Mexico border, the Gulf Coast to central Texas for a snapshot of what’s happened so far in early voting and whether election day could turn into a long night for all of us. Guests Jacquelyn Callanen, Bexar County Elections Administrator Kristin Miles, Bastrop County Elections Administrator Hilda Salinas, Hidalgo County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet, Collin County Elections Administrator Clifford Tatum, Harris County Elections Administrator
Halfway through Early Voting and with November 8 now just days aways, Texas is back in the glaring, national political spotlight. And experts all across the country say what happens here will dictate the nation’s future… from Democrats’ untenable hold on South Texas, to the Governor’s mansion, to who will be controlling the levers of government the next time we vote for President. Are we ready for the scrutiny? Texas Secretary of State John Scott joins us to discuss whether the Texas election will be safe, the latest on the 2020 audit, turnout and any issues that have arisen thus far. ABC News Political Director Rick Klein also took our call for this episode of Y’all-itics to discuss the Texas impact on the rest on the nation. Get ready for 2024 talk. It begins in earnest on November 9th (unless you listen to this episode of Y’all-itics, in which case it starts now).
Early Voting is underway. The Election is November 8th. Go Vote! Elections have consequences.
LANGUAGE WARNING: This episode has some adult language scattered about as our guest gets fired up about what he worries the Democratic Party is not doing in South Texas. Chuck Rocha, the senior most Democratic Latino political strategist in the country, is sounding the alarm about what his party is - and is not doing - in South Texas. Now that Hispanics are the largest racial demographic group in Texas, winning the Latino vote is the goal of politicians up and down the ballot. Some margins are so close, that vote could be the deciding factor in many races, particularly in south Texas. So just a few weeks out from the election, Rocha hit us up to talk about his worries in this part of the state. He has worked in Texas politics for more than three decades, manages a political consulting firm, ran Sen. Bernie Sanders' two presidential campaigns and co-hosts The Latino Vote podcast. Rocha’s raising red flags for his party in three south Texas congressional districts which he says are cut like “pieces of bacon” running north and south from San Antonio and Corpus Christi down to the Rio Grande. And he explains in this episode of Y’all-itics why national Democrats appear to be walking away from the Rio Grande Valley. That's going to haunt Texas Democrats forever, he said, if the party suffers a big loss down there. In fact, Rocha argues that if Democrats can’t stop a certain trend in south Texas, they won’t be able to win nationally either. The Democratic strategist also tells us why money and a Latina surname could make the races for Governor and Attorney General closer than folks are expecting.
This episode of Y’all-itics is as close to a second gubernatorial debate as Texas will get. Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke both agreed to one-on-one interviews with Y’all-itics as we approach the start of early voting. Just the willingness of the state’s top two candidates to speak to us at length in the final weeks is not lost on us. It shows that both campaigns are acutely aware of how competitive this race remains. Even if you think you have your mind made up in the race for Texas governor, hear them out. We asked them pointed questions. They answered some. And tried to dodge others. P.S. This is also the first Y’all-itics we’ve ever recorded in an airport bar. P.S.S.: Early voting begins October 24 in Texas. Elections have consequences. Go vote! P.S.S.S. Tell your friends about Y’all-itics.
The race for 2024 begins next month – as soon as the polls close in the November midterm. There’s already been lots of speculation about Florida Governor Ron DeSantis potentially running for the White House. But another Republican governor, who neighbors Texas, suggested to the Jasons he might launch his own bid for President. Asa Hutchinson is a former Congressman, the former head of the DEA, and now term-limited out as Governor of Arkansas. And unlike other Republicans today, Gov. Hutchinson is not afraid to disagree with Donald Trump. Which begs the question, can a center-right, Reagan-style Republican, survive nationally in today's GOP? Gov. Hutchinson, who was in Austin recently as a guest speaker for The Texas Tribune Festival, says leadership in that environment is a delicate balancing act. And in this episode of Y’all-itics, he has a candid conversation with the Jasons about his plan to secure the border, abortion and why he says limitations and restrictions are not the way out of gun violence.
Y’all-itics: October 1, 2022
Greg Abbott and Beto O’Rourke spent 57-minutes together in an empty auditorium at U.T. Rio Grande Valley on Friday night in their first and only debate before the November election. There was not a gotcha moment and no memorable soundbite. But the Jasons have some interesting observations about what they watched. They loaded up the Y’all-itics jet and flew down to the border for this one. But why all the attention on South Texas? Politically, this place is more complicated than one might imagine. They also tracked down the top political scientist on the UTRGV campus who explained why this hotly contested tip of Texas matters so much to the two parties. He also explains why it’ll take something much bigger than the Rio Grande Valley to help Beto O’Rourke come from behind and win in November.
GUEST Professor Clyde W. Barrow, PhD U.T. Rio Grande Valley Chair of Political Science Department
Y’all-itics: September 25, 2022
It’s a job no one wanted. Restoring reliability in the Texas electric grid. Brad Jones took the governor’s call and agreed to be the interim CEO of ERCOT. Over the last year and a half, he has made significant changes to how ERCOT operates and why we have not had any more energy emergencies. The real test, though, will be another winter. That’s when we’ll find out if the changes really work. While you’ve heard a lot about new “weatherization” requirements for the industry, in this episode of Y’all-itics, Jones and the Jasons talk about what’s different, how confident he is the grid will stay on, and perhaps most importantly, why Texas shifted from affordability to reliability. Jones also explains why renewables are a must. He was one of the featured speakers at the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival and took our call during the event – even recounting a late night phone call he got from the Governor.
Guest
Brad Jones, ERCOT Interim CEO
Y’all-itics: September 18, 2022
You’ve seen the candidates on the ballot, the ones with the “L” by their name. The Libertarian Party has been around for more than 50-years and they hold only around 350 elected offices across the country. And the party has never broken through with a win in a major nationwide race, or even one here in Texas. Why then are Texas Republicans trying to kick Libertarians off the ballot in our state? Libertarians will tell you it’s because they’re scared. Republican officials and even some candidates asked the Texas Supreme Court to remove 23 Libertarians from the November ballot. The Libertarian Party says the vast majority of those are two way races between, you guessed it, Republicans and Libertarians. In this episode of Y’all-itics, a Libertarian candidate for Congress tells the Jasons about all of the roadblocks he’s facing in his bid for office and why he’s fine with a Democrat winning his race. And the statewide party chair describes the growing adversarial relationship between Libertarians and Republicans in Texas.
Guests:
Kevin Hale, (L) Candidate for 5th Congressional District
Whitney Bilyeu, Libertarian Party of Texas Chair
Y’all-itics: September 11, 2022 That escalated quickly. In the week since our last podcast, during which we broke the news that Republican Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley would be voting for Democrat Mike Collier in the race for Lieutenant Governor, another prominent Republican has done the same. State Senator Kel Seliger calls Republican incumbent Dan Patrick an “extremist,” and says state leadership must adapt to the growing diversity in Texas. These cross-over endorsements certainly send a message, but is it a warning for the Texas GOP? In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by native Texan and political expert Jessica Huseman, Editorial Director of Votebeat. Jessica says the endorsements are significant politically in a state like Texas. And even if it doesn’t change the outcome on November 8, 2022, it could have a major impact by the time the Presidential election rolls around in 2024. You’ll also hear directly from Senator Kel Seliger about why he made his decision and from Mike Collier, who will tell you why he thinks these Republicans are coming to his side. We invited Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to join us on Y’all-itics. A spokesman for his campaign said he is unavailable. Guests Jessica Huseman, Votebeat Editorial Director www.votebeat.org Sen. Kel Seliger, (R) Amarillo Mike Collier, (D) Candidate for Lt. Governor
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said he expects some blowback for what he said in this episode. The veteran Republican and long-time chief elected official in Tarrant County revealed that he will back Democrat Mike Collier instead of Republican Dan Patrick in race for lieutenant governor this November. This is Judge Whitley’s tell-all before he retires from politics at the end of the year. Whitley implores people to participate in elections to reduce political polarization, discusses the brutal primary race to become his successor, and explains why Tarrant County is not turning purple. There’s one indicator that will tell you when that happens, he explained. The Jasons saddled up and drove to Fort Worth for this episode to meet Judge Whitley at one of his favorite places – Acre Distilling Co. where the three sampled whiskeys and talked Texas politics. GUEST: Glenn Whitley, (R) Tarrant County Judge
Y’all-itics: August 28, 2022
After nearly 50-years, America is finally returning to the Moon, as Artemis 1 is scheduled to launch Monday, August 29, 2022. The ambitious, 42-day-long mission will be the first time NASA uses Orion, the new spacecraft built to take humans back to the moon. While no astronauts will be on board this mission, it is step one in getting Americans back on the moon by 2024. And the ultimate goal is Mars, moving far beyond the flags and footprints from the original Apollo missions. In this exciting episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons call up NASA astronaut Dr. Stanley Love, who talks about the importance of this mission, particularly as a moment of unity in our country. NASA’s Chief of Exploration Mission Planning Nujoud Merancy also details the massive amount of work that’s formed the backbone of the mission. And the systems engineer explains how this all leads to Mars.
Artemis 1 mission: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis-i/
Guests
Dr. Stanley Love NASA Astronaut
Nujoud Merancy Chief, NASA Exploration Mission Planning
Y'all-itics: Tuesday, August 23rd The Jasons don’t often do sequels, but Whitely got a call that two elected officials wanted to give their first-ever news interviews and Y’all-itics responded. In this episode, for the first time, top school board members at Keller ISD and Grapevine Colleyville ISD take questions from a journalist. GCISD Vice President Shannon Braun and KISD President Dr. Charles Randklev discuss the new policies that conservatives majorities on each board just passed this week. They answer why their boards changed the way library books are selected and revised how teachers talk about race, gender and sexual identity. Did any outside conservative groups influence GCISD? What books will not return to the shelves in Keller ISD? And which districts want to replicate these policies elsewhere in Texas? Braun and Randklev answer it all in this special episode.
GUESTS: Shannon Braun, Grapevine Colleyville ISD Board Vice President Dr. Charles Randklev, Keller ISD Board President
Y’all-itics: August 21, 2022 41 library books have come off the shelves inside one school district in North Texas. Why? Parents challenged why their children should be exposed to them. Among the titles are “Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation” and – wait for it – the Bible. Public school libraries are now the frontlines in the ongoing culture wars. In this episode of Y’all-itics, a fired up Keller ISD mom joins the Jasons with a strong warning for parents in other school districts about what’s coming. Plus, state Rep. Matt Krause takes their call as well. The Fort Worth Republican says it’s always a good idea to make sure library books in public schools are age appropriate. This issue is suddenly spreading, and Krause said he expects the Texas legislature to address it next year. Guest
Laney Hawes, Keller ISD Mother
State Rep. Matt Krause, (R) Fort Worth
Texas is rolling in it! A strong economy and soaring inflation have spurred extraordinary tax and fee collections, swelling the state’s coffers by up to $27 Billion more than was budgeted. So the first question that comes to mind is: How is the surplus going to be spent? Rest assured there will be a Texas-sized wishlist from politicians, especially incumbents who can afford to make big promises now as we barrel toward the November election and a legislative session that starts two months after that. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar makes his first appearance on Y’all-itics to talk to The Jasons about the unexpected windfall…whether any of it will bring much sought tax relief for Texas property owners…and what he thinks of a California-style mass check sending campaign to residents to give back a surplus there that was almost 4 times bigger than the budget bounty here in Texas. Guest: Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar
Y’all-itics: August
This episode is about the two most influential men in Texas politics that you’ve likely never heard of. They’re billionaire oil men from West Texas who also preach at their local churches. Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks are now the focus of a new CNN documentary titled “Deep in the Pockets of Texas.” In talking to experts and fellow conservatives, veteran Texas journalist Ed Lavandera shows how Dunn and Wilks have successfully pushed Texas politics – and that of the nation – to the far-right. So, the Jasons invited Lavandera out for a pint to find out more about these two men, what shaped them and the political future they want for Texas.
Guest
Ed Lavandera, CNN Correspondent
SYNOPSIS: This past year has taught us not to take electricity for granted. Better be careful with water, too. Texas needs more of it to keep up with all the residents and businesses moving here. One small town along the Red River is already running low on the resource. The plan for Dallas / Fort Worth alone calls for five new reservoirs. One, proposed in northeast Texas, would flood 66,000 acres of land, move out families, and take property off the tax rolls. But not acting soon enough could also cost Texas billions of dollars in lost business and population. It’s a dicey dilemma and time is of the essence. Joining the Jasons this week is Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. His office is studying what’s at stake. And Janice Bezanson, from the Texas Conservation Alliance, argues for other options besides taking away family farms.
GUESTS: Glenn Hegar, R-Texas Comptroller Janice Bezanson, Texas Conservation Alliance
Y’all-itics: July 24, 2022
It has become one of the most pressing debates in the life of a modern parent: when to allow their children access to social media and once they have it, how best to limit it. A Texas Republican wants to eliminate the guesswork for parents and ban any child under 18 from using social media. And in this episode of Y’all-itics, state Representative Jared Patterson joins the Jasons to discuss everything from First Amendment and parental rights, to why he thinks parents stand no chance against the algorithms social media companies are using the target their children. The lawmaker, who plans to introduce this bill during the next session in January, also explains why he doesn’t think social media companies will send any representatives to a joint committee hearing being planned next month.
Guest
Rep. Jared Patterson, (R) Frisco
The lights…and thankfully the A-C…stayed on in Texas last week. But as the state baked in triple digit temps, the electric grid operator pleaded with Texans on multiple days to hike up the thermostat and conserve power as much as possible, because the state was uncomfortably close to not having enough electricity to meet demand. And it could happen again in the week ahead, with forecasts showing another string of sweltering days. But going into the summer, Governor Abbott touted the strength of the Texas electric grid…and he has said that state leaders did everything that needed to be done to fix the problems that led to deadly, widespread outages in February 2021 when the state didn’t have enough power to go around. Beto O’ Rourke, the governor’s Democratic opponent in this year’s election has made the fragile electricity situation in Texas a key pillar of his campaign, promising to fix it if he is elected in November. This week he joins the Jasons to discuss that. Also on this episode: Ed Hirs, the Energy Fellow at the University of Houston. Professor Hirs says there are no quick, easy, or cheap fixes for the situation Texas is in. Without big changes, he predicts many more problems ahead. He adds that this status quo is enriching some energy companies and is jacking up the retail electric rates we all pay.
Guests: Professor Ed Hirs, University of Houston Energy Fellow Beto O’ Rourke, Texas Democratic Gubernatorial candidate
Y’all-itics: July 10, 2022 In their official party platform, Texas Republicans now call homosexuality “an abnormal lifestyle choice.” The party goes even further and states that it opposes any criminal or civil penalties against “those who oppose homosexuality out of faith, conviction, or belief in traditional values.” And the Texas GOP still refused to allow Log Cabin Republicans, which represents LGBTQ conservatives, to have a booth at the state convention last month. Despite this hostility, some Texas Republicans who identify as gay say the platform regarding homosexuality isn’t as bad as it seems. And in this episode of Y’all-itics, a Republican leader and former LCR chair explains why he still feels welcome in the Texas GOP even though he thinks it’s an interesting time to be an openly gay Republican. Guest Marco Roberts, Texas Conservative Liberty Forum
Think you’re paying a lot for gas this July 4th holiday? As hard as it is to believe, you should actually enjoy it now, because you’ll likely be buying $6 gas by the time the next federal holiday rolls around. Many experts believe these skyrocketing gas prices will only accelerate the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. But that could lead to huge problems in Texas. Experts says the power grid in our state is in no way ready for EVs to comprise the bulk of our fleet, much less EV charging stations every 50-miles. In fact, the Energy Fellow at the University of Houston tells us in this episode of Y’all-itics, your neighborhood transformer might not even be ready for a few extra EVs on your block. And he explains why you’ll paying so much for gas.
Guests
Ed Hirs, UH Energy Fellow/Energy Economics Professor
Jennifer Granholm, U.S. Secretary of Energy
Y’all-itics: June 26, 2022
Chaos. If the public ever sees the body cam images, security footage and documents related to the massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, state Senator Roland Gutierrez thinks that’s all you’ll find. But so far, the Democrat from San Antonio, whose district includes Uvalde, says he’s been stonewalled at every turn in his attempts to obtain those records. In fact, the Senator tells us he was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before he’d be able to see anything at all. In this episode of Y’all-itics, he explains why he refused and why he’s now suing the Texas Department of Public Safety, which he claims had 91 troopers on scene while the gunman was inside the classroom. You’ll also hear why Senator Gutierrez expects nothing to come out of the hearings held this week by the Senate Special Committee investigating the mass shooting and why he thinks it could take a while for the Uvalde community to regain its trust in law enforcement. And perhaps most importantly, if anything will lead to new legislation when lawmakers return to Austin in January 2023.
