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 recor...
Jul 09, 2023•46 min•Ep. 221
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...
Jul 02, 2023•49 min•Ep. 220
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
Jun 22, 2023•22 min•Ep. 219
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...
Jun 18, 2023•35 min•Ep. 218
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 Author, The Texas Energy and Power Newsletter https://douglewin.substack.com/ Professor Ed Hirs Energy Fellow, Uni...
Jun 11, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 217
Dick DeGuerin and Rusty Hardin have resumes and personas as big as Texas. These two legal icons will now prosecute the impeachment case against suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Their selection shows how serious House Republicans are in removing Paxton from office. But can even the best attorneys get the jury in this case – the state’s 31 senators – to put aside their next re-election and weigh the evidence in this case? This is their first extended interview together since they took ...
Jun 02, 2023•44 min•Ep. 216
How serious is the Republican-led case against Attorney General Ken Paxton? He said all of it is “easily disproved”. But you’re about to hear all of the evidence collected by investigators from the Texas House General Investigating Committee – as told to lawmakers just before they voted to send up the articles of impeachment. GUEST: The General Investigating Committee from the Texas House of Representatives.
May 27, 2023•3 hr 15 min•Ep. 215
You never know what to expect in the final week of a legislative session in Texas. But 2023? Wow. The Jasons have been in Austin all week, witnessing this drama, chaos and legislative two stepping in person. Joining them for a cold brew and hot topics are two veteran political journalists, KVUE’s Ashley Goudeau and the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s Bud Kennedy. GUESTS Ashley Goudeau, KVUE Anchor/Reporter Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star Telegram LOCATION: Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden...
May 26, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 214
Despite months of warnings, anxiety and political battles, Title 42 appears to have ended with a whimper, not the expected bang. The pandemic-era health policy that allowed authorities to quickly expel migrants, even asylum seekers, is no longer in place. And the predicted migrant surge and chaos along our southern border simply has not happened. In fact, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security says the number of illegal crossings has dropped by more than half. And in this episode of Y’all-itic...
May 21, 2023•53 min•Ep. 213
Eight innocent people dead. Seven more wounded. And hundreds more still suffering from shock and fear after being caught in the middle of a mass shooting involving another AR-15 style rifle. This time, it happened in Allen, Texas, a Dallas suburb. But at this point, it seems you can insert any Texas city’s name, like a Mad Lib. What is different is that a handful of Republicans have at least signaled they’re willing to have a discussion on guns. Will there ever be a tipping point for the Texas G...
May 14, 2023•52 min•Ep. 212
If you plan to protest your property appraisal in Texas, you’re running out of time. In many appraisal districts, the deadline is May 15. That’s why we aren’t waiting to release this special episode of Y’all-itics , which will provide pro tips to help you take your protest to the next level. One important factor to know this year before you get started: Your 2023 appraisal is based on research the appraisal district did last year. Exactly when they did that really matters, maybe more than it did...
May 10, 2023•55 min•Ep. 211
Before you book your summer vacation, you’ll want to hear this episode. What is going on at Southwest Airlines – a carrier known for efficiency and customer loyalty? The Dallas-based airline has had a rough go of it the last six months. The December meltdown cancelled more than 16,000 flights, impacting more than two-million passengers. Then in April, the failure of a computer firewall delayed 1,700 flights on a random Tuesday. Jason Whitely grabbed a seat next to CEO Bob Jordan on a recent flig...
May 07, 2023•44 min•Ep. 210
Catholic bishops in Texas upset some parishioners after recently asking the flock to take a political stand and support Education Savings Accounts, one of the most controversial bills this legislative session. Parishioners have now gone public with their outrage, contacting us, and even writing letters to the editor – telling the church to stay in its lane and out of politics. Catholic schools in Texas do stand to benefit financially if Texas lawmakers approve ESAs and give tax dollars to famili...
Apr 30, 2023•49 min•Ep. 209
Some Texas Republicans now want to tell you what you can and cannot do on your land. SB 624, moving through that chamber right now, is one to watch. State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, wrote this one that takes specific aim at the renewable energy sector, with landowners who want to supplement their income by having wind or solar placed on their property taking some inadvertent fire. Kolkhorst wants landowners to get permits from the state and they’d have to let folks within 25-miles of any pr...
Apr 23, 2023•58 min•Ep. 208
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said they were his highest priorities, from lowering property taxes to giving Texas parents money to send their kids to a new school. But with only six seeks left in the legislative session, many of those priorities are stalled in the Texas House… and he isn’t happy about that. In this special release episode of Y’all-itics , the Lieutenant Governor doesn’t hold back and takes the fight to House leaders, even calling Speaker Phelan “California Dade.” The Republica...
Apr 18, 2023•28 min•Ep. 207
Only hours after a Travis County jury unanimously found a man guilty of murder, Governor Greg Abbott promised to pardon him as soon as a request from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles hit his desk, something widely expected since he appoints those members. The unprecedented move by the Governor immediately elicited cheers from the conservative right, whose prominent figures had been calling for the pardon, and outrage and confusion just about everywhere else. The Travis County District Atto...
Apr 16, 2023•45 min•Ep. 206
Laney Hawes, a fed-up mother with children in Keller ISD, has a simple wish: make school board meetings boring again. Next month, voters can select who represents them on city councils and school boards. Most Texans don’t bother with municipal elections. Republicans figured that out and have won majorities on at least four North Texas school boards, including Keller ISD. Conservatives are now capitalizing on their wins, by reviewing and removing some books from school libraries, along with other...
