Y'all-itics

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 of the Texas House of Representatives who proposed this very idea in 2015. This year, though, there’s more momentum. Even the bill number this year – House Bill 19 – says something about its importance. But will juries play a role? Will the judges be elected or appointed by the governor? The Jasons have questions. A third Jason answered them.

GUEST:

Jason Villalba, former state representative, practicing business attorney

LOCATION:

On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen

BEER SELECTIONS:

Jason Wheeler: Jalapeno Saison (Dallas, TX)

Jason Whitely: Hans' Pils (Blanco, TX)

Jason Villabla: Lake Highlands Light (Dallas, TX)

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’s a new top cop in town and the Jasons went to headquarters to meet him. Ever since Dallas hired Eddie Garcia to lead DPD more than two years ago, morale has increased and crime has decreased. That’s just part of the story. Chief Garcia told the Jasons how he relies on criminologists from UT San Antonio to help Dallas target violent crime. It’s part of his crime plan and it’s working. P.S., Chief Garcia also enlightened the Jasons on a new craft beer they promise to try in the next episode.

GUEST:

Chief Eddie Garcia, Dallas Police

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 show ID before buying bulk ammunition? Or requiring insurance before you can buy certain types of guns? In this episode of Y’all-itics, Sen. Roland Gutierrez joins the Jasons to discuss his proposals and an innovative marketing campaign trying to win the hearts and minds of suburban parents. A father who lost his son at Robb Elementary also tells the Jasons why he doesn’t think Republicans will allow any movement on the issue this session.

GUESTS

Sen. Roland Gutierrez, (D) San Antonio

Brett Cross, Uvalde Father

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 missed the devil in the details, so the problem continues today unabated. Texas, in fact, ranks second in the nation for deed fraud cases. In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons sit down with investigative reporter Tanya Eiserer, one of the few journalists in the country to track these thefts. She explains why counties still don’t have clear authority to stop them and details what lawmakers are now considering in this legislative session to protect Texas families, their property… and their money. WATCH THE WFAA "DIRTY DEEDS" SPECIAL: https://bit.ly/3YDbj2N

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 case raises complicated and exposes new faults in the struggle to root out bad policing. Why did Memphis handle its case so differently than Minneapolis? Former prosecutor-turned civil rights attorney, David Henderson, joins the Jasons to explain why Nichols’ case might now be a blueprint for cities and police departments moving forward.

GUEST:

David Henderson

Former prosecutor, civil rights attorney

Dallas, Texas

BEER SELECTION:

Jason Whitley: Nitro Gentleman's Relish, Lone Pint Brewery in Magnolia, TX

Jason Wheeler: Honey Citrus Blonde, Community Beer Co. in Dallas, TX

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, or can’t… gray spaces such as Afghanistan, Ukraine, and even Russian held territory, where this group and its founder, Bryan Stern, have even managed to make Russian President Vladimir Putin angry. That’s because they’ve managed to pull off some of the most daring rescues you could ever possibly imagine. One of their most recent missions led to the successful rescue of a mother and her five young children who live in Texas. So sit back with the Jasons and learn how this is even possible, what goes into the meticulous planning and just how extraordinarily dangerous it is. And they learn all of this from the man our foreign adversaries are now calling “The Magician.”

Guest

Bryan Stern, Project Dynamo Founder

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. Bhojani joins a Jason and a Teresa to talk about his origin story and what he hopes to accomplish as a minority member of the minority party in a conservative state.

Guest

Rep. Salman Bhojani, (D) Euless

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 the new leaders of each party’s caucus in the Texas House and how they’d like to spend billions. Beyond the budget, the Jasons are also seeing some political flashpoints emerge that could dominate the session – from whether to ban minors from social media to potentially raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm.

The 88th Texas Legislature is upon us. And as state lawmakers return to Austin with plenty of political promises and priorities, Y’all-itics is here to help you understand what they might actually do to make your life better… or worse, depending on your perspective and political bent. To do that, we went straight to the top and had a sit-down conversation with Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. The Texas Senate’s top Republican can make or break the legislative agenda inside the state Capitol. And he talks at length about his priorities, from saving Texas homeowners money to parental freedom to increasing police pay. The one topic he doesn’t expect to come up during the session? Adding exceptions to Texas’ abortion law.

Guest

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, (R) Texas

Happy 2023! The Y’all-itics team is still on break, spending time with family. But the Jasons wanted to share our top two performing episodes of 2022 with you while they’re out. To start this new year, we’re looking back at the playbook to take down Texas public schools. Conservatives made it a priority in 2022 to attempt to reshape school boards across the state. And this effort will continue in 2023. And as we get closer to the start of the legislative session later in January, expect to hear more about this issue and school choice/vouchers. This episode originally released on February 14, 2022. And 10 months later, the Jasons add some new context to our second most listened to podcast of the year.

Original summary:

The right-wing is trying to take over 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. (original release date: February 14, 2022)

Guests

Rev. Charles Johnson / Executive Director, Pastors for Texas Children

Mark Wingfield / Executive Director and publisher of Baptist News Global