Guest
Sen. Roland Gutierrez, (D) San Antonio Sen. Robert Nichols, (R)
Emergency Y’all-itics: June 24, 2022
Abortion is now illegal in Texas. Our state never repealed any pre-Roe anti-abortion statues, so the moment the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, those became immediately enforceable again. And thanks to our state’s “trigger law,” in 30-days, the penalty will become even more severe, jumping from a misdemeanor to a felony. But this is only the beginning of the story in Texas. As you’ll hear in this emergency episode of Y’all-itics, Republican lawmakers are already planning legislation that would punish businesses that help female employees obtain an abortion. Rep. Briscoe Cain says there could even be legislation that empowers district attorneys to prosecute folks from neighboring counties, if their home county DA decides not to enforce it. Meantime, Democrats call the historic ruling a devastating blow to women that will severely limit access to healthcare. And Rep. Nicole Collier wonders out loud why the same folks who used the argument “my body, my choice” to resist COVID-19 vaccines and masks aren’t making the same argument now. And finally, the Jasons and special guest host Teresa Woodard turn to one of the nation’s premiere constitutional law experts to find out if the Supreme Court’s ruling will put any other rights at risk.
Guests
Rep. Nicole Collier, (D) Fort Worth
Rep. Briscoe Cain, (R) Baytown
Steve Vladeck, University of Texas School of Law
Already this summer, Texans have been asked to conserve energy, just to make sure we have enough power. We’ve already climbed above 100 more than once, and we’re barely halfway through June. And we still haven’t recovered from the devastating winter storm of 2021 that led to the catastrophic failure of Texas’ power grid and hundreds of deaths. So, we had a simple question here at Y’all-itics. Will our air conditioning stay on during what promises to be a brutal summer? We turned to expert energy analyst Alison Silverstein and Senator Nathan Johnson, a leading voice on the power grid in the Texas legislature. They explain why we actually have so much electricity right now in Texas, some generators are losing money, while we’re paying more. It’s only possible because so many of our extra power plants are online, plants usually undergoing maintenance this time of year. And running these plants so hard, for so long, could have devastating consequences come August and beyond. Guests Allison Silverstein, Energy Analyst/Consultant Sen. Nathan Johnson, (D) Dallas
Y’all-itics early release: June 12, 2022
That is the state of public education in America today. School safety is under such threat, many educators say it is all they think about. And after the Uvalde tragedy, it certainly has the attention of students, parents, teachers, lawmakers and just about every Texan there is. While Democrats push gun control, Republicans push the “hardening” of schools. Can common ground even be found? In this special, early release edition of Y’all-itics, we turn to an expert in public education in Texas, Austin ISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde, who will soon take over the same job with the Dallas ISD. The experienced educator who’s worked in some of the largest school districts in Texas tells us whether the proposals being pushed by Republicans would work, from single entrances to arming teachers to random safety checks. She also explains the steps she thinks we should take to keep our kids safe and return to the core mission of public education. It is a wide ranging and engaging conversation led by WFAA anchor/reporter Teresa Woodard, who took over for the Jasons (they are both taking some much needed family time… and we hope you are too during these difficult days).
Guest
Dr. Stephanie Elizalde, Austin ISD Superintendent
Rural Texas counties that are inland and politically conservative have received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal aid that Congress set aside for populated coastal communities that are often underserved. Federal lawmakers had never set aside billions of dollars just to help Texas communities hit hardest by Hurricane Harvey prevent another disaster. But a federal investigation revealed that not only did communities in need get nothing initially, the plan that Texas used to distribute the money was discriminatory. Some of those dollars, for instance, were going to build a road between a Home Depot and a Wal-Mart in a community hundreds of miles from the Gulf Coast rather than to install better drainage in Houston. So, the Jasons called up David Wheaton, the Advocacy Director at Texas Housers. His organization sounded the alarm and filed the complaint that launched the federal investigation. And they’re now trying to claw back cash owed to some of the least privileged neighborhoods in Houston and surrounding coastal areas. Guest David Wheaton, Texas Housers Advocacy Director www.texashousers.org
Imagine if you get your COVID-19 vaccine through a patch. No needles or syringes. And the patch stays stable at room temperature for months making it easier to ship to low and middle income nations. This is the future of COVID vaccine research and some of the best work in the world is being done inside a lab at the University of Texas at Austin. Their interest piqued, the Jasons called up lead scientist Dr. Jason McLellan, whose work has been integral to all of the leading vaccines against COVID. But it’s where this field is headed that’s truly exciting. They’re trying to figure out a way to go from a genome sequence of a virus to manufactured vaccine in only 100 days. That would be three months, instead of the already historically fast ten months it took to manufacture the COVID vaccines. And even that speedy timeline was only made possible through the work of McLellan and his team. In this episode of Y’all-itics, you’ll hear the stories behind the work that’s saved millions of lives across the globe. And wait until you hear why McLellan’s bid to develop a universal coronavirus vaccine was rejected… FIVE years ago.
Guest
Dr. Jason McLellan, Scientist/University of Texas Professor
Extremes are now more extreme. Record highs and lows are constantly being broken. And the water is already starting to rise along our coast. Scientists say it’s not longer a projection. It is now reality in Texas. The United Nations released an alarming report on climate change earlier this year. And the lead author is from the University of Texas. So naturally, Y’all-itics called her up. And Camille Parmesan very matter-of-factly told the Jasons the goal of the report wasn’t doom and gloom, but factual presentation. And she says looking strictly at the numbers paints a startling picture. Climate change is not only speeding up, its impacts are more severe than scientists thought even five years ago. But Parmesan says you already know this if you survived the Big Freeze that crippled our power grid for days and left hundreds dead in 2021. We can no longer say “this doesn’t happen in Texas” because it does now. The Jasons also sit down with award winning WFAA journalist David Schechter who discusses his most recent investigations into climate change in Texas. Things are changing so rapidly, even tornado alley might now be moving.
Watch David’s Reporting: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/west-texas/planet-warming-effects-behind-oil-production-west-texas/287-5eba6b44-9d84-4d36-836c-d032a02ac53d https://www.wfaa.com/article/tech/science/climate-change/is-tornado-alley-shifting-what-is-dixie-alley/287-c027113c-752b-4cfd-8d50-5c32394bdf11
IPCC Report: www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/
Guests Camille Parmesan, UT Professor/IPCC lead author www.jsg.utexas.edu/researcher/camille_parmesan/ David Schechter, WFAA Reporter
Some of the fallout from Russian’s invasion of Ukraine is now only 250-miles away. But it’s not in Texas. It’s above our heads, up in space. The Russian Federation is threatening to abandon the International Space Station. And it’s a threat NASA must take seriously. Russia is one of five international partners on the ISS, along with NASA, the European Space Agency, Japan and Canada. And all four partners outside of Russia are having lengthy and serious discussions about a Plan B. But if Russia does bail on the ISS, would it just drop out of the sky? And how could NASA even begin to make up the loss? In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons call up former Astronaut Chris Cassidy, who’s trained extensively in Russia, with Russians and on Russian equipment. He says one of the first steps following a collapse in cooperation would be to simply close the hatch between the two modules. It would then quickly get complicated. But Cassidy tells the Jasons he thinks the Russians need us more than we need them. And he explains how it might change business at Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center near Houston, TX.
Tens of thousands of criminal cases are backing up in courtrooms all across Texas. Dallas County Commissioners say their county is at the point of crisis due to the backlog… and they’re blaming judges. In fact, John Wiley Price says if you average all 17 felony criminal judges, they’re only holding around 12 trials a year. That’s half a normal year. And Commissioners are so frustrated, they are about to start naming names in an effort to “motivate” the judges to clear more cases. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons meet up with veteran and award winning WFAA reporter Rebecca Lopez. Rebecca’s been following this issue for years and she recently discovered the backlog is about to cost Dallas County tens of millions of dollars. And she has stories about this backlog happening all across the state. Rebecca also tells the Jasons about the growing problem with judges allowing violent offenders to be released on minimal bond.
Watch Rebecca’s reporting: www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-county-commissioners-say-some-dallas-county-judges-are-not-clearing-dockets-fast-enough-creating-huge-backlog/287-d3b87245-5500-448f-8547-bf1195bc99c3 https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-police-chief-upset-over-some-violent-offenders-being-released-after-bonds-lowered-by-judges/287-72be5665-6c2d-4b71-bc2d-97e29f8806a2
If you visited downtown Dallas 20-years ago after 5pm, you would have found yourself in the middle of a dead zone. But over the next two decades, downtown Dallas added 20+ acres of parks, a feat no other downtown can match. Four priority parks are the centerpiece of this effort: West End Square, Pacific Plaza, Harwood Park and Carpenter Park, which celebrates its grand opening this week. In this episode of Y’all-itics, Jason Whitely and fellow Dallas resident and WFAA anchor Chris Lawrence have a conversation with Amy Meadows, the CEO of Parks for Downtown Dallas, the driving force behind the greening of Dallas. Amy says the effort has made downtown Dallas the envy of the nation and she shares a cold one with Jason and Chris in the middle of the all of the action and growth. And we learned Carpenter Park added a feature that’s never been downtown before. We think you’ll be as stunned as we were when you hear what it is.
Guest
Amy Meadows, CEO/Parks for Downtown Dallas
Doesn’t it just seem worse this year? Many of us are still in sticker shock over our property appraisals, so this episode is all about how to reduce the amount of property taxes you pay. Turns out, your odds of winning that protest might be greater this year than ever before with half of the houses in Texas potentially overvalued. Wheeler is back for this one as the Jasons call up Chandler Crouch, a realtor and an expert on protesting your property tax value. Chandler explains how to not only play defense in this process with the Central Appraisal District, but also go on the offensive. But the Jasons also zoom out and talk about how to reform this system politically. Texas’ property taxes are among the highest in the nation and home values have easily jumped double digits in Texas’ major cities. So, what exactly are lawmakers going to do to help us? We recently extended an invitation to Gov. Abbott to join us and have not yet heard back from his campaign staff. But his Democratic challenger this November, Beto O’Rourke, took our call even after testing positive for COVID-19 and explained his plan to lower the state’s skyrocketing property taxes. After all these years, can that even be done?
Guests
Chandler Crouch, Chandler Crouch Realty FreeTaxProtest.com
Beto O’Rourke, (D) Candidate for Texas Governor
Will Texas Governor Greg Abbott run for president in 2024? Will he win re-election this November? What drives the 64-year-old politician and expert fundraiser? Does he get along with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick? In the May edition of Texas Monthly, executive editor Mimi Swartz carefully and comprehensively lays out the political rise of Greg Abbott and asks the question; how much do Texans really know about Greg Abbott? He is running for his third term as the state’s leader after serving three terms as attorney general. Mimi joins Jason and guest host Teresa Woodard to talk about how Abbott’s past is shaping his future. GUEST: Mimi Swartz, Executive Editor at Texas Monthly READ: https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/who-is-greg-abbott/
Texas simply fails when it comes to taking care of foster children. Sure there are success stories that should make us all proud. But the state, admittedly, has too many major problems with it and no one has indeitified a workable solution. WFAA’s Cynthia Izaguirre has covered this issue for years. On this episode, Cynthia joins host Jason Whitely for a frank conversation. They called Heidi Brugel Cox, a family law attorney with firsthand knowledge of the state’s system. And Cynthia and Jason got state Representative James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, on the line, as well. Not only does he chair the Texas House Human Services Committee which oversees the state’s child welfare system in Texas, but Chairman Frank has also fostered and adopted two children. So, how does Texas finally fix this? Heidi said the most obvious starting place is something no one is doing. Guests State Rep. James Frank, (R) Wichita Falls Heidi Cox, Family Law Attorney
Looking for that next, great technology breakthrough? Maybe the next Uber or Airbnb? Supporters of Blockchain technology say look no further than the real estate industry. They claim Blockchain is democratizing real estate by opening it up to average, everyday citizens who can buy and sell real estate like rich folks. And they say they can do this because Blockchain makes transactions more secure and, most importantly, cheaper. In this episode of Y’all-itics, you’ll hear some of the major players in Texas in this burgeoning industry explain how it works and what they see the technology changing in the future. Even Governor Abbott has said he wants the Lone Star state to be a leader in this type of technology. And you’ll hear from one of Texas’ preeminent real estate experts who likes the potential of blockchain, but doesn’t think this new disruption is just around the corner. But when it comes to buying property, all agree there is one area within real estate where Blockchain could have an immediate and noticeable effect. Guests Peter Rex, CEO/OWN Prop Sohail Hassan, Managing Partner/MarketSpace Capital Todd Tramonte, Real Estate Marketer & Broker
In his first interview of record since getting released from federal prison, Dwaine Caraway gets into everything on this special episode of Y’all-itics. Caraway, at one time, was among the most powerful politicians at Dallas City Hall. He spent more than a decade on city council and served briefly as the 60th mayor of Dallas. But he resigned and pleaded guilty to taking $450,000 in bribes. Now after serving a four-year prison sentence, Caraway is working on his comeback. He talks to host Jason Whitely about his past, lays out his future and explains what made him so upset when he got back to Dallas.
GUEST: Dwaine Caraway
Get ready for an raw, insightful, and in the weeds conversation about how Latinos might save the U.S. democracy. Mike Madrid, co-founder of The Lincoln Project, and Chuck Rocha, senior strategist for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns, get into the nitty gritty of The Latino Vote – which is also the title of their new podcast series. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the two veterans of national political campaigns explain why candidates have finally started to communicate directly with Latino voters, which political party has the advantage in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley and whether Latino support for Donald Trump was a one-off or an indicative of changing trends. https://thelatinovote.buzzsprout.com/ GUESTS: Mike Madrid, Founder, The Lincoln Project – host of The Latino Vote podcast Chuck Rocha, Senior strategist, Bernie Sanders campaigns – host of The Latino Vote podcast
It may seem like a world away. But experts say the crisis unfolding all along Ukraine’s border will eventually find its way to Texas. And in this special release of Y’all-itics, we take you to Moldova, a small country to the southwest of Ukraine, that’s also Europe’s poorest. If the same number of Ukrainian refugees that have flooded Moldova, percentage-wise, suddenly crossed into Texas, it would be the equivalent of around three million people, with just under a million or so deciding to stay. In Moldova, we’re joined by Sara Phillips with Medical Teams International, who’s been on the ground for nearly two weeks assessing how her organization, which provides basic medical care, should respond to the growing crisis that has no end in sight. And Sara says it’s not just war and bombs they’re worried about now. It’s also illness, from COVID to colds. There was even a recent polio outbreak in Ukraine and since the war completely halted the vaccination campaign underway to end it, there are fears that disease is coming across the border too. And Sara also tells us why many of these refugees could ultimately end up in Dallas, Texas.
Guest
Sara Phillips, Medical Teams International https://www.medicalteams.org/country/ukraine/
SYNOPSIS: This week marks one month since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Most of what we see and read about it is focused on military movements. But Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, is still bustling with more than two million people who have not evacuated. In this episode of Y’all-itics, we called a 24-year-old photojournalist who decided she wanted to document what is underway. While air raid sirens are a regular occurrence, life in Kyiv is not what you’d imagine. Madeliene Kelly describes coffee stands reopening on Kyiv’s streets, artists from an underground scene turning their creativity into creating body armor and devices to stop Russian tanks and raw determination keeping fear at bay – for now.
