Y'all-itics

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 from behind’. Commissioner Koch also breaks down the number of ventilators available, and how Dallas County will likely be the first in Texas to have a ‘crash’ of cases coming into the healthcare system.

Dr. Deborah Birx, who has been helping to head up the national Coronavirus Response Task Force, offers what could be some positive news about the expected peak of Covid-19 cases in the U.S.

Texas nurse practitioner Sara Phillips, who has responded to outbreaks around the world, including Ebola and H1N1, says she is disappointed with the federal response to Covid-19. She talks about big missed opportunities to contain the virus, and about how the outbreak is a test of the American psyche, “As Americans…we have a bit of an invincibility complex”.

And Glenn Martin, a Tarrant County resident who tested positive for Covid-19, talks about what he has been through, and what treatment has helped him turn the corner in his recovery. His advice, “Stay positive you can do it…you can overcome it if you do get it”.

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 is really happening---that a lot of smaller businesses are cutting jobs, and those losses are big and have yet to be truly tallied. Additionally, Challenger predicts the job losses that will be announced soon will be in much larger numbers. One interesting note, though…this expert says his firm is surprised they didn’t see far more layoffs already from larger employers---they believe large companies have been trying to hold on to workers as long as possible to keep our collective situation from getting far worse. There are some glimmers of hope, though. Challenger says some industries are desperate for workers right now, and that there are some things you can do to try to insulate your job from being cut.

Even as we hear about the job losses from this global pandemic, there is one industry that’s surging with demand right now.

Ike Brown is president of NFI Industries. It’s a global logistics firm that operates thousands of tractor trailers and millions of square feet of warehouse space and has a large presence in Texas.

Brown said not only are warehouses full of things like toilet paper and paper towels that his drivers are delivering to stores right now, but he is also preparing for ships from China to start arriving again at the end of next month.

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. We get the perspective on Main Street from a Texas business owner who is missing out on his most profitable day of the year because of coronavirus preparations. We also talk to one of the most plugged-in economists in the country (who herself was a patient in the Swine Flu Pandemic) to get a comprehensive overview of what the Coronavirus pandemic is doing to the economy, what kind of job losses we can expect, what this will mean to Texas, and how involved the government is going to have to be to prop up individual Americans as this situation unfolds. Finally, we hear from a Texas state senator right after he finishes a call with the governor. He explains what’s being done to get protective supplies to health workers, what’s happening with testing, how Texas students will be able to learn (and in many cases eat) if school is cancelled, and what’s being talked about at the state level to offset the costs of the coronavirus response (hint: it could involve even higher property taxes).

More Info:

Greenville Ave Pizza Company

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 money for extra voting booths before potentially long lines in November like many voters experienced on Super Tuesday. The 2,000 used machines would be in addition to the 8,000 Harris County already has. But there’s another novel election-related idea under discussion in Texas. It’s something called Ranked Choice Voting. Other states already use it. At the polls, voters select their top two or three candidates and rank them in order of preference. The concept saves money and prevents voter fatigue by eliminating runoff elections. Perhaps no one welcomes it more than state Rep. Anna Eastman in Houston. She has gone through three elections in five months – and has two more to go by November. Eastman answered her phone when the Jasons surprised her with a phone call. But they begin this episode by calling health reporter and world traveler Sonia Azad for an update on the coronavirus in Texas and by laying out the economic and political implications already unfolding.

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 bonus episode is Deborah Peoples, the chairwoman of the Tarrant County Democratic Party, Vinny Minchillo, a principal at Glass House Strategy advertising firm, Alana Rocha of the Texas Tribune and Berna Dean Steptoe, political producer at WFAA in Dallas. Does the large turnout suggest Texas really is in play? We cracked a beer and started around the room for some completely different perspectives.

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 is understatement. But he’s still getting his deliveries, which is an interesting part of life in Beijing. The Jasons then visit with Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins who talks about the lessons learned during the Ebola scare in 2014. The Judge says there was no outbreak blueprint prior to Ebola. But now we are ahead of the game because we have plans in place to deal with outbreaks, thanks to the 2014 scare. Transparency is key, the Judge says, in keeping the public calm. He says so far, the state is doing everything it needs to do to protect its citizens.

And throughout the podcast, you’ll hear from Dr. Clinton Haley, an infectious disease expert in Dallas, including what he is telling his own family about COVID-19.

Links:

CDC COVID-19

Texas Health & Human Services COVID-19

North Texas Infectious Diseases Consultants

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 this episode of Y’all-itics, pouring a pint with the CEO of The Texas Academy of Family Physicians in the Medical District. Tom Banning says we have an amazing “sick care” system in America, but “health care” is broken. And he says a fundamental question that must be answered in is whether we think health care is a right or a commodity. If you’re like a growing number of Texans, you are underinsured. That is, you have insurance, but can’t afford to use it. So, the Jasons also wanted to know if there’s a way for Texas consumers to cut their health care costs without having to wait for the politicians (there is). And a random surprise guest helped to prove this point.

More Info:

Texas Academy of Family Physicians

Trends in Texas Health Care Costs

The Commonwealth Fund

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 justice system.  He thinks 3 syllable names win elections.  He’s not afraid of the color Purple.  And he shares his thoughts whether he thinks the President has broken any laws.  Oh yeah… and he’s suing the state of California.  Buckle up for the ride.

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Link to SCOTUS filing against California…

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22O153/132447/20200210120117146_Texas%20v.%20California%20Motion%20for%20Leave%20to%20File.pdf

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.

See the original story here

The Jolt Initiative

Follow Teresa Woodard on twitter

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 first contest. The screwup raises the question of whether the caucuses matter anymore. The Jasons were in Iowa to witness all the confusion firsthand and stayed up late to publish this episode on time. They poured a pint with Rick Klein, ABC News’ Political Director, to talk about what happens next for the candidates, who survives until Super Tuesday and what about the billionaire who is poised to jump in just as Texans have their say. The Jasons finished up the road trip with a quick drive up I-35 North to Dallas County. Dallas County, Iowa…that is where one Democratic party official says he might have to vote for the candidate he calls the ‘Democrat Trump.’”

 GUESTS:

Rick Klein / ABC News Political Director & co-host of the Powerhouse Politics podcast

Mike Kern / Dallas County, Iowa

LINKS:

Rick Klein biography:

Powerhouse Politics podcast:

Iowa Democratic Party: