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!
151
After Afghanistan: The Paperwork War
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 help...
41 min
152
Concerts, COVID and Cold Ones
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 mus...
32 min
153
Legal Purgatory: What Texas Courts Say About Yo...
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. Steph...
38 min
154
The Masked Resistance Fights Back in Texas
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 ...
59 min
155
Redistricting: ”What used to be a dark art has ...
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 cou...
34 min
156
Why the right is running against Greg Abbott an...
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 si...
49 min
157
Could this school year actually be more challen...
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 w...
56 min
158
D.C., Miller Lite, & Monopoly: The Politics of ...
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...
47 min
159
Are Republicans Unraveling a Texas President's ...
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 pushe...
43 min
160
Can Texas Republicans even agree with each othe...
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-...
42 min
161
The New Political Party in Texas
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 co...
44 min
162
You Might Not Recognize Downtown Dallas In A Fe...
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 ba...
51 min
163
Texas has a different kind of ‘foundation probl...
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 Covi...
38 min
164
“We Have Stepped Out of the Shadow of Dallas”
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...
25 min
165
“We Have No Idea Who the Good Guy is”
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 Da...
57 min
166
You Can’t Even Find Dirt to Build Homes on in T...
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 d...
35 min
167
Wasted Energy?
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 l...
40 min
168
Dale Hansen Unplugging
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 ...
61 min
169
Why Nobody Knows Exactly How Many Texas Teacher...
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...
46 min
170
Could Gender Parity Help Texas Lawmakers Get Mo...
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 o...
32 min
171
How Texas Could Replace Property Taxes
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 o...
41 min
172
How to lower your property appraisal (and hopef...
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 mar...
52 min
173
The Chauvin Verdict: “There’s Still Hope”
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 fathe...
32 min
174
Is Texas Ready for the Steep Cost of the Electi...
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 Gr...
40 min
175
The Ghost Residents Who Live All Over, But Vote...
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 ol...
33 min