GUEST: Madeleine Kelly, photojournalist Kellyindependent.com/ @kellyindependent
What if your natural blonde or red hair suddenly meant you couldn’t get that job you always wanted? Or what if that same hair color got you suspended from school if you refused to change it? African-Americans say they’ve been fighting this type of discrimination for hundreds of years. And an attempt to ban race-based hair discrimination recently failed in the U.S. House of Representatives with 188 Republicans voting against it. Known as the CROWN Act, similar legislation here in the state of Texas also stalled during the last legislative session. But supporters vow to continue the fight in D.C. and Austin calling it a civil rights issue because folks are being discriminated against based on something they can’t change. In this episode of Y’all-itics, Jason Whitely is joined by WFAA anchor Tashara Parker, who’s been shining a bright light on the issue for years after her own experience, in particular through her “Rooted” series. And state Representative Rhetta Bowers also promised to reintroduce the Texas CROWN Act next year with even broader protections. Guests Tashara Parker, WFAA Anchor (www.wfaa.com/rooted) State Rep. Rhetta Bowers, (D) Garland
Le Roy Torres remembers the last words his Sergeant Major told him; Don’t give up the fight. There are at least 31,000 Texans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and came home with rare cancers, debilitating headaches and severe breathing problems after inhaling toxic smoke from piles of trash that the U.S. military burned at most every large base. Torres’ symptoms got so bad that he had to leave his position as a Texas state trooper. After years of persistence, the U.S. House of Representatives just passed a substantial law to help vets like him. The Senate is considering another one. And Le Roy and his attorney are taking their case to the U.S. Supreme Court at the end of the month. It’s monumental movement in a battle he never expected to fight
Tuesday night brought some surprises in the Texas primary elections. The top of your November ballot is already decided. Greg Abbott will face Beto O’Rourke for governor. But runoffs will settle a number of other big contests including the Republican race for Texas Attorney General. Joining the Jasons for this podcast is a team of Texas political experts who have context and analysis on the results. What did the results say about the state of the Texas GOP? Can Texas Democrats finally win a statewide seat? How important will South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley be in November. This is one to listen to for all die-hard Texas politicos.
GUESTS: Chrysta Castaneda, Democratic Strategist Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Berna Dean Steptoe, WFAA Political Producer Jason Villalba, Republican, former Texas State Representative
When it comes to war, everyone seems to lose. But Texas could come out a big winner if our oil and gas industry have to step in and help supply energy to Europe that has regularly relied on Russia. The oil patch in West Texas is already seeing increased demand as we come out of the pandemic. But war could now accelerate it. In this episode, Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, predicted that state taxes generated by oil and gas revenues are likely to lead to a windfall of new money for the Texas budget. But how will it be spent? State Senator Paul Bettencourt already has some ideas. Plus, he said, if Texas has any money invested in the Russian Federation, Senator Bettencourt wants it out.
In this special episode of Y’all-itics, a former colleague puts us in touch with a Ukrainian mother who wants to speak to an American journalist. Maryna, 41, decided not to evacuate and is now stuck at home outside Kyiv with her 8-year-old daughter. In this compelling interview, Maryna gives a ground level description of what life is like as Russia invades. She and her daughter have about a week’s worth of food and supplies. They do not have a firearm, only a knife. And as a trained pharmacist, Maryna even said she could concoct homemade bombs if she had to, to defend her town.
$150 Million in tax revenue in 2021. $53 Million into education. More than 8,100 growers. More than 2,200 dispensaries. And it’s estimated that 10% of the population now has a medical marijuana card. In just a few short years, medical marijuana has become big business in Oklahoma, a state that is far more conservative than Texas. And now, our neighbors to the north are poised to become major players in the global marijuana industry. But here in Texas? Crickets. Could, or should, Texas follow Oklahoma? In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons learn about the good, the bad and the ugly. They’re joined by a Republican lawmaker from Oklahoma who now wants his state to legalize recreational marijuana use. This conservative legislator admits that Oklahoma needs more guardrails on its industry because, he says, truckloads of it get driven across the Red River into Texas and, he estimates that Oklahoma’s marijuana likely makes up a third of all illicit marijuana sold in the eastern part of the United States. But he’s adamant that we can’t put the genie back in the bottle. The Jasons also get knowledge from a Tulsa woman who has run dispensaries and now helps hundreds of Oklahomans get their medical marijuana card. Guests
Rep. Scott Fetgatter, (R) Okmulgee Kimberly Moore, Medical Marijuana Patient Consultant
The right-wing is trying to takeover public schools. Texas superintendents are quitting. Boards have banned books. The once obscure term Critical Race Theory is now part of our lexicon. Why is public education under attack? Who’s behind it? And how did we get here? In this episode of Y’all-itics some pastors are now pushing back. The Jasons put down their pint glasses after seeing an evangelical group tangle on Twitter with a sitting Republican Congressman over this issue. Scrolling further through their feed, an op-ed from a Baptist news organization began trending after arguing that the right-wing has had this playbook in the works for 60-years. What’s the end game for the right? What’s really at risk? The Jasons walked away with some better context on this mashup of church, state and Texas politics. Guests: Rev. Charles Johnson / Executive Director, Pastors for Texas Children Mark Wingfield / Executive Director and publisher of Baptist News Global
Can Ken Paxton survive without a runoff? The Republican race for Texas Attorney General appears to be tightening. For the first time in recent memory, the GOP primary for the state’s top cop is crowded with high profile candidates. And three weeks before the March 1 primary, the gloves are off. George P. Bush, Louis Gohmert and Eva Guzman all recently joined our weekly political program Inside Texas Politics and didn’t hold back (Ken Paxton declined our invitation to join). They went after each other in general, and the incumbent specifically. In this episode of Y’all-itics, GOP political insider and former state Senator Konni Burton joins the Jasons to analyze their pitches to Texas voters and handicap the race she fully expects to end with a runoff. And that could change everything. As Konni says, iron sharpens iron and that’s why a heated primary is good for the Texas voters.
It is the siren song of Texas: lower taxes, more land and more jobs. And it’s luring folks from all over. But is our promise too good to be true? And can policy keep up with this explosive growth? In this episode of Y’all-itics, hear the confessions of a Texas transplant. The Jasons are joined by a recent transplant whose family moved here from a NYC suburb thinking they were about to experience Texas-sized savings. But reality on the ground is proving to be much more expensive for many Texas newbies, from property taxes, to home prices, to the gas in those vehicles they’re now using much more than they expected.
Have you recently quit your job? Wanted to quit? Still plan to quit? We ask because in recent months, Texas has been racking up huge numbers of job quitters. In just three months, 1,280,000 Texans said I quit…I resign…see y’all later…take this job and shove it. It looks like many of them aren’t headed to South Padre to kick back at the beach…or to the Texas Hill Country to sip wine and hike the rolling hills. Many of them have just headed right across the street to a new employer who will pay them more, and maybe even throw in some crazy bonuses. Workers are in demand. So much so that some new employees aren’t even showing up to their first day of work with a new employer because they’ve already landed another job that’s more lucrative! So how do companies know how much to pay? Will salaries keep rising here? And how do you talk your boss into giving you a raise, so you don’t have to find a new job just to get a decent bump in pay? This week the Jasons are picking the brain of Jay Denton, whose Dallas-based labor market analytics firm Labor IQ by ThinkWhy probably has a good idea of how much money you make---and they are telling Texas companies how much they need to pay to lure you…or to keep you. So how are those companies responding?
We are celebrating a Y’all-itics first this week! This episode if the first Y’all-itics recorded before a live audience, both in-person and virtual. It was all part of the Texas Conference of Urban Counties, with County Judges and County Commissioners meeting in College Station for three days to discuss policy and politics. If you want to get a pulse on Texas politics, this would be a great place to start. So, that’s exactly what the Jasons did. While they discussed everything from property taxes to the power grid, just about everyone at the conference, including and especially Republicans, wondered out loud what ever happened to local control? What ever happened to the idea that no one size fits all in Texas and local communities should be allowed to make the best decisions for them at the local level? These local leaders made it very clear to the Jasons they want it back because they think it’s hurting Texans.
Guests:
County Judge Glen Whitley, (R) Tarrant County
County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., (D) Cameron County
From ambulances to airlines, school buses to paramedics, and garbage pickup to water main breaks. The latest wave of COVID in Texas is, fortunately, not killing as many people as other variants. But Omicron is certainly disrupting many aspects of our daily lives. Despite your job title, many Texans are picking up new responsibilities at work as businesses and governments try to remain open. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons call up Hallie Stewart, the North Texas Operations Manager for Acadian Ambulance. She not only manages that operation from the office, but she is now forced to actually hop on ambulances and respond to dispatches since the sick call list at her company has tripled with Omicron. But it’s not just ambulances. Fort Worth, like many cities across the state, is moving employees around to different departments to have enough staff to keep the city open. The Jasons also called in to that city’s noticeably empty command center to talk with the person in charge, Brandon Bennett. He and Hallie share new insight, and both answer the question of when this surge will peak.
2021 was quite a ride… even after many of us thought things might quiet down after 2020. Now that 2022 is upon us, will the political news calm down at all? Not. A. Chance. In our first episode of the new year, the Jasons speak with a couple of experts who know Texas politics. They’re breaking out their crystal balls to give us an idea of what to expect in the year ahead. And things will escalate quickly with the looming GOP primary battles. Forget the Farmer’s Almanac. This is your Y’all-itics Almanac for Texas politics in 2022.
Guests:
Cassandra Pollock, The Texas Tribune State Politics Reporter
Kimi Lynn King, Professor/Interim Chair UNT Department of Political Science
The holiday season is upon us and the Y’all-itics team is taking a break to spend time with family. But for a couple of weeks, the Jasons wanted to share their favorite episodes of 2021 with you. It’s now Jason Whitely’s choice and his rewind episode focuses on legendary WFAA sportscaster Dale Hansen, who retired earlier this year after a distinguished career. “Dale Hansen Unplugging” originally released on May 19, 2021 and was our fourth most listened to episode in 2021. We checked… and Dale is still retired. But this remains one of our most favorite conversations, including how wrestling a bear basically launched his career.
Original Summary:
By now you’ve likely heard the news, legendary WFAA sportscaster Dale Hansen is retiring. But we’re pretty sure you haven’t heard the stories that Dale shares on this special episode of Y’all-itics. Exactly 24-hours after the announcement, Dale cracked open a beer with the Jasons for a look back at his 50-years in broadcasting, the well-known statewide politician he was recruited to run against a few years ago, the unbelievable way he got a job in Dallas, and how he handles haters who really get under his skin. The Jasons raise a toast to Dale and share a lot of laughs. This episode really is Dale unplugged. (original release date May 19, 2021)
Guest:
Dale Hansen, Retired WFAA Sports Anchor
The holiday season is upon us and the Y’all-itics team is taking a break to spend time with family. But for the next couple of weeks, the Jasons wanted to share their favorite episodes of 2021 with you. We start with Jason Wheeler. And naturally, being the “Right On The Money” guy, his rewind episode has to do with… money, and how much it takes to move into even a small home in Texas. “We’re Out of Houses in Texas” originally released on March 30, 2021 and was our second most listened to podcast all year. The Jasons add some new context nine months later. But rest assured, the housing crunch in Texas is still a big problem and the affordability issue is growing in communities all over the state.
Original summary:
It is a seller’s market on steroids right now in Texas. Healthy housing inventory is typically six months. But some cities in Texas are down to days. If you’re a seller, you’re likely receiving multiple offers, some significantly above asking. If you’re a buyer, good luck. It could take you a while. Some buyers are even resorting to entering contracts without a guaranteed final sales price. And at the end of the day, all homeowners in Texas will pay for the housing frenzy through higher property taxes. In this episode of Y’all-itics, experts tell the Jasons to buckle up, because we’re not living in a bubble. They say there is no end in sight. And if that wasn’t enough, learn how that “big, stuck boat” in Egypt’s Suez Canal could impact Texas real estate. (original release date: March 30, 2021)
Guests:
Todd Tramonte, Real Estate Marketer and Broker
Anne Lakusta, Real Estate Broker
This is the farthest away from home Y’all-itics has ever been! Legendary and award winning former WFAA journalist Byron Harris joins the Jasons from the Drake Passage, one of the stormiest bodies of water on Earth. Byron had just left Antarctica after participating in a climate change research mission. If you watched any of Good Morning America’s recent extensive coverage from Antarctica, those crews were on the same ship. And did the Jasons ever learn a lot. While Byron figured he’d see a lot of penguins, nothing prepared him to see hundreds of thousands of them. And if you want to track climate change, track the penguins.
Guests:
Byron Harris, Former WFAA Investigative Reporter
Sven-Olof Lindblad, Lindblad Expeditions CEO
In less than 60-days, one of the titans of Texas business is retiring. Gary Kelly will depart as CEO of Southwest Airlines on February 1, after 17-years leading the company. He helped transform it to the largest domestic carrier in the country, opened Hawaii and international destinations and got rid of the Wright Amendment, among other things. Now, as Southwest celebrates the 50th anniversary since its first flight, Kelly joins the Jasons for this episode of Y’all-itics – meeting them at the San Antonio bar where the airline was born on the back of a cocktail napkin in the 1960s.
GUEST:
Gary Kelly, CEO Southwest Airlines
Known as the Texas Triangle, the area from Dallas to Houston and over to San Antonio/Austin would be the 15th largest economy in the world, producing $1.2 Billion in economic output. That’s equivalent to Mexico or Spain. And seven in 10 Texans live there. So, if it is the economic engine driving our state, why isn’t it also driving our politics? And because the politics outside of this Triangle have come to dominate the state, some experts fear it could kill the Texas growth model. At least one major company has already said it would help pay for any employee who wishes to relocate. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by Steven Pedigo, the Director of the LBJ Urban Lab in Austin and a professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Pedigo says if you want to understand the country, then understand our state, because Texas is the future of America… unless the direction of our politics pulls the rug out from under all of us.
Guest:
Steven Pedigo, LBJ Urban Lab Director
If you’re waiting for the supply chain to return to normal, stop immediately. This is the new abnormal. And our experts say it’s going to stay this way for a while. The problem is worldwide and can be found in factories, on cargo ships and inside ports and trucks. And often, it’s not that the goods aren’t available. In fact, warehouses all across the country are full. There just aren’t enough workers to move those goods. And as if that’s not bad enough, everything is now wrapped in a shroud of inflation. And through it all, consumers have still been spending like crazy, so ultimately the problem could be… us. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by supply chain and logistics experts who discuss how long this will last, how much worse it might get and the government policies that could fix it. As it turns out, Texas could actually benefit in the long run.
Guests
Professor Margaret Kidd, University of Houston/Supply Chain & Logistics Technology
Aaron Armistead, Regional Vice President/NFI Industries
Y’all-itics is celebrating a birthday! The unofficial podcast of Texas is now a two-year-old. And in this special release, we celebrate with you… and our boss. We asked for comments from our listeners and you delivered. And the Jasons are also joined by the unofficial Y’all-itics CEO. Thanks for your support! We couldn’t do this without you. And the entire Y’all-itics team is looking forward to year three. Cheers!
Guest
Carolyn Mungo, WFAA Station Manager/Y’all-itics CEO
Only 90-minutes after his official announcement that he’d be running for Texas Governor, Democrat Beto O’Rourke joined the Jasons for this early episode of Y’all-itics. And one of the first things they noticed was a different candidate than in the past. O’Rourke didn’t hold back, speaking directly about many issues, including his past comments on guns, February’s power grid fiasco, protecting oil & gas jobs, even trying to lower property taxes through Medicaid expansion. The Jasons also get more perspective on O’Rourke’s candidacy and the gubernatorial race from the journalist who broke the news that Beto was back… and running for Governor.
You say it’s our birthday? Well, yes it is. Y’all-itics is turning two and we want you to be a part of our birthday podcast! Tell us why you listen, your favorite episode, who you’d like for us to interview, what beer we should try, even what you’re hoping to see in 2022.
Click on this link to go to our Zoom room and record a video voicemail!
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You don’t have to live near the Texas coast to soon start seeing the effects of climate change. The next decade or two mean more flooded parking lots, water in roads, and beach erosion from sea level rise. The ocean has already risen two feet in Galveston since 1900. But there’s another problem unique to this state. Texas is also sinking. All the oil and gas we have pulled out of the ground for the last century is now causing subsidence. That means Texas will see a double whammy from climate change. What is Texas doing to address it? Turns out, not much. David Schechter, reporter for WFAA in Dallas, is one of the few Texas television reporters to consistently document the changing climate in our state. Last year, David won the duPont-Columbia Award, the broadcast equivalent of Pulitzer Prize, for his reporting on climate change. On this week’s episode, we pour David a pint and listen to him explain what’s at stake right now for Texas, why being the leader in wind and solar energy isn’t enough. The U.N. Secretary General even had something to say to David about Texas ignoring the warning signs. Forget political talking points. The science is clear. As David put it, this is what we’re headed for. Period.
Watch:
With world leaders gathering to find solutions for climate change, what does it mean for Texas?