Apr 09, 2023•56 min•Ep. 205
It is no longer “likely.” Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is running for President. But who is this Republican and why does he think he can win in 2024? Y’all-itics first introduced you to Governor Hutchinson last October. So, here is that conversation again now that he’s officially joined the field. Original Summary (October 9, 2022) 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 R...
Apr 03, 2023•50 min•Ep. 204
Housing affordability has become such a crisis in Texas, it could be the one development that derails what’s known as the Texas Miracle, the economic engine driving the Lone Star State. But sky high demand, property taxes and inflation have combined to drive up the cost of housing to such a level, some experts say Texas no longer has a cost advantage. Put another way, before now, businesses had no problem enticing employees to the Lone Star State because most folks could easily afford a home. No...
Apr 02, 2023•52 min•Ep. 203
It’s cheap, easy to conceal, and deadlier than any other drug. But what exactly is fentanyl, where is it coming from and how is it so easily ending up in our schools and on our streets? It killed three middle schoolers in Carrollton recently. And first responders in Dallas dealt with at least 27 suspected overdose cases… in one night alone. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons take their questions to a supervisor from the DEA in Dallas. Associate Special Agent in Charge Wade Sparks explain...
Mar 26, 2023•51 min•Ep. 202
Has the education revolution begun in Texas? Republicans have made “educational freedom” a priority in Austin this legislative session and there is now a bill they say does just that. SB 8 would provide $8,000 for families to move their children from public schools to private schools. But critics wonder who will be holding private schools accountable since public schools are held to a different standard, as they’re judged by standardized testing and private schools are not. And SB 8 goes far bey...
Mar 19, 2023•51 min•Ep. 201
Texas already has the reputation for being one of the hardest states in which to vote. But the legislature is now considering ways to make it even more challenging for some voters to cast ballots. Right now, more than 100 election-related bills are up for discussion at the state capitol. These proposals would ban voting on college campuses, ban mail-in ballots for anyone over 65, give the state the authority to replace county elections administrators, increase the penalty for illegal voting to a...
Mar 12, 2023•46 min•Ep. 200
Businesses in Texas thrive on lower taxes and less regulation. That leads to jobs, flourishing communities, and the Texas Miracle. But does Texas now need to create an entire court system for companies here to settle their disputes? Gov. Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan call it a priority. Half the country already has business courts. Delaware’s business courts have been around since 1792. So, the Jasons called another Jason for this episode – Jason Villalba. He’s a former Republican member ...
Mar 05, 2023•44 min•Ep. 199
February 26, 2023 Dallas’ numbers stand unmatched. Murders are down 15% over the last two years, rapes decreased 40%, robberies almost 30% and aggravated assaults are down 5% since 2021. Dallas is the only top 10 city in the country with two consecutive years of lowering crime stats across the board. It’s quite a turnaround for a city that just three years ago did not even have a crime plan and had to request the state to send extra troopers to help squelch violence. How did Dallas do it? There’...
Feb 26, 2023•54 min•Ep. 198
Y’all-itics: February 19, 2023 Less than nine-months after the mass murder at Robb Elementary, Governor Greg Abbott didn’t mention Uvalde in his state-of-the-state address. And that is symbolic of the difficult struggle ahead for Texans now pushing for gun reform after losing loved ones in mass shootings. The lawmakers who represent Uvalde have introduced several of what they call “common sense” gun reform bills this session. But is there common appeal to make any changes? How about having to sh...
Feb 19, 2023•41 min•Ep. 197
It's stealing in broad daylight. And state lawmakers have yet to fix the problem. Thieves forge sellers’ signatures on property deeds, file them with the county clerk and take control of properties they don’t own. A four-year investigation into "dirty deeds" by WFAA has exposed thieves stealing homes, a church, a former Burger King restaurant, even an entire Sam’s Club building. Two years ago, Texas lawmakers required anyone filing a deed in the state's largest counties to show ID. But they miss...
Feb 12, 2023•48 min•Ep. 197
Where were the protests? Why didn’t activists take to the streets after Tyre Nichols was fatally beaten in Memphis, Tenn.? The city there fired five police officers before ever publicly releasing video of what they did. Was justice so swift against these five lawmen because they are all Black? Or has something changed in policing since the 2020 murder of George Floyd. Black Americans say they don’t feel any safer when they are pulled over by a Black officer than a white one. The Tyre Nichols cas...
Feb 05, 2023•38 min•Ep. 195
How to Escape from Afghanistan to Texas… Alive Y’all-itics: January 29, 2023 There will be no need for you go to a movie this week. We have all of the drama, action, political intrigue, and danger you would ever need in this latest episode of Y’all-itics. The organization Project Dynamo has made it its mission to rescue Americans, and most recently many Texans, trapped in the world’s hot spots. These men and women – most with former ties to the U.S. military – go where the U.S. government won’t,...
Jan 30, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 194
He is one of the first two Muslim Representatives ever elected to the Texas House as well as the first south Asian. But Rep. Salman Bhojani, a Democrat who represents Euless, Arlington, and other areas of Tarrant County, is used to being a first and he thinks that experience will help him in Austin… as will some of the bigotry and hate he endured on the campaign trail. Even the Quran he used to take the oath of office at the state Capitol is historic. In this episode of Y’all-itics , Rep. Bhojan...
Jan 22, 2023•43 min•Ep. 193
As Texas lawmakers begin their work in Austin, they are flush with cash, enjoying a whopping $32 Billion surplus. The Texas surplus is more than the entire budget in 29 other states. There’s never a shortage of ideas during the session, but this year they have the money to do more than just dream. Those dollars, though, will lead to friction and fighting as lawmakers try to decide who gets how much. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons take you to Austin and inside the Capitol to hear from...
Jan 15, 2023•42 min•Ep. 192
