Y'all-itics
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!
226
We Just Want a Job
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 a...
32 min
227
So What Now?
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 po...
49 min
228
My Skin is not a Weapon
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 ...
50 min
229
American Astronauts. American Spacecraft. Ame...
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 ...
45 min
230
First the pandemic. Now property appraisals. A ...
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 ...
45 min
231
Disinfection theater, robots, and bright lights
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...
55 min
232
The cubicle’s comeback, standup meetings and so...
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 custo...
46 min
233
The struggle is real. Now the UNEMPLOYMENT AGEN...
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 ...
46 min
234
Voting for President… in your Pajamas
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 ...
51 min
235
Hydroxy-what? The most politicized pharmaceuti...
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...
27 min
236
Caller please hold, a Texas Workforce Commissio...
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. M...
28 min
237
What’s it really like in a COVID unit? A Texas ...
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 uni...
30 min
238
Covid 19: Unemployment questions and answers
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 o...
42 min
239
Covid-19: Beer trucks, egg deliveries, and RVs ...
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 a...
50 min
240
"We can't buy our way out of a crisis"
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 fr...
37 min
241
Covid-19: The layoffs are coming, but there's s...
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...
38 min
242
Early Release: This became an economic pandemic...
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. ...
61 min
243
Where do old voting machines go to die? (+ a Te...
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 ...
28 min
244
BONUS EPISODE: Y'all really turned out Super Tu...
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...
32 min
245
Coronavirus: What Texas learned from Ebola
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 ...
24 min
246
Is health care a right… or a commodity?
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 t...
33 min
247
The President called while I was in the shower
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 justi...
35 min
248
Registering to vote by photo booth
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 ...
34 min
249
I still don’t know who won Iowa. Does it matter...
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 fir...
39 min
250
The Expensive Silence
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...
23 min