Texans face greater risk of heat, drought and hurricanes, but Abbott administration has no plan to tackle future threats of climate change
The sea is rising faster than any time in the last 3,000 years, experts say | Climate Crossroads
It is an alarming statistic: rural Texans are twice as likely to die of COVID than their urban counterparts. While the pandemic has heightened the mortality disparity, the reasons behind it go much deeper than the disease itself. Secret vaccinations and remote healthcare are helping some of these communities pull through. But not all. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons go on the road to Mount Pleasant and visit Titus Regional Medical Center, the last independent hospital in northeast Texas. There were more deaths at that hospital in September than at any point in its 70-year history. And the CEO says closing this mortality gap will not be easy, or fast. The Jasons are also joined by John Henderson, CEO of the Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals (TORCH), who recently testified before lawmakers in Austin as they debated how to spend billions in federal COVID relief funding and discusses the “breathing room” those dollars will provide rural hospitals.
Guests:
Terry Scoggin, CEO/Titus Regional Medical Center
John Henderson, CEO/Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
November 1 could mark a historic moment at the U.S. Supreme Court. That’s when Texas goes to D.C. to defend its new abortion law and the ruling could change 50-years of legal precedent. The Justices even took the rare step of fast-tracking two cases brought against the state’s near-total ban. Abortion providers filed one. The U.S. Department of Justice filed the other. So, in this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons call up Stephen Vladeck, a constitutional law expert at the University of Texas, to cut through the legalese. Turns out, Vladeck explained, Justices could strike down the Texas law and still limit abortion rights. It’s the first of several big cases this Supreme Court term. And Vladeck says the country hasn’t seen this much constitutional tumult since the 1930s and there is a gravity to this moment which has no comparison.
Better get ready for winter. Electric providers and some state lawmakers tell the Jasons they remain concerned that Texas could again experience a large-scale failure if the state suffers through another deep freeze in the coming months. State Representative Jon Rosenthal recently filed a bill that would close a loophole which allows natural gas companies to opt out of winter weatherization requirements, but that legislation will not be taken up during the final few hours of the third special session in Austin. Meantime, the President of the Texas Oil & Gas Association tells the Jasons the concern is not that too many natural gas companies will use that loophole to opt out, but that too many might opt in and they would take the electricity reserved for, say, a hospital during an emergency. Still, Todd Staples says there’s already been a 2,000% increase in the number of natural gas companies that have winterized equipment. But as you’ll hear in this episode of Y’all-itics, that isn’t stopping the state’s largest electricity generator from taking its own steps to protect its equipment and Texans.
One came tantalizing close to victory in the same race in 2018. The other was a Democrat, turned Republican and is now a Democrat again. And both have very specific ideas for Texas. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons share a beer with WFAA anchor/reporter Teresa Woodard, after she conducted wide-ranging interviews with Mike Collier and Matthew Dowd. They’re talking Texas’ two biggest problems, running against each other, guns, changing parties and lessons learned. They’ll meet each other in the Democratic primary next spring then one of them will be on the ballot against Dan Patrick next November. Meet them both in this episode.
As the Texas Secretary of State spins up an audit of the 2020 election, it’s important to remember this is a road we’ve been down before. In this episode, the Jasons are joined by SMU professor Matthew Wilson, Ph.D., an expert in politics and elections in America, who explains why this could be our new normal. Questioning election results also happened in 2000, 2004, and 2016. But the most recent decision by the Secretary of State’s office to audit election results in Harris, Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties continues to reverberate across the state. And 2020 was a very successful election in Texas… for Republicans. So, many observers are openly asking why the GOP is, in essence, auditing itself. The Chair of the Texas House Elections Committee, a Republican, says he supports the audit, but only in limited fashion and even he isn’t sure what, if anything, could be revealed by it. The Dallas County Judge, a Democrat, says it’s not a real audit, only Republicans pushing a political narrative to justify making it harder for minorities and young people to vote. You’ll also hear from both in this episode of Y’all-itics.
There are two folks you have not heard from in all the news coverage of the state’s new abortion law; these are the two out-of-staters who are suing a San Antonio abortion doctor. So, the Jasons cracked open the White Pages, pulled out their long-distance calling card and got Oscar Stilley on the phone from Cedarville, Ark. and Felipe Gomez on the line from Chicago. Though, Gomez said, tongue-in-cheek, that it takes a couple ‘yahoos’ from other states to test the Texas law, both men have legal backgrounds and are coming to Texas courts with different motivations. To put these guys in context, the Jasons also called a law professor at South Texas College of Law who explains why SB8, as Texas’ abortion law is known, is almost a sideshow to what’s happening in Mississippi.
The Lincoln Project is going after Governor Greg Abbott. This is the group of former Republicans well known for blistering attacks on President Donald Trump and later, Senator Ted Cruz. And this latest battle is already getting juicy. The Lincoln Project released a new attack ad called “Abbott’s Wall,” criticizing his handling of the pandemic by highlighting how many Texans have died of COVID-19. The organization says the ad was scheduled to air during the Texas Longhorns game Saturday night, but was pulled at the last minute. And it is now openly questioning whether Governor Abbott used his influence to have the ad yanked from the air. In this episode of Y’all-itics, co-founder Rick Wilson tells the Jasons why he thinks Gov. Abbott is now more dangerous than former President Trump, how the state’s new abortion bounty system could spectacularly backfire on Republicans and why the organization will continue attacking the Governor moving forward.
Texas Republicans are lining up to run against Governor Greg Abbott. So, why isn’t there a single Democrat in the race yet? Veteran Texas Democratic consultant Harold Cook hammered out a harsh Tweet about the lack of a candidate in his party. So, the Jasons called him up for this episode. Cook, who worked on President Bill Clinton and Governor Ann Richards’ campaigns in Texas, says ‘can’t beat somebody with nobody.’ Cook also revealed what’s likely happening behind the scenes right now, the list of fellow Democrats that he thinks has the best shot against Abbott next year, and why Beto O’Rourke has a lot to consider on whether he should run.
The Texas bullet train could finally happen sooner than you think. In fact, a vote in Congress this month might determine its future. The CEO of Texas Central, Carlos Aguilar, answered the Jasons call for this episode of Y’all-itics and gave them the lowdown on what’s happening behind the scenes, how much money is needed to finish the project, what a ticket will cost on the bullet train, as well as where...and when...the very first tracks will be laid.
Y’all-itics: August 30, 2021
The deadline for the U.S. to withdraw from Afghanistan is upon us: August 31. Since the rapid collapse of the Afghan government, Americans in that country, Afghans who hold Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) and anyone who helped the U.S. war effort over the last 20-years have been scrambling to leave the country. And as our military action winds down in Afghanistan, it is the dawn of a new battle, a war over paperwork. Many critics of the withdrawal openly question why adequate preparations weren’t made to give hundreds of thousands of people time to get their paperwork together. Now, many are trapped in limbo with their lives on the line. Unfortunately, it looks like they could be stuck in that dangerous situation for quite a while. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by Holly Kuzmich, the Executive Director of the George W. Bush Institute in Dallas who talks about the frantic efforts save some of their own colleagues, all while trying to continue their promise to help empower women across the globe. And Holly Kuzmich predicts there will be plenty of Congressional hearings to investigate what went wrong.
Guest:
Holly Kuzmich, Bush Institute Executive Director
Holly Kuzmich (bushcenter.org)
Will you need a ticket and a Covid status card for concerts? Before they could listen to the music recently, some Texas concertgoers first heard: What’s your vaccination status? With the Delta variant of the coronavirus still ravaging Texas, country music star Jason Isbell took the stage for a mid-August performance at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth in front of a crowd that---on his insistence—was comprised of people who could either show a Covid vaccination card or a recent negative test. The general manager of this institution at the Stockyards got an earful out of this concert…including from state regulators who reminded him that there’s actually a state law in Texas now that prohibits businesses from requiring proof of vaccination. Billy Bobs' Marty Travis walks the Jasons through a raucous week backstage, all of it touched off by what was just a one-night thing at this famed honkytonk. But really, this was just the beginning. Even if you aren’t a fan of Jason Isbell or vaccine requirements for entry, have a listen. Because like it has done with everything else, Covid is quickly and drastically altering admissions to live music events—as evidenced by the new requirements just announced for this year’s Austin City Limits music festival.
Are you as confused about the local mask mandates in Texas as we are? Who can order what and when is about as clear as mud at this point. Even the courts can’t seem to agree. So we decided to turn to a constitutional law expert for some clarity. Stephen Vladeck from the University of Texas joins the Jasons once again to help explain in a way only he can. One thing he said that’s crystal clear? This process is messy. And unfortunately, Vladeck says we’re only in for more confusion. And after you listen to this episode of Y’all-itics, you just might rethink how you vote for a Texas Supreme Court Justice.
Guest:Stephen I Vladeck | Faculty | Texas Law (utexas.edu)
The resistance is underway in Texas and growing by the day. And more cities, counties and school districts are expected to challenge the Governor’s ban on mask mandates in the coming days. For many parents who’ve already sent their kids back to school – or are about to – the issue is one of life-or-death. In this emergency episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by two Superintendents who find themselves squarely in the middle of this debate. Dr. Stephanie Elizalde leads the Austin ISD, which started mandating masks today in defiance of Governor Greg Abbott. Within hours of that decision, hundreds of parents re-enrolled their kids for in-person learning when students return Tuesday, August 17. And Dr. Elizalde walks you through the thought process and the reaction. The Jasons are also joined by Dr. Brian Woods the Northside ISD Superintendent in San Antonio. They have yet to make a decision on mask requirements there, but they don’t start school until Monday, August 23. For both Superintendents, the issue boils down to local control and having the ability to make the best decisions for their individual communities. And both fully recognize local control was once religion to the GOP, but that these days Republican leadership is telling them what they can and can’t do from Austin.
Y'all-itics is sponsored by Octopus Energy. Save $60 on a 12-month plan by using the offer code OCTOPUS60 at octopusenergy.com. Octopus Energy — Better Energy Within Reach
Guests:
Dr. Stephanie Elizalde, Austin ISD Superintendent
https://www.austinisd.org
Dr. Brian Woods, Northside ISD Superintendent
https://www.nisd.net
Passions have already been flaring in Austin. But the temperature may get hotter under the Capitol dome as new Census numbers arrive and the thorny process of divvying up the state's 38 Congressional districts commences. Before he became the senior counsel for the Brennan Center's Democracy Program, Michael Li went to school and worked in Texas. He knows the state well. And he regards Texas as one of the "highest risk states" for what he warns could be the most aggressive gerrymandering in U.S. history in this cycle. Li explains why a heavily partisan redraw of Congressional boundaries is a threat to democracy and undermines the concept that each Texan’s vote matters equally. Republicans have total control in Texas government, which is why Democrats walked out at the end of the regular legislative session and decamped for D.C. throughout the first special session and now into the second special session. Will the Dems stay away from a third legislative overtime to prevent a quorum and grind the redistricting gears to a halt? Li talks about what we can expect as we head into what he calls the "10-year Olympics" in Texas. This time it may look like a cross between a sprint, a marathon and wrestling... possibly with some legislative gymnastics thrown in. Michael Li- Brennan Center’s Democracy Program
Conservatives are lining up to run against incumbent Governor Greg Abbott and incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton. Who has a shot? Does anyone have a shot? Could Abbott or Paxton face a loss? The Jasons called up two Texas Republicans from different sides of the party. Former state Sen. Konni Burton, R-Fort Worth, explains why she thinks Abbott is in political trouble. Former state Rep. Jason Villalba, R-Dallas, says he thinks Paxton could face a runoff. Sure, the GOP primary is a long way off, but the campaigns are already ramping up and that got the Jasons talking in this episode.
When the first school bells ring across Texas just weeks from now, students, parents, and educators will head back into the pandemic unknown. The Jasons check back in with Dallas ISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Hinojosa. He was on Y’all-itics a year ago when there was so much uncertainty heading into a new school term. It feels like that all over again as he readies his mega-district for the start of the ’21-‘22 session. In fact, he’ll preside over three different school start dates this year. His district and others are getting creative and sharing ideas with each other. Critics say there isn’t much guidance coming from the state, except for orders that schools can’t mandate masks or offer a virtual learning option. So, what happens if kids have to quarantine? Flush with federal cash from Covid relief legislation, Dr. Hinojosa says DISD is hiring an army of tutors. The district also plans to self-fund a virtual option if the state doesn’t agree to foot the bill for it. Also joining the Jasons for this episode is Texas PTA President Suzi Kennon, with what the state PTA will be doing to help make a tough year easier and what she’s hearing from parents across the state. Kennon also gets real---as a mom---and shares her concerns for her own child as kids head back to class at a time when the highly transmissible Delta variant of coronavirus is aggressively spreading across Texas, which continues to struggle with a lackluster vaccination rate.
There’s no end in sight to this political standoff. Texas House Democrats remain in D.C. Austin remains at a standstill. The inevitable is likely only delayed. But is there any room for compromise? Will this legislation change how you vote? And what’s up with that case of Miller Lite on the bus with Democrats? Wheeler took off to put his feet in the sand for a few days leaving Whitely on his own to pop the top on a Miller Lite with the youngest member of the Texas legislature, state Rep. James Tallarico. In this episode, state Rep. Craig Goldman, a Fort Worth Republican, also joined Y’all-itics to talk about the lonely days in the legislature and the backchannel conversations that the GOP is having with Democrats in D.C.
In a special legislative session underway right now, Texas Republicans are once trying to change voting laws in this state. And the Supreme Court of the United States just dealt another blow to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That watershed law was pushed through by President Lyndon Baines Johnson, a Texas native, who rightly predicted that by signing it, he was also signing away his party's chance to hold political power in the south. But LBJ made the political sacrifice without regret because of one formative thing that happened to him in college. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons go back in time with Mark Updegrove, President and CEO of the LBJ Foundation. Mark shares what he believes LBJ would think and do in response to Republican efforts that some say have weakened one of his signature achievements. Mark also shares what ordinary people should do to have a voice as this state and this country faces a reckoning on voting rights and restrictions.
http://www.lbjlibrary.org/page/foundation
On Thursday, Texas lawmakers are returning to the state capital for a special legislative session. Changing voting laws is paramount for Texas’ Republican leaders who are intent on avenging Donald Trump’s defeat. But the bill they consider during the 30-day special session, likely will not be as strict as the one that failed during the regular session. Still, do Democrats have a shot of stopping any of it? Joining the Jasons for this episode is Scott Braddock, editor of The Quorum Report, and one of the most sourced journalists in Austin. Scott shares insight on Abbott’s primary challenge from the right and explains why the governor is not making the same mistake he did when he called the last special session in 2017.
There’s a new political party in Texas looking to shake things up. But instead of running towards the edges, the Serve America Movement (SAM) has its roots planted firmly in the middle. While SAM already has parties established in four states, Texas could be the linchpin of its overall success. The rest of the country will be closely watching to see if SAM has a fighting chance in a deep red state. But how can it succeed where so many other new parties have failed? What is it offering that would allow it to crash the nation’s longstanding two-party juggernaut? In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons talk to SAM’s founding chairman in Texas Bill King who tells them the party and its supporters are convinced there’s a big chunk of Texans who just “want somebody to do the damn job.”
Serve America Movement: https://joinsam.org
Inside the skyline, the transformation has been subtle and taken time but downtown Dallas has a new story to tell. In their first in-person podcast episode in almost a year and a half, the Jasons pile into a booth at the stylish Catbird restaurant and bar in the newly renovated 50-story National building for a conversation with Kourtny Garrett, the president & CEO of Downtown Dallas, Inc. In 1996, 200 people lived downtown. Today, it’s home to 12,000. Twenty years ago, downtown Dallas had 40 vacant buildings. Today, there are none. During the pandemic, downtown not only survived but it thrived. No construction projects here were lost, rents are increasing, scooters are coming back and there are four new parks. Kourtny also explains how the city is ‘activating blocks’ to make the city center more walkable.
We use it every day for freeways and foundations, pools and patios. In fact, Texas uses more cement than any other state, says Ed Sullivan, the Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Market Intelligence for the Portland Cement Association. But Covid-19 caused cement supply chain disruptions. And then the February winter storm hit, temporarily knocking cement plants offline and doing serious damage to at least one major facility. Now, this crucial ingredient for concrete is in tight supply just as the peak summer construction season gets underway, and Sullivan says Dallas is the tightest market in the country right now. Home builder Michael Turner can back that up. He tells the Jasons that the daily ration he is getting sometimes isn’t enough to pour a complete foundation for just one new home! Sullivan predicts this will “bridle” economic activity as Texas tries to fully rebound from the Covid slowdown. But in this episode of Y’all-itics, this foremost expert in the industry also forecasts when he thinks this important commodity Texas needs so much…will be back in full supply.
