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Republicans Smoke Weed Too Feb 22, 2022

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$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 Playbook to Take Down Texas Public Schools Feb 15, 2022

Show notes

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

Texas is Hiring a Lawyer Feb 08, 2022

Show notes

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.

Confessions of a Texas Transplant Jan 31, 2022

Show notes

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.

Texas workers keep quitting, Texas employers keep paying more. Can this keep up? Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

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?

Hey Austin: Let Us Do Our Jobs! Jan 18, 2022

Show notes

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

The State of Texas is Calling Out Sick Jan 11, 2022

Show notes

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.

What to Expect in Texas Politics in 2022 Jan 04, 2022

Show notes

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

Rewind: Dale Hansen Unplugging Dec 28, 2021

Show notes

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

Rewind: We’re Out of Houses in Texas Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

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

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