Y'all-itics

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:

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, Villareal expects the expensive silence to be deafening in border communities where rhetoric about immigration, the wall, and deportations has created a chilling effect for the legally-required survey that not only determines how many representatives Texas gets in Congress, but also the state’s share of federal funding and the drawing of legislative districts. PODCAST GUESTS: Reuben Villareal, former mayor of Rio Grande City / Reuben’s Twitter account Luis Figueroa, Center for Public Policy Priorities / Luis’s Twitter account WEBSITE LINKS: What is the US Census? The 2020 Census is underway How the 2020 Census will invite you to respond

What happened outside Amarillo made national news, turned out to be a little embarrassing for the state and highlighted a problem facing law enforcement in Texas today. Hemp is legal. Marijuana is not. But the plants look and smell exactly alike. In Amarillo this month, prosecutors had to drop charges after lab tests showed 3,300 pounds of ‘marijuana’ that a man was stopped with was actually ‘hemp.’ But this case isn’t isolated. The Amarillo attorney who represented that driver laid out the wider problem that many of his clients are faced with. In addition, Allen, Texas Police Chief Brian Harvey revealed that the state is just a couple months away from being able to differentiate between the legal and illegal versions of the cannabis plant. What’s best, the Jasons found a draft beer that actually matches this topic. WEBSITE LINKS: Texas dismisses charges against man for trucking hemp Adam Tisdell Chief Brian Harvey: Texas Police Chief Association:

He calls himself the Desert Diplomat. Few Texans have as clear of an understanding of what’s happening in the Middle East as Robert Jordan. The SMU professor is a former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and sat down to have a pint with the Jasons. Turns out, it’s not just Iran we should be wary of these days. Keep your eye on Saudi Arabia. It’s really