On June 15, 2021, the city of Fort Worth will have its first new mayor in 10 years. And even Mattie Parker understands she’s now the youngest Mayor of a major U.S. city (12th largest according to new Census Bureau estimates). In this bonus episode of Y’all-itics, Parker explains why the budget is her first priority as the city emerges from the pandemic flush with federal dollars. Parker also says she’s excited to work with a younger City Council, which has five new members, with the average age of all of them dropping from 60 to 45 after the election. And she fully expects their generation to step up and make a difference in the city. So, expect to see the kids at City Hall. Once you listen, you’ll understand why we mean that literally, not figuratively.
Guests:
Matie Parker, Fort Worth Mayor-Elect
Texans are one signature away from being able to carry their handguns in public without a permit. And many members of law enforcement say permitless carry will make their jobs far more dangerous… and the consequences are coming. The President of the Dallas Police Association says many officers are asking how they’ll even know the difference between the good guy and the bad guy. And Michael Mata tells the Jasons he fully expects the number of violent confrontations between business owners and customers to grow as a result of the legislation. And in this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are also joined by Frederick Frazier, a McKinney City Council member and a longtime lobbyist for law enforcement issues who says no training plus no background check equals a recipe for disaster. But what if you’re not a cop? What should you expect? Longer holds on 911 and slower response times are just the start of it.
HB 1927: Texas Legislature Online - 87(R) History for HB 1927
Guests:
Michael Mata, Dallas Police Association President
Dallas PA
Frederick Frazier, McKinney City Council
Council Members | McKinney, TX - Official Website (mckinneytexas.org)
Whether you’re building or buying, it’s a brutal housing market in Texas. And it’s about to get even tougher as we enter the summer season, when people really start looking for a new home. Texas leads the country, by far, in new housing permits. But demand is outpacing supply by a Texas mile. Hang around any construction type and you'll hear the phrase "I've never seen anything like this before.” In fact, in this episode the Jasons are hearing that from Ted Wilson, one of the foremost residential construction experts in the state. Ted even talks about how it’s now difficult to find vacant lots. In other words, Texas is even running out of dirt to build a home on. The Jasons also talk to a Dallas resident about the many difficulties he’s faced while trying to build a home, from the permit process to surging prices. And if you’re about to do the same, he has some advice you’ll want to hear. Can anything slow down this runaway train? You’ll learn that in this episode as well.
Residential Strategies Inc – New Home Market Research & Consulting
Following the catastrophic power failure in February, Texans heard all sorts of promises from lawmakers and other state leaders. They’ll fix this mess, they told us, so it never happens again. Another legislative session has nearly come and gone, and lawmakers have yet to pass any energy reform bills (anybody remember 2011?). Lawmakers are close. But can they get anything across the finish line during the final week of the session? The consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen tells the Jasons that even if lawmakers pass the legislation, it falls far short of what’s needed to protect Texans from the next big storm. And the CEO of Texas’ largest generator of energy says lawmakers better act or the state’s economy will pay the price. In this episode of Y’all-itics, he explains why inaction could freeze business expansion in Texas.
SB 3: Texas Legislature Online - 87(R) History for SB 3
Guests:
Curtis “Curt” Morgan, Vistra Corp. CEO
Home - Vistra Corp.
Adrian Shelley, Public Citizen
Public Citizen - Protecting Health, Safety, and Democracy
By now you’ve likely heard the news, legendary WFAA sportscaster Dale Hansen is retiring. But we’re pretty sure you haven’t heard the stories that Dale shares on this special episode of Y’all-itics. Exactly 24-hours after the announcement, Dale cracked open a beer with the Jasons for a look back at his 50-years in broadcasting, the well-known statewide politician he was recruited to run against a few years ago, the unbelievable way he got a job in Dallas, and how he handles haters – who really get under his skin. The Jasons raise a toast to Dale and share a lot of laughs. This episode really is Dale unplugged.
Dale’s “Celebrating Our Differences” Unplugged
More of Dale “Unplugged”
A new study says re-opening schools in Texas led to an additional 43,000+ cases and 800+ deaths across the state. In fact, one of the lead researchers says it was a stronger connection than they would have guessed. What isn’t clear, is exactly how many of those were teachers. That researcher tells the Jasons why that is and why he hopes the study becomes part of the discussion before any concrete decisions are made for schools in the fall. The Texas Education Agency tells us they stand by their decisions and pointed us towards criticism of this study. But many teachers and other school workers wouldn’t be surprised by the results. They predicted, some right here on Y’all-itics, they would lose co-workers to the disease before they even returned to classrooms. But nobody knows the exact number of teachers who’ve died of COVID during this school year… because the state isn’t tracking those statistics. So WFAA reporter Teresa Woodard did just that. And she also joins the Jasons to talk about her investigation in this episode of Y’all-itics.
WATCH Teresa Woodard’s investigation on WFAA and wfaa.com on Tuesday, May 18 at 10pm
NBER Study: School Reopenings, Mobility, and COVID-19 Spread: Evidence from Texas | NBER
A record number of women are currently serving in the United States Congress, but to many, it’s just a mirage. And they say true parity remains distant, especially here in Texas. A few years ago, two women launched the Lone Star Parity Project to not only get a better idea of the number of women running for office in Texas, but also which positions they filed for and how many were actually elected. A couple of reports later, the numbers remain stark. Out of 254 counties in Texas, their new study says only nine of them are at parity, where women hold 50% of all elected offices. And they discovered many women say no several times before actually choosing to run for office. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons sit down with the founders of the Lone Star Parity Project to find out what their numbers mean and how they can be used to help future generations of women find success in politics.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Lone Star Parity Project:
If so many Texans are angry over their property tax appraisals, has anybody ever considered scrapping the entire system? A lawmaker from East Texas has. He even has such a bill in Austin to do just that. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons find out how it would all work.
HB 3770: Texas Legislature Online - 87(R) History for HB 3770
It’s “the season” again… that magical time of year when Texans walk to the mailbox with a mix of resentment and trepidation, take a deep breath, and then dare to look at their property appraisal. Even if you have no plans to move, the red-hot housing market in Texas may cause your appraisal (and later your property taxes) to rise significantly. But you don’t just have to accept what the appraisal district has written on that piece of paper. You can protest. And one of the foremost experts on how to do it tells the Jasons that you should protest your appraisal… every year. Realtor Chandler Crouch has become a viral sensation for his “how-to” videos. He even got the attention of Texas lawmakers who sought his expertise and recently invited him to testify in Austin about some ways to potentially fix the Texas property tax system. He has also been helping thousands of property owners in Tarrant County contest their appraisals… for FREE.
Chandler Crouch’s Protest Website: FreeTaxProtest.com
Ben Lauer’s Protest Website: Dallas Tax Dispute: Ben Lauer Real Estate Group
The conversation in this episode was real, raw and recorded live as the verdict in the Derek Chauvin came down on Tuesday afternoon. In this emergency release of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined once again by the politician and the educator, both fathers, who first joined the podcast after the killing of George Floyd in May 2020. Podcast host Cydney Walker, a mother who’s been following the trial gavel to gavel, also joins this important conversation. As the country watched this defining moment, these three Black leaders in Texas watched history unfold together. This is their reaction.
HB 6. SB 7. That simple combination of four letters and two numbers could have a profound impact on Texas for years to come. Those are bills that lawmakers are debating in Austin that could change Texas voting laws. A recent report by The Perryman Group, led by a respected Texas economist, predicts if those bills are passed, Texas would lose billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs… in the next four years alone. What’s more, the Perryman Group says that doesn’t even include the potential loss of tourism and other economic drivers such as professional sports and conventions. This potential impact on the bottom line is why you’re hearing some companies come out against the legislation. But boycotts can work both ways, which is also weighing heavily on the minds of some business leaders. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons speak with Dr. Ray Perryman about the potential impact of this legislation, the CEO of a national business group who talks about what to expect out of big business over the next few weeks, and the Speaker of the Texas House who says he’s reached out to some CEOs in Texas but hasn’t heard a word back from any of them.
Perryman Group report: The Potential Economic Impact of Legislation Restricting Voter Access on Business Activity in Texas | The Perryman Group
Follow HB 6: Texas Legislature Online - 87(R) History for HB 6
Follow SB 7: Texas Legislature Online - 87(R) History for SB 7
Ready for a change? A growing number of Americans are exchanging four walls for four wheels. The fast-growing subculture is full of folks looking to redefine the American dream while living exclusively in their RVs, vans and campers. And one of the oldest and largest groups of digital nomads has an “address” right here in Texas, some 75-miles north of Houston. Members “live” in that city even though they may never visit. And that means they can get a Texas driver’s license, register their vehicle and not have to worry about a state income tax. What’s more, they can vote. And as the Jasons learned in this episode of Y’all-itics, with such a large group, they can influence some elections. The question now is how all of those election bills being considered in Austin might change things.
Chris & Cristi Moody (@lifeoptedout) • Instagram photos and videos Read "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Living Nowhere"
Race, violence and medicine. Those three words intersect in Dr. Brian Williams’ emergency room. Gun violence is more than a headline or political talking point for him. Dr. Williams sees the aftermath of it every day. What’s most concerning, he says, is the disparities in gun violence. Young black men are half of all gunshot victims. Dr. Williams has set out to change that. He wants to start a conversation about the larger societal issues, and he has the credentials to do it. Dr. Williams, a Black man, was the surgeon on duty at Parkland Hospital on July 7, 2016 when police officers were shot and killed in downtown Dallas. In this episode, he tells the Jasons how that night changed him, and how Race, Violence and Medicine – the title of his own podcast – intersect every day.
Listen to Dr. Williams Podcast here
It is a seller’s market on steroids right now in Texas. Healthy housing inventory is typically six months. But some cities in Texas are down to days. If you’re a seller, you’re likely receiving multiple offers, some significantly above asking. If you’re a buyer, good luck. It could take you a while. Some buyers are even resorting to entering contracts without a guaranteed final sales price. And at the end of the day, all homeowners in Texas will pay for the housing frenzy through higher property taxes. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons discuss tips for buyers and sellers. And the experts tell them to buckle up, because we’re not living in a bubble. They say there is no end in sight. And if that wasn’t enough, learn how the big, stuck boat in Egypt is likely to impact Texas real estate, even though it’s now free.
Todd Tramonte Home Selling Team
Anne Lakusta - Designated Broker - GO Management Real Estate
Election security? Or voter suppression? The rhetoric is heating up in Texas as the battle over election reform begins in earnest this week. While there is a spate of bills lawmakers will consider, Senate Bill 7 is the granddaddy of them all. Among other things, it would eliminate drive-thru voting, limit voting hours, make it much harder to vote by mail. In this week’s episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by the Executive Director of Progress Texas, an organization that amplifies progressive causes. Edward Espinoza says if election uniformity is the true goal, why not expand access for voters, instead of making it harder for some to participate. And the Jasons speak to Republican state Senator Paul Bettencourt, who calls the proposals common sense reform, not some grandiose scheme to turn back what was very successful election… for Republicans.
We’d like to know what you think about Y’all-itics! So, please take the survey the Jasons mentioned: https://bit.ly/3qPjJDO
A Republican leader along the Texas-Mexico border calls the latest migrant surge a repetition of a crisis, the result of “duct tape immigration policy.” The Democrat leading the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in the U.S. calls it “Biden’s political pinata,” as the 2021 surge includes thousands of unaccompanied minors. And experts on both sides of the political aisle believe the situation is about to get much, much worse. The Jasons drill down into what’s driving this latest surge and what the Biden administration should be doing in this episode of Y’all-itics and learn why it could start with waves of social workers.
We’d like to know what you think about Y’all-itics! So, please take the survey the Jasons mentioned: https://bit.ly/3qPjJDO
On the day Texas returned to 100% occupancy and eliminated the mask mandate, Dr. Anthony Fauci sat down with WFAA reporter William Joy to provide his report card for the state. And William joined a Jason for this bonus podcast to discuss that discussion. The nation’s leading infectious disease expert warns that getting back to “normal” isn’t like turning a switch on and off. And he says Texas is taking a risk. But in this episode, Dr. Fauci will also tell you why Texans shouldn’t be discouraged and when we can head back to a game or eat inside a restaurant without worry.
Fatigue from COVID-19 and last month’s polar vortex are expected to drive millions of people to Texas beaches as spring break begins this week. Even though Governor Abbott is lifting the mask mandate and allowing businesses to return to 100-percent capacity, many businesses are still adhering to CDC health safety guidelines and still expecting huge crowds. The Jasons called up a couple of Texans along the coast to see what to expect before they put their feet in the sand. Along part of the Texas coast, they also learned to be on the lookout for fainting sea turtles.
We’d like to know what you think about Y’all-itics! So, please take our survey. Cheers!
Call it the Texas restaurant massacre. The industry has taken a beating during our year of pandemic lockdown. In human terms, it amounts to 150,000 Texans who have lost their jobs. And those restaurants that did survive took another hit during the historic winter weather and power catastrophe. That event wiped out the often-lucrative Valentine’s Day dining. If this sounds like a horror story… it is. So why then does the president of the Texas Restaurant Association think this story will have a happy ending? For one, Texans apparently miss their restaurants more than anything else during the lockdown. And she talks about the dramatic changes born out of the pandemic that will help the industry thrive on the other side.
We’d like to know what you think about Y’all-itics! So, please take the survey the Jasons mentioned: https://bit.ly/3qPjJDO Cheers!
In our last episode, a former state lawmaker told the Jasons that Texas missed a golden opportunity six years ago to start planning for extreme weather events. Current Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson explained how he thinks his bill would have helped prevent the near failure of the Texas electric grid but was killed in the final moments. One of Johnson’s friends, a former state lawmaker himself on the other side of the aisle, says he remembers the episode too, but with a few different details. Ron Simmons says while the legislation wouldn’t have hurt, it likely wouldn’t have helped either. And the Republican says lawmakers likely could have done more all along the way.
We’d like to know what you think about Y’all-itics! So, please take our survey. Cheers!
Texas lawmakers are meeting on Thursday in Austin – pledging to get to the bottom of the massive statewide power outages last week. But a former state lawmaker tells the Jasons that Texas missed an opportunity six years ago to start planning for something like this. Eric Johnson, the current Mayor of Dallas, was a state representative in 2015 and introduced a bill that might have helped prevent the near-failure of the Texas electric grid last week. Johnson explained what his bill would have done and how it was killed in the final moments before it was to have been passed.
We’d like to know what you think about Y’all-itics! So, please take the survey the Jasons mentioned: Cheers!
As promised, here’s how to find out who represents you. https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home
ERCOT called the Jasons super early on Tuesday to offer the first interview with CEO Bill Magness. He’s probably the most sought after newsmaker of the week in our state. Magness manages ERCOT, which is the Texas power grid. And millions of Texans are in the dark right now in below freezing temperatures. We asked Magness many of the same questions you’ve been asking us. When will this be over? Will it get worse before it gets better? Come to find out, Magness’ wife and his child are among the millions of Texans without electricity. Here’s our uncut interview with him.
We knew what was coming, so why were Texas electric utilities not ready for the severe winter weather? The widespread electric outages did not surprise energy experts in the state. In fact, history is repeating itself here. The issue that caused the widespread electric outages this week was the same thing that caused a similar failure in 2011. And one before that in 1989. A state lawmaker also told the Jasons that Texans deserve answers.
It’s hard to believe hair remains an excuse for discrimination in 2021, much of it rooted in racism. Do a quick internet search and it won’t be hard for you to find the stories. And this isn’t a one-size-fits-all problem as you can find victims all across the spectrum, from women in the workplace to teenage boys in High School. In this episode of Y’all-itics, we join the project “Rooted” being shared across Tegna Texas that explores black hair in America. The Jasons are joined by WFAA anchor Tashara Parker whose commentary helped sparked a movement of natural hair and KVUE anchor Ashley Goudeau who speaks to a woman’s basic right to natural hair and being one’s true self in the workplace. We also explore the politics as Texas lawmakers are considering several versions of the CROWN Act that would ban discrimination based on hair.
More on “Rooted” project: 'Rooted': The natural hair movement, hair discrimination and The Crown Act | wfaa.com
It’s one of the most diverse counties in Texas. So, why then did it take 150 years for Fort Bend County to elect its second Black sheriff? And as Texas lawmakers begin to debate police reform, Sheriff Eric Fagan has his own ideas for it and wants the public to hear his perspective. Just don’t use the word “defund” around him. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the man making – and following – history in Fort Bend County answers the call from the Jasons and discusses everything from the pressure and pride that comes from his position, to his own experience dealing with racial profiling and how that shapes his view of law enforcement. Oh, and let’s not forget that time he was protecting that king…
Contact Tracing. The very phrase has been somewhat poisoned in the United States, where many of us tend to think of “big brother,” that the government is watching. A company out of New Zealand says we have it all wrong and we should instead consider it to be contact “logging.” That company helped New Zealand essentially eliminate the virus. And now, SaferMe has set up shop in Austin, Texas. Does that mean we’re now well on our way to eliminating it here in the Lone Star State? SaferMe’s CEO tells the Jasons it all depends on the politics. But businesses are sure ready and if you tell folks we might be able to re-open the entire economy much quicker, well then, you have their attention. And what attracted SaferMe to Texas? Think farms and barbeque.
The Award-Winning Contact Tracing System For Business (safer.me)
There are nearly 29-million Texans. But as of January 25, 2021, after a month of distribution, fewer than 1.5 Million of those Texans have received a single dose of the vaccine. Only 266,000 Texans have received both doses. At that rate, it would take nearly two years for Texans just to get one dose and nearly five years for all Texans to be fully vaccinated. If the vaccine was developed in record time, one Texas lawmaker wants to know why the state’s distribution plan wasn’t ready. And he tells the Jasons why he thinks we’re out of time. But in the middle of a situation that is only seemingly getting worse, there is some hope… a bright spot in the Texas panhandle after a call that surprised the Jasons.
**WARNING: THIS PODCAST CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE
Let the warning above be your preview as to what the Lincoln Project now thinks about Senator Ted Cruz. In this episode of Y’all-itics, co-founder Rick Wilson joins the Jasons to talk about how the group is now actively working against the Texas Republican. The group says Sen. Cruz is part of the “sedition caucus” and his words and actions helped contribute to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. And Wilson thinks a third party will be born out of the schism inside the GOP. If you normally listen to our podcast with your children, we warn again, there are R-rated words.
**Sen. Ted Cruz declined to join this episode of Y’all-itics but has a standing invitation to respond
Even though this will be the pandemic session, other business will be on the table during the 87th Texas Legislature. And is there a bigger complaint here in Texas than ridiculously high property taxes? But what if we told you there might be a way to cut those bills in half? Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley says it’s not going to be easy, but it can be done if lawmakers have the will. In this episode of Y’all-itics, he presents his plan to the Jasons, who were certainly left smiling, thinking about the possibilities. And state Senator Nathan Johnson talks about the other legislative priorities over the next 140-days. But about those property taxes…
Who Represents me?
That escalated quickly. Following the insurrection at the Capitol, calls are growing for President Trump to possibly be removed from office by the 25th Amendment, an action unthinkable as recently as
48-hours ago. But what is the 25th and how does it work? In this emergency episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons go to law school with Stephen Vladeck from the University of Texas School of Law, a nationally recognized expert on constitutional law. And as it turns out, the 25th isn’t the only mechanism lawmakers could use to remove a sitting President.
Steve Vladeck
Bio: Stephen I Vladeck | Faculty | Texas Law (utexas.edu)
On January 6, 2021, members of the Senate and House will meet to formally count the Electoral College votes for President. While there have been some objections in years past, 2021 will be different. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wants an independent commission appointed to audit the results of the election. The political gambit by some Republican Senators and Representatives to object to the certification of Biden’s win has further divided the GOP. One of the Republican Party’s most prolific fundraisers says it all makes her want to just crawl into a hole. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons talk to Nancy Bocskor who’s been called a “Democracy Coach” around the world and has fundraising figures with many, many zeroes for Republicans over the years. And James Dickey, the former Chair of the Republican Party of Texas, explains why he thinks the GOP will thrive in the future.
The Nancy Bocskor Company
Coming from a family that is one of the most well-known real estate developers in the state, Trammell S. Crow set out to build something of his own. Crow founded EarthX which the organization bills as “The largest annual exposition and forum showcasing initiatives, research, innovations, policies and corporate practices serving the environment”. Crow has been labeled a “Green Republican” for his advocacy for environmental and conservation causes. And he is not shy about chiding and cajoling members of his political party when their positions on environmental and conservation issues don’t align with his. Crow joins the Jasons for a candid conversation about the intersection of the environment and politics…and his unvarnished message to his party.
EarthX
The statistic was startling. Twenty percent of all banks in Dallas County exclude all or parts of Southern Dallas. That means mortgages, business loans and access remain out of reach for many families and businesses south of Interstate 30. Problem is, this simply perpetuates the racial wealth gap. In this episode, the Jasons speak with two of the WFAA journalists who worked on this investigation and get a U.S. congressman on the line to explain what he thinks Washington needs to do next.
Watch Banking Below 30
The long, dark COVID winter experts have warned about is upon us. But there’s also some light at the end of the tunnel, albeit faint and distant. One drug manufacturer has already applied to the FDA for approval for its COVID-19 vaccine. Another company is close behind. And the U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary says both could be available to some Americans before Christmas. That got the Jasons thinking… can your boss force you to get a COVID-19 Vaccine? So they turned to Sarah Mitchell Montgomery, a partner at Jackson Walker law firm who specializes in employment law. She says there’s a short answer, with some caveats. And she’ll tell you why she foresees a coming spike in COVID-related litigation.
Sarah Mitchell Montgomery
Have you started your holiday shopping yet? An executive in shipping says he and his family are done because he’s worried the supply chain is too stressed and some gifts simply might not make it to you in time if you don’t buy soon. But the stressed supply chain is creating opportunity for thousands of Texans. Insiders give the Jasons a revealing look at how this already unusual year continues to live up to its reputation.
As Y’all-itics prepares to celebrate its one-year anniversary, the Jasons go back to the beginning in an effort to see what a Biden-Harris administration might mean for the black community. In our 3rd episode, we asked the founder and CEO of Black Women’s PAC why politicians ignore black women. Now, one-year and 61 episodes later, Tracy Scott is back, and she says she’s more determined than ever. Black women helped put the Biden-Harris Ticket over-the-top. But now, they’re expecting results. The Jasons are also joined by WFAA Political Producer Berna Dean Steptoe. And both guests say the black community in general, and black women in particular, will not be ignored any more.
Editor’s Note: ZIP code 76104 near downtown Fort Worth is an historically Black area where life expectancy is 66.7 years – 12 years below the national average — not 55 years as stated in this episode
Two out of three Latinos voted for Joe Biden last week. But counties along the Texas-Mexico border exposed a growing weakness for Democrats. Biden did not win as many votes there as Hillary Clinton did four years earlier. Just two years ago, Beto O’Rourke had trouble earning support in the Rio Grande Valley. Joining the Jasons this week are political scientists James McCann from Purdue University and Michael Jones-Correa from the University of Pennsylvania discussing the emerging Latino vote and their book Holding Fast: Resilience and Civic Engagement Among Latino Immigrants. Plus, Antonio Arellano, the Interim Executive Director of Jolt Initiative, tells the Jasons where work remains for Democrats and opportunities potentially lie for Republicans.
Now that the dust has mostly settled in Texas, it’s time for the soul-searching. Democrats thought they were in strong position to finally win a statewide office, even possibly taking the Texas House. Not only did that not happen, in most races it wasn’t even close. While they still see progress, party leaders are already trying to map out a new game plan for 2022. At the same time, Republicans also turned out en masse, keeping Texas solidly red. And they think their strong ground game and face-to-face contact worked beautifully. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons perform a post-election autopsy on politics in Texas.
Just like everything else in 2020, the political landscape in Texas has turned upside down. And many national election experts say forget states like Florida and Pennsylvania, the national bellwether this year could actually be Texas. And that’s why the Lone Star State has become a national obsession. But those same expert are also warning everyone to proceed with caution with any predictions before the final numbers are counted because of our “unstable” political world. In this edition of Y’all-itics, the Jasons not only take a 30,000-foot view of the election, but they also break down specific races that could not only have a big impact in Texas, but also across the nation.
The lines have snaked through parking lots, around buildings, and don the block. Texans (and Americans generally) are voting…possibly in numbers never before seen. But participation isn’t just limited to casting ballots. Millions of dollars have been wagered on this presidential contest. Oddschecker.com and PredictIt.org show how much money is being wagered on this election and who bettors are picking. On top of that, companies are capitalizing on an engaged, politicized electorate—creating products with election or campaign branding for citizens who are willing to part with some Washingtons and even Benjamins to show their support for Trump or Biden.
More Info
https://www.electionvodka.com/ (Election Vodka) Must be 21 to enter
https://www.jonessoda.com/ Jones Soda Co.
https://www.oddschecker.com/us/insight/specials/politics/20201028-us-presidential-election-odds-$260m-staked-on-trump-vs-biden-as-us-election-becomes-most-wagered-on-event-in-betting-history
https://www.predictit.org/markets/13/Prez-Election
Guns are on back-order. Ammo is sold out. What are so many Texans preparing for? This run on guns started during some of the protests that swept the state and the country this summer. But it hasn’t slowed down since and continues to build as we approach the election. A gun store owner and a firearms trainersay what makes this year different is the fact that the surge is being driven by first-time gun buyers. They told the Jasons why ammo is in such short supply, why people who have never owned a gun before are changing their minds and what next week’s election has to do with it all.
You’ve seen their commercials. They are brutal. And effective. If you needed more proof Texas is a battleground state, The Lincoln Project is ready to spend millions of dollars here during the final days of the campaign. Imagine that for a moment. A group of Republicans trying to defeat a Republican incumbent in a deeply red state. And not only that, but The Lincoln Project is also expecting some support from what a co-founder calls “deep MAGA country.” In this episode of Y’all-itics, Mike Madrid talks about their strategy in Texas, whether he thinks there is a permanent split in the Republican party and how they make those commercials so darn fast.
Perhaps nowhere in the country symbolizes voter enthusiasm more than Harris County, Texas. 100,000+ voters in one day for four straight days. Up to 9,000 votes an hour on average. Records there are falling left and right. And the blistering pace shows no sign of letting up. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins. He talks about what might be behind this surge of voters, why lines are moving faster than expected, what happens if there are symptoms at a site. Lessons learned there can even help at your polling location. And if you haven’t cast your ballot yet, listen to this episode while heading to vote!
Many artists say they’re ready to get back to work but can’t without an audience. In many cases, their backup jobs have been eliminated as well. And that’s why some say voters should view the arts not only as a battle for the soul of our nation, but also as an integral part of the economic recovery. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by a two-time Grammy and Tony award winner as well as the man who’s thinking about the arts for the Joe Biden campaign. And after all this time, the Jasons finally get their first “y’all.”
He coins phrases like no one else and has covered politics and elections for 70 years. Native Texan and former network newsman Dan Rather shares concerns about the 2020 election, talks about the serious challenges facing current-day media, and explains his latest passion project: Offering a $10,000 prize for the best idea to improve public education in Texas.
Dan Rather is not done. Approaching his 89th birthday later this month, the longtime newsman and former anchor of the CBS Evening News, is still active on TV, radio, social media, and podcasts. He joins the Jasons on the Y’all-itics podcast for a wide-ranging conversation. Rather says he is long past missing the anchor chair but admits he does still pine for that hot seat on election nights. He is not in the main chair these days, but he does plan to still be working on the airwaves on the night of November 3rd. Rather talks about what concerns him the most in the lead-up to this historic race. He also talks about regrets from his own broadcasting career and his real worries that constant deadlines are speeding up the news cycle and degrading the quality of reporting at many news outlets these days. Rather also brings his grandson Martin Rather into the conversation. Since 2015, the two have collaborated on the “Rather Prize”: A $10,000 annual award for the best innovative idea to improve public education in the state of Texas. They are accepting submissions now for the next prize, which will be awarded in Spring 2021. So much has changed with education during the pandemic, so this year’s crop of innovative ideas may be more extraordinary than ever before. Like a close election, the contest for this Rather Prize could end up being hotter than a Laredo parking lot in the summer…or perhaps you could say the race for this prize will be as tight as a too-small bathing suit on a too-hot car ride back from the beach. Both of those memorable lines were coined by Rather during ad-lib-a-thons on previous election nights…so yes, the Jasons had to ask how he has come up with all those “Ratherisms” over the years. His answer about that is fascinating.
https://ratherprize.org/
https://danratherjournalist.org/about-dan/biography
https://twitter.com/danrather
https://twitter.com/martinrather?lang=en
It is the political story in Texas right now. And talk about an October surprise: Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton accused of bribery, abuse of office and other potential crimes. And the allegations are coming from fellow Republicans within the AG’s office. In a statement, Paxton called them “rogue employees” and said he will not be resigning. But is the damage already done, if not to the AG, then how about the party? In this edition of Y’all-itics, the Jasons speak to Scott Braddock, the editor of Quorum Report, to take a deep dive into the allegations. And then they talk to Matt Mackowiak and Konni Burton, about whether Paxton – and the party – can survive the serious allegations.
You’ve heard on Y’all-itics recently that the Holy Trinity for Democrats in Texas this election will be winning President, U.S. Senate and flipping the Texas House. On this episode, the Executive Director of the Texas Democratic Party says while all three are realistic, only one is their strategic imperative. Manny Garcia also discusses the numerous election lawsuits still unfolding in courts a mere five weeks from the election. Confused about them? He shares some knowledge. And like many of our other guests, Garcia says Texas is definitely the biggest battleground state in the country. So why should voters be prepared to be annoyed?!?
Wait, what just happened in D.C.? Democrats and Republicans completely swapped sides on a major contentious issue – whether the U.S. Senate should vote on a Supreme Court nominee this close to a presidential election. Four years ago, under Obama, Republicans didn’t want to consider a judicial nominee and Democrats did. Today, under President Trump, it’s exactly the opposite. Hypocrisy? Senator Ted Cruz says it’s just politics. He joins the Jasons for this early release of Y’all-itics. Plus, six weeks away from the election, Cruz also told us that “Texas is a battleground.”
Hard to imagine that both political parties can find any common ground these days but reforming criminal justice reform is shared by Republicans and Democrats. Thirty years ago with rising crime across this state and the country, there was a general sense that offenders should be locked up and the key thrown away. Three strikes, you’re out. Remember that? Today, 30 years later, both parties are working to reform what is seen as a broken criminal justice system – from bail reform to offenders returning to society. Next week, Unlocking Doors, a Texas-based reentry program for ex-offenders, hosts its annual symposium with lawmakers, offenders, and criminal justice experts. On this episode, Christina Melton Crain from Unlocking Doors discusses her legislative wish list and filmmaker Cynthia Salzman Mondell speaks about a documentary she produced with 64-women inmates incarcerated at the Dallas County Jail. The film will be previewed in the virtual symposium. MORE: https://www.unlockingdoors.org/
The chairman of the Texas Republican Party joins the Jasons on this week’s Y’all-itics and he didn’t hold back. The conservative firebrand wants the party to win suburban women and black voters in November and he has a plan to do it. But he also made clear he isn’t happy with how the republican Governor of Texas has handled the state’s coronavirus response calling Greg Abbott’s response heavy-handed.
The Jasons have a candid conversation with Beto O’Rourke as he looks back on his career and ahead at his own political future. Democrats have three main goals in Texas in November and O’Rourke talks about which one is most realistic. Plus, he shares the one thing he stopped doing in the last six months and the one thing he still hasn’t given up.
More about the Texas Tribune Festival
The educator. The Author. The Politician. The reporter. They’re all back three months after joining the Jasons for the podcast “My Skin is not a Weapon.” It’s not lost on anyone that the shooting of another black man in police custody frames the conversation… again. While there is a great deal of discouragement and frustration, this panel of African-Americans does think some change, no matter how small, has taken root in the three months since. But in another powerful conversation, they make clear we still have a long way to go.
Republicans formally nominated Donald Trump for a second term as president this week. Traditionally, national political conventions are tasked with two fundamental priorities every four years: nominate a president and vice president and establish a platform – a set of ideas that the party members believe in. But the RNC is skipping the process of creating a platform this year. That’s a mistake says Texas state Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth). “Parties should revolve around principles, not personalities,” Krause said. “It’s always a good exercise to flesh out those principles every four years.”
The race is on now! The Democratic National Convention (2020 virtual edition) is underway, and will be immediately followed next week by the Republican National Convention (also virtual in this pandemic). The Jasons are virtual, too---Dr. Carla Brailey, Vice Chair of the Texas Democratic Party Joins us. She tells Y'all-itics that even though she is a delegate to this year's convention, she's not completely sure what that's even going to look like, since she is joining the important nominating event...by Zoom. Dr. Brailey is excited by Democratic enthusiasm she sees in Texas, and believes Joe Biden and Kamala Harris can do what no Democratis presidential ticket has done in more than 40 years: Win Texas and it's cache of 38 electoral votes. Without giving away all the secrets, Dr. Brailey lays out how Democrats are already on the ground in Texas---working to increase their turnout from 2016 levels, which will be necessary to flip this traditionally safe state for Republicans. Also, Austin Mayor Steve Adler joins us. He doesn't think it will be hard to get the electorate excited without the big nominating hall filled with party faithful and balloons. Adler shares why he thinks going remote might be a good thing for the convention. Biden has been leading Trump by significant margins, but a few polls have tightened in recent days. Adler admits he's nervous about that---and he would've liked to see more Texans in big speaking roles at the get-together. But while some observers have suggested that the Democratic ticket should focus its resources in Democratic strongholds and traditional battleground states Adler is having none of that. Biden has made this a race in Texas and Adler thinks the Democratic ticket needs to double down on what could be the largest 2020 battleground: Texas.
That’s the message one north Texas superintendent would deliver to state leaders. His district returned to class August 4th and they’ve already learned a lot. He says one development shocked him. And after the first week, many teachers had a common concern. In fact, this superintendent says he’s fielding several calls a day from other superintendents across the state of Texas looking for advice before they return to class. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the two Jasons discover what’s working in the Keene ISD… and what needs to change. They also find out why Texas’ largest teachers’ union fears some teachers may go to work, even if they feel sick.
Keene ISD Return to School Plan
TSTA
That’s exactly what the founder of Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano would tell politicians right now. And Cheryl Jackson says if they came out and saw the problem first hand, it would be the only motivation they’d need to get a deal done to help. As it stands, a federal $600/week unemployment benefit has now expired. So Jackson says a terrible situation is about to get worse. Still, “Action” Jackson, as she’s known, delivers her message with energy… and hope. And if you want to take action yourself, find out how you can in this episode of Y’all-itics.
Minnie’s Food Pantry:
Minnie’s Wish List:
It may not feel like it, but the election will be here in the blink of an eye. And if you’re a Texan, you should brace yourself for an onslaught of political advertising. The most recent campaign finance reports are out, and they tell quite a story in the Lone Star state, where some political observers wonder if a political realignment is underway. In this week’s episode of Y’all-itics, the two Jasons sit down with Texas Tribune D.C. Bureau Chief Abby Livingston for a quick 20-minute dissection of the fundraising haul for Democrats and whether the green could be helping to turn Texas blue.
Texas Tribune Story
Pencils, Pens and chalk? ✅ Binders, school books and backpacks? ✅ Wills in case you die while teaching in class? ✅ This is the reality of preparing for school this year in Texas, where students are just weeks away from returning to class – whether that be physical or virtual. And many teachers are terrified they’ll be exposed to Covid-19. As the two Jasons discovered in this week’s episode of Y’all-itics, that’s leading many of them to think about end-of-life preparation… in addition to school supplies.
Alliance AFT
Covid19 cut a major hole in the Texas economy – as businesses operate at a fraction of capacity or close permanently. But the virus has also sparked a huge demand for some products and their companies are struggling to keep up with demand. In this episode of Y'alli-tics, the Jasons talk to small businesses across the state – from a bike shop in Richardson that had to hire on extra help because of the demand for bicycles to a plexiglass distributor in Houston that is now supplying restaurants and businesses across the country with the material to make safe spaces. There’s even a puzzle maker in Wimberley that is now shipping his puzzles around the world as so many people stay inside these days.
https://www.acplasticsinc.com/
https://www.bikemart.com/
https://wimberleypuzzlecompany.com/
When the virus first hit in March, the Jasons knocked back a green beer at a popular Dallas pizzeria as the city announced it would cancel the St. Patrick’s Day block party. A lot has changed since then. That pizza joint is still open but has been outfitted with a maze of plexi-glass dividers. Jason and Jason follow up with the owner about the difficulty of adjusting to the challenges posed by the pandemic…including the question this restaurateur had to confront: What do you do when one of your restaurant employees tests positive for Covid-19?
The Texas Restaurant Association is asking the governor to implement a survival plan for the industry. On this episode of Y’all-itics, the TRA shares a staggering projection for how many eateries will likely shutter permanently. And they offer some suggestions for how Texans can save their favorite restaurants---including a tip to buy gift cards and wait to use them. The association warns that the pain restaurants are feeling will be borne out in the state’s budget. The huge sums of money that once flowed into state coffers from food and drink sales has been tremendously diminished by the shutdown followed by the slowdown.
LINKS:
https://www.txrestaurant.org/
https://gapc.co/
This week, Yall-itics makes its first stop all the way up in Philadelphia, PA. The Jasons talk with the man heading up a renowned research team there. The scientists have been modeling how the pandemic will affect different metros across the country. And when they ran the numbers for Harris County recently, they were ‘alarmed’. The potential case-count nearly went off the chart as they took a look out four weeks into the future. The trajectory is definitely going in the wrong direction, but the research team there says recent reopening rollbacks and some simple, but critical changes in our individual behaviors may prevent their worst-case scenario graph from becoming reality.
June brought a swell of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in Texas, particularly in some of the larger metro areas, like Harris County. From Pennsylvania, Yall-itics makes its way into the heart of the Texas Medical Center, often referred to as the largest complex of medical facilities in the world. One expert there explains why medical professionals are calmer than they were when they first encountered the virus this spring. The headlines from the medical center have been dire lately, but this well-positioned expert says there is still plenty of capacity to take care of new patients. But he warns against complacency, noting how easily this virus can exploit our failure to stay vigilant…saying that we will only be able to keep the economy open by getting better at maintaining safety precautions.
Policy Lab Covid-19 mapping
Texas Medical Center Bed Capacity
Are Republicans nervous about winning Texas in November? Vice President Mike Pence is coming to Dallas on Sunday. President Trump just visited 10 days ago. Why is the Trump campaign spending time, money and resources in a state that has been a GOP lock for them for decades? Joining the Jasons this week are two of the smartest minds in Texas politics: Abby Livingston, D.C. Bureau Chief for the Texas Tribune, and Vinny Minchillo, Principal at Glass House Strategies. The podcast discusses how big of a flop Trump’s Tulsa rally was, who Biden might pick as a running mate, and why history cannot predict what will happen in November.
In a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the justices ruled 6 to 3 that employers cannot discriminate against LGBTQ employees because of sex. And one of the court’s most conservative justices wrote the ruling. In fact, Justice Neil Gorsuch said, “the answer is clear.” The ruling is important to a great many Texans, who have long been denied this protection. In this edition of “Y’all-itics,” the two Jasons sit down with Stacy Bailey, a Mansfield ISD teacher who was suspended after showing a picture of her partner, the woman who would become her wife, to students in her elementary classroom. And they’re also joined by Katie Hays, the lead evangelist at Galileo Church in Fort Worth – a church with a large LGBTQ community
https://www.galileochurch.org/
Katie Hays on WFAA
It’s been two weeks since the death of George Floyd in police custody. And America has witnessed days and days of protests in cities all across the country. So what now? In this week’s episode of Y’all-itics, the two Jasons take an in-depth look at police reform and some of the concrete ideas on the table. Here in Texas, for instance, there is already discussion about “See Something, Say Something” legislation. And law enforcement experts tell the Jasons the incident – and the days that followed – are unlike anything the country has ever seen… and could lead to meaningful reform.
Harvard Implicit Bias Test
An educator. An Author. A Politician. A reporter. In this week’s episode of Y’all-itics, the two Jasons are joined by a panel of African-Americans who share their voices and thoughts on what’s happening in their communities following the death of George Floyd while in police custody. From protest to policy, this powerful conversation examines past, present and future as it relates to the African-American experience and what the country needs to do to move past one of the most challenging times in American history.
On Wednesday May 27th, America is scheduled to return to space for the first time in nearly a decade. Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will fly on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft for an extended stay at the International Space Station. And as usual, the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston will play a leading role. As you might guess, it’s not easy to get into space. And it is never 100% safe. In this episode of Y’allitics, the two Jasons have an in-depth conversation with JSC Director Mark Geyer about the mission, acceptable risk and the hard work that got us ready to launch America.
No matter if you own a house or rent an apartment, when property taxes increase, so does your monthly payment. And if you’ve lived in Texas for a few minutes, property taxes almost ALWAYS increase in this state. But during a pandemic? Texans are getting valuations right now from Central Appraisal Districts that show their properties have gone way up in value over the last 12 months. Dallas County said significantly more properties increased in value than decreased. Harris County said it’s already seeing a 47-percent spike in protests – the highest percentage in three decades. Cities and counties are hurting for cash during the coronavirus. Federal aid for them is mired in party politics in D.C. So, who’s going to end up paying? There are ways to reduce what you owe. That’s what the Jasons dive into on this episode of Yallitics.
LINKS:
Chandler Crouch
KHOU Investigation
Texas is reopening. While that very decision is mired in politics, there’s another “P” word that will also play a big role in how the economy spins back up. That second “P” word is “PSYCHOLOGY.” Texans are going to have to feel it’s safe enough to go out before they actually do so. We begin this episode with a psychotherapist in Dallas who tells the Jasons how she arrived at a comfortable point to start re-engaging in society. But the Jasons then went to a Westin hotel in Houston to learn how robots are opening a new front in the virus battle. And these aren’t imports either. We’re talking good old-fashioned Texas robots that are blasting the invisible enemy. Once they were fixtures just in hospitals. Now they’re roaming the rooms of hotel and the halls of the Texas state capitol building. The San Antonio company that makes them says this isn’t the ‘disinfection theater’ you might find in some places where unproven procedures are being carried out just to make people feel safer in the Covid-19 world. That company is now ramping up to try to keep up with all the different businesses who want their own virus-zapping robot.
GUESTS:
Leigh Richardson, psychotherapist, The Brain Performance Center
Archit Sanghvi, VP of Operations Pearl Hospitality
Dr. Mark Stibich, co-founded Xenex
Disinfection effect of pulsed xenon ultraviolet irradiation on SARS-CoV-2
Laura Dickey, the CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, says that the initial stages of reopening are not at all profitable for businesses. They are simply taking the steps , trying to figure out this new way forward and to demonstrate to potentially leery customers how businesses are going to try to keep them safe. This is sort of a trust-building exercise. It is also an exercise in planning and managing a supply chain, without knowing what demand is really going to look like.
Carol Roehrig explains how Covid-19 will totally change how we work. She expects many more people to start working hybrid shifts---some at home, some at the workplace. She says workplaces will be configured differently to minimize face-to-face arrangements. She says this likely means the cubicle will make a big comeback, probably with taller dividers.
Planning for the office of the future could mean more cubicles, screens between them, anti-microbial laminate desk tops, fewer conference rooms, better use of space, more distance between employees, and standing meetings in the conference rooms so attendees can maintain distance from each other.
Angela Farley, COO at the Dallas Regional Chamber, says a survey from member companies shows they are planning less travel, more work from home flexibility, less attendance at large gatherings, even single-person elevator rides. She also predicts that economically...there is a thought that we might not be back to 'neutral' (basically---where we were before all this) for another two years.
Another 280,000 Texans have filed for unemployment. That makes 1.3 Million Texans who have lost work in a little more than one month. Many are receiving benefits, but problems persist for a lot of Texans who are desperately trying to get through to the Texas Workforce Commission. We are talking with the head of TWC about some of the problems…and possible solutions. We are also finding out from him how the agency will be able to keep handing out payments as its funding dwindles, and what TWC plans to do if another Covid-19 outbreak happens down the road after Texas gets more back to normal. Without paychecks, many Texans have been counting on those IRS emergency relief checks commonly called stimulus checks. But the wait continues for many people. And some say their money is going to the wrong accounts. There is also relief this week, after the federal government approved another $321 Billion dollars for small businesses to keep their staffers on the payroll. More businesses in Texas received those forgivable loans than any other state in the country. But we hear from one business owner who tells us about the problems behind the scenes that have prevented many small employers from having access to that much-needed money.
WEBSITE LINKS: https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment DrMarkMazow.com
Full interview with TWC Director:
If you could vote from your sofa with a cold pint and a laptop to look up the candidates and issues, would you? That’s the reality in five states right now. And with Covid-19 creating concerns about being out in public, a lot of Texans think it might be safer if they vote from afar. In fact, Texas Democrats had a big legal win last week after a judge ruled that any Texan can now request a mail-in ballot – not just senior citizens and those with a disability. Conservatives are concerned about ballot security and people influencing your vote. But in places like Washington state, vote by mail has worked well for years. In this episode, we get a Texans take on it after she just moved from Seattle to Dallas. The Jasons also heard from the former elections administrator from Denver, Colo. who now runs a national non-profit advocating for voting at home across the country and they got the Secretary of State from Washington state on the line – Kim Wyman – who is one of the few Republicans elected to statewide office on the west coast. She tells the Jasons why it works in Washington.
LINKS:
https://www.voteathome.org/
https://www.sos.wa.gov/office/kim-wyman.aspx
It looks difficult to pronounce but seems everyone right now knows about hydroxychloroquine. President Trump said it appeared promising in the fight against Covid19. Democrats quickly and correctly pointed out that it is unproven for that use. But forget the politics. What do Texas doctors say? There’s a doctor in Galveston County who has had prescribed this anti-malarial drug for 39 elderly patients who have the coronavirus. What’s the verdict? Did they experience severe side effects? Did it really help those 39 people improve? Turns out, there is one unwelcome side effect to all this. Now, hydroxychloroquine is not readily available at every pharmacy for folks who require daily doses for things like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. When a woman from Facebook questioned one of the Jasons posts about hydroxychloroquine, we called her up on the phone.
In the weekly jobless report, we find out that an additional 314,000 Texans have filed for unemployment after losing their jobs last week.
In the past three weeks, more than 800,000 Texans have applied for unemployment. That’s more than in all of 2019. Many have been able to file online for benefits. But for different reasons, some people have to call in to claim unemployment.
And we are hearing from desperate Texans who are frustrated by phone lines that have been jammed for weeks. Some have tried hundreds of times each day to get through, to no avail. In this week’s episode, the Texas Workforce Commission announces they are increasing the number of call centers…and next week they will increase the call-in hours to 12 hours, 7 days a week.
Also, the TWC explains why some people who were recently denied unemployment benefits should apply again.
And the agency gives an update on when out-of-workTexans might finally start seeing the additional $600 per week in federal unemployment benefits.
https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services
Give us a call (214) 509-8156
Joanna Hernandez first poured out her thoughts and emotions to her Instagram followers after a long day at the hospital. She is a traveling nurse and currently working at a south Texas hospital where soon after arriving, she was assigned to the COVID unit. Hernandez speaks candidly about the struggles her patients experience, trying to reassure their worried relatives, and what she did with one elderly woman suffering from severe symptoms. This assignment in the COVID unit has changed her career trajectory, as well. She’s now considering taking a job in New York or New Jersey where the number of infections are the country’s worst.
SYNOPSIS: In the weekly jobless report on April 2nd, Texas unemployment claims jumped by more than 275,000. Last week, the number of Texans who filed for unemployment benefits was 150,000. As extraordinary as those numbers are, they only reflect part of the staggering number of jobs in the state that have been lost in recent weeks as the economy grinds to a halt during the Covid-19 pandemic. Not included in the numbers are all those who have been without jobs for weeks, but who have been unable to file for unemployment compensation because the Texas Workforce Commission website, inundated with requests, has been freezing and crashing. Worse yet, many Texans have complained the website directs them to call the TWC, and phone lines there have been jammed for weeks. We talk to one woman who has been trying to get benefits for herself and her son, since bother of them have lost work. She explains her frustrations navigating the system…and she poses a few questions for the TWC. We ask those questions and many more when we get a spokesman for the agency on the line. He explains how they are trying to ramp up to an overwhelming demand that isn’t expected to abate any time soon.
WEBSITE LINKS:
Texas Workforce Commission
Two moms in rural Collin County have come up with an ingenious way to protect doctors and their families from getting sick after long shifts at the hospital. Medical staff don’t just need PPEs right now. They also need RVs. Emily Phillips is married to an ER doctor and got worried that her husband could bring home COVID19 since both she and their 8-year-old son suffer from asthma. So, Emily got on Facebook last week and asked if she could borrow an RV to allow her husband to come home – but still stay outside to prevent any possible exposure. Within six days, Emily’s one Facebook request has turned into an entire Facebook Group with a couple thousand members and RV owners across the country lending their motorhomes to doctors they’ve never even met. Emily Phillips and her new friend, Holly Haggard, joined the Jasons in a lively conversation. Also, in the episode, COVID19 blindsided a lot of businesses in our state. But not the grocer, HEB. In January, the popular Texas supermarket chain started making calls to suppliers and retailers in China to see what kind of impact they were experiencing from the coronavirus. Those phone calls paid off. By March, when cases began surfacing in Texas, HEB was ready. It enacted an emergency plan, raised hourly pay for workers and changed store hours to address the conflict. Dan Solomon, a writer for Texas Monthly, called the Jasons from Austin to share some fascinating details from his magazine story of how HEB planned for the pandemic.
More Infos:
Rvs 4 MDs
Inside the Story of How H-E-B Planned for the Pandemic, Texas Monthly
Republican Dallas County Commissioner J.J. Koch speaks to us after tens of thousands of people watched a Facebook video in which he admonished Texans to take Covid-19 more seriously. He also lamented that the governor (from his own party) was ‘leading from behind’. Commissioner Koch also breaks down the number of ventilators available, and how Dallas County will likely be the first in Texas to have a ‘crash’ of cases coming into the healthcare system.
Dr. Deborah Birx, who has been helping to head up the national Coronavirus Response Task Force, offers what could be some positive news about the expected peak of Covid-19 cases in the U.S.
Texas nurse practitioner Sara Phillips, who has responded to outbreaks around the world, including Ebola and H1N1, says she is disappointed with the federal response to Covid-19. She talks about big missed opportunities to contain the virus, and about how the outbreak is a test of the American psyche, “As Americans…we have a bit of an invincibility complex”.
And Glenn Martin, a Tarrant County resident who tested positive for Covid-19, talks about what he has been through, and what treatment has helped him turn the corner in his recovery. His advice, “Stay positive you can do it…you can overcome it if you do get it”.
The economic toll of the Coronavirus is tremendous, and this is just the beginning. Layoffs have already jumped, but Andrew Challenger, Senior VP at outplacement firm Challenger, Christmas, and Gray, says the official numbers are even reflective of what is really happening---that a lot of smaller businesses are cutting jobs, and those losses are big and have yet to be truly tallied. Additionally, Challenger predicts the job losses that will be announced soon will be in much larger numbers. One interesting note, though…this expert says his firm is surprised they didn’t see far more layoffs already from larger employers---they believe large companies have been trying to hold on to workers as long as possible to keep our collective situation from getting far worse. There are some glimmers of hope, though. Challenger says some industries are desperate for workers right now, and that there are some things you can do to try to insulate your job from being cut.
Even as we hear about the job losses from this global pandemic, there is one industry that’s surging with demand right now.
Ike Brown is president of NFI Industries. It’s a global logistics firm that operates thousands of tractor trailers and millions of square feet of warehouse space and has a large presence in Texas.
Brown said not only are warehouses full of things like toilet paper and paper towels that his drivers are delivering to stores right now, but he is also preparing for ships from China to start arriving again at the end of next month.
The coronavirus outbreak is starting to change our daily lives in dramatic ways. The crisis is, of course, a health and humanitarian one first. But the economics of the outbreak could have a tremendous impact on governments, businesses, and many people. We get the perspective on Main Street from a Texas business owner who is missing out on his most profitable day of the year because of coronavirus preparations. We also talk to one of the most plugged-in economists in the country (who herself was a patient in the Swine Flu Pandemic) to get a comprehensive overview of what the Coronavirus pandemic is doing to the economy, what kind of job losses we can expect, what this will mean to Texas, and how involved the government is going to have to be to prop up individual Americans as this situation unfolds. Finally, we hear from a Texas state senator right after he finishes a call with the governor. He explains what’s being done to get protective supplies to health workers, what’s happening with testing, how Texas students will be able to learn (and in many cases eat) if school is cancelled, and what’s being talked about at the state level to offset the costs of the coronavirus response (hint: it could involve even higher property taxes).
More Info:
Greenville Ave Pizza Company Lowest Greenville Collective Grant Thornton’s Covid-19 section State Senator Nathan Johnson More coronavirus info
Where do old voting machines go to die? Turns out, many are being resurrected in Texas. Harris County, for example, is now planning to purchase 2,000 used eSlate machines that Travis County just retired. Harris County told the Jasons that it’s worth the money for extra voting booths before potentially long lines in November like many voters experienced on Super Tuesday. The 2,000 used machines would be in addition to the 8,000 Harris County already has. But there’s another novel election-related idea under discussion in Texas. It’s something called Ranked Choice Voting. Other states already use it. At the polls, voters select their top two or three candidates and rank them in order of preference. The concept saves money and prevents voter fatigue by eliminating runoff elections. Perhaps no one welcomes it more than state Rep. Anna Eastman in Houston. She has gone through three elections in five months – and has two more to go by November. Eastman answered her phone when the Jasons surprised her with a phone call. But they begin this episode by calling health reporter and world traveler Sonia Azad for an update on the coronavirus in Texas and by laying out the economic and political implications already unfolding.
Huge turnout, long lines, not enough voting machines; Super Tuesday in Texas didn’t quite turnout as planned. Why? The turnout! It’s a good problem to have in a state that is often called a non-voting one. Joining the Jasons for political context on this bonus episode is Deborah Peoples, the chairwoman of the Tarrant County Democratic Party, Vinny Minchillo, a principal at Glass House Strategy advertising firm, Alana Rocha of the Texas Tribune and Berna Dean Steptoe, political producer at WFAA in Dallas. Does the large turnout suggest Texas really is in play? We cracked a beer and started around the room for some completely different perspectives.
The Jasons discuss the FACTS surrounding COVID-19 and preparations in Texas. They start their conversation with former WFAA-TV reporter Jonathan Betz, who now lives in Beijing, China and is currently under quarantine. To say Jonathan is feeling isolated is understatement. But he’s still getting his deliveries, which is an interesting part of life in Beijing. The Jasons then visit with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins who talks about the lessons learned during the Ebola scare in 2014. The Judge says there was no outbreak blueprint prior to Ebola. But now we are ahead of the game because we have plans in place to deal with outbreaks, thanks to the 2014 scare. Transparency is key, the Judge says, in keeping the public calm. He says so far, the state is doing everything it needs to do to protect its citizens.
And throughout the podcast, you’ll hear from Dr. Clinton Haley, an infectious disease expert in Dallas, including what he is telling his own family about COVID-19.
Links:
CDC COVID-19
Texas Health & Human Services COVID-19
North Texas Infectious Diseases Consultants
It costs too much. And it’s too complicated. According to a great many voters in 2020, that is the only way to describe our modern health care system. And this is driving their decision-making at the polls. The Jasons jump straight into the deep end in this episode of Y’all-itics, pouring a pint with the CEO of The Texas Academy of Family Physicians in the Medical District. Tom Banning says we have an amazing “sick care” system in America, but “health care” is broken. And he says a fundamental question that must be answered in is whether we think health care is a right or a commodity. If you’re like a growing number of Texans, you are underinsured. That is, you have insurance, but can’t afford to use it. So, the Jasons also wanted to know if there’s a way for Texas consumers to cut their health care costs without having to wait for the politicians (there is). And a random surprise guest helped to prove this point.
More Info:
Texas Academy of Family Physicians
Trends in Texas Health Care Costs
The Commonwealth Fund
The Jasons take a road trip to Austin to pour a pint with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. They chose Shiner, of course. And you have likely never heard the Attorney General like this. Mr. Paxton says he now has less confidence in the criminal justice system. He thinks 3 syllable names win elections. He’s not afraid of the color Purple. And he shares his thoughts whether he thinks the President has broken any laws. Oh yeah… and he’s suing the state of California. Buckle up for the ride.
Have a question about Super Tuesday? The candidates? How about an issue?
Call (214) 509-8156
Leave us a message and you and your question may appear on a future episode of Y’allitics
Link to SCOTUS filing against California…
https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22O153/132447/20200210120117146_Texas%20v.%20California%20Motion%20for%20Leave%20to%20File.pdf
The Latino community in Texas has long been described as a sleeping giant, an electorate with the potential to swing our politics and policies. But based on U.S. Census data, that giant is in a deep sleep. A Texas group is trying to forge a new tradition with Latino Voters where coming of age automatically means voting. And they’re targeting 15-year-old girls to make it happen. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons learn more about the Jolt Initiative and why folks like Carmen Ayala think Quinceañeras are the key to unleashing the power (Poder in Spanish) of the Latino vote. WFAA reporter Teresa Woodard also joins the Jasons to add a female perspective and discuss what she learned while exploring the issue. No beer. But plenty of great eats and great discussion.
See the original story here
The Jolt Initiative
Follow Teresa Woodard on twitter
SYNOPSIS:
Election 2020 is already off to a wild start. The Iowa Democratic Party couldn’t report an accurate count of vote totals on caucus night. So, disappointed Democrats boarded planes and flew to New Hampshire without knowing who won this famed first contest. The screwup raises the question of whether the caucuses matter anymore. The Jasons were in Iowa to witness all the confusion firsthand and stayed up late to publish this episode on time. They poured a pint with Rick Klein, ABC News’ Political Director, to talk about what happens next for the candidates, who survives until Super Tuesday and what about the billionaire who is poised to jump in just as Texans have their say. The Jasons finished up the road trip with a quick drive up I-35 North to Dallas County. Dallas County, Iowa…that is where one Democratic party official says he might have to vote for the candidate he calls the ‘Democrat Trump.’”
GUESTS:
Rick Klein / ABC News Political Director & co-host of the Powerhouse Politics podcast
Mike Kern / Dallas County, Iowa
LINKS:
Rick Klein biography:
Powerhouse Politics podcast:
Iowa Democratic Party:
Under-counting the census by 1% could cost Texas $300 million a year. In Rio Grande City, former Mayor Reuben Villareal estimates the 2010 census was under-counted by 15-20% in his city, alone. Despite this year’s census not having a citizenship question, Villareal expects the expensive silence to be deafening in border communities where rhetoric about immigration, the wall, and deportations has created a chilling effect for the legally-required survey that not only determines how many representatives Texas gets in Congress, but also the state’s share of federal funding and the drawing of legislative districts.
PODCAST GUESTS:
Reuben Villareal, former mayor of Rio Grande City / Reuben’s Twitter account
Luis Figueroa, Center for Public Policy Priorities / Luis’s Twitter account
WEBSITE LINKS:
What is the US Census?
The 2020 Census is underway
How the 2020 Census will invite you to respond
What happened outside Amarillo made national news, turned out to be a little embarrassing for the state and highlighted a problem facing law enforcement in Texas today. Hemp is legal. Marijuana is not. But the plants look and smell exactly alike. In Amarillo this month, prosecutors had to drop charges after lab tests showed 3,300 pounds of ‘marijuana’ that a man was stopped with was actually ‘hemp.’ But this case isn’t isolated. The Amarillo attorney who represented that driver laid out the wider problem that many of his clients are faced with. In addition, Allen, Texas Police Chief Brian Harvey revealed that the state is just a couple months away from being able to differentiate between the legal and illegal versions of the cannabis plant. What’s best, the Jasons found a draft beer that actually matches this topic.
WEBSITE LINKS:
Texas dismisses charges against man for trucking hemp
Adam Tisdell
Chief Brian Harvey:
Texas Police Chief Association:
He calls himself the Desert Diplomat. Few Texans have as clear of an understanding of what’s happening in the Middle East as Robert Jordan. The SMU professor is a former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and sat down to have a pint with the Jasons. Turns out, it’s not just Iran we should be wary of these days. Keep your eye on Saudi Arabia. It’s really a frenemy of ours, Jordan said. This Texan succinctly explains why we can’t quit the kingdom as we face down Iran and Iraq.
WEBSITE LINKS:
Robert Jordan website
Robert Jordan’s SMU biography
A small-town Texas police chief said something recently that caught the attention of the Jasons. Immigration rhetoric is making our communities less safe, he wrote in an op-ed. Make no mistake, this lawman isn’t taking sides. He’s advocating for keeping all criminals off the streets – regardless of their immigration status. You might know some of it. That fiery rhetoric drives undocumented immigrants into the shadows. Criminals then prey on those immigrants because these folks are less likely to call police. But here’s where the chief connected the dots for the Jasons. What if an undocumented immigrant witnesses a crime against you but is too afraid to come forward? These aren’t just scenarios. This is happening in Texas today, the chief says.
Dallas is more than 7,200 miles away from the Baghdad airport where a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Those miles disappear when you consider how Middle East tension has a real impact on your money. In this special episode, a personal finance advisor tells the Jasons why now is the time to invest in some stocks, even as the market takes a hit on fears of a worsening conflict. Plus, Texas is the third-largest oil producer in the world. But, an energy industry expert explains why we’ll still pay higher gas prices because of what’s happening overseas.
The president promised to replace NAFTA. Democrats finally got what they wanted and this new deal is now called the USMCA – or United States Mexico Canada Agreement. As we move into the new year, both sides say Texas will benefit big time from it. How so? That’s what this episode of Y'all-itics is about. We also tracked down a phone number for the original U.S. negotiator on NAFTA in the early 1990s. Turns out that trade deal – which is the skeleton for this one – might never have passed if it weren’t for a baseball game. That veteran negotiator shared some interesting stories on how it all happened.
Can’t we all just get along? On last week’s episode, we heard about Better Angels. The group is trying to close the political polarization gap, bridge the divide and get people on the left and right to start talking again. We think the group is on to something. So, in this episode, we’re pouring a pint with two people who have gone through the program – a conservative and a moderate. They’re far apart on some things but they shared a few ideas with the Jasons that have helped them understand and respect the other side.
More Info:
https://www.better-angels.org/
Before you go home for the holidays you need to listen to this episode. Politics often creeps into the conversation around the family dinner table this time of year. The rhetoric and divisiveness has gotten so bad that some folks have stopped talking to family members and close friends because of their political beliefs. A non-profit is quietly helping to close the political polarization gap, bridge the divide and get people talking again. They explained how they’re doing it in this episode of Y'all-itics. And turns out, Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler's colleague is dealing with this problem right now. She answered a call while waiting for a piña colada on a beach vacation to explain what’s going on with her family. Just make sure her mom doesn’t hear this story!
More info:
https://www.better-angels.org/
Forget battleground states; 2020 will be decided by battleground counties. Collin County Democrats don’t mind being the underdog. But Republicans there admit 2020 is no joke. Collin County used to be reliably red but the GOP has seen cracks in support there over the last few election cycles. Now, after recent Democratic victories in Kentucky, Louisiana and Virginia, Collin County Democrats say they think their county could turn blue as soon as 2020. And if Collin County turns blue, Texas likely turns blue. If Texas turns blue, then Republicans lose the White House for a generation. That’s what’s at stake in the suburbs next year. Both parties sat down with the Jasons to talk about Collin County’s role in 2020.
This isn’t something politicos wants to talk about. Black women are taken for granted by candidates and campaigns. That’s not just a bold statement – black women in Texas say this has been a political reality for too long. That's the topic we're talking about with Tracy Scott, the founder & CEO of The Black Women’s PAC, on this episode of Y’allitics. Black women, like all voters, want politicians to finally address issues that affect them. And these women wield power at the ballot box, reminding us of one thing they could easily do to impact the outcome of the next election.
On this episode of Y’all-itics, we go out to the farm. The Texas economy has done well over the past decade. Farmers have not. They know all about economic downturns, but their income today is half of what it was six years ago. Crops just aren’t selling for what they were. Then came the trade war with China and the tit-for-tat tariffs. Now, a difficult situation is a little more desperate. But when you ask who’s to blame, there's not an easy answer. One Texas farmer shares his own struggles and how they are shaping his vote for 2020, in a candid conversation with hosts Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler.
Get ready for the "Year of the Text Message." In 2020, political campaigns are coming to your mobile phone. In elections past, campaigns have spent millions of dollars on television and radio ads, campaign signs and billboards to reach voters. The 2020 cycle will be different. In this episode, we discover how much a campaign will pay for your cell phone number and what they’re going to do with it over the next year. Texting is changing the way candidates run for office. Vinny Minchillo, principal at GlassHouse Strategy and a veteran of political ads, pulls the campaign curtain back with hosts Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler.
Y’all-itics is the unofficial political podcast of Texas. Each week Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler will crack open an ice-cold Texas brew and explore a single hot topic affecting Texans as we gear up for the 2020 election. But this isn’t politics as usual. Y’all-itics doesn’t come from a fancy studio. We’re taking our podcast on the road to get past the soundbites and dive deeper into the issues that matter to y’all. Leave your labels at the door, this is a political podcast for all Texans… even the recent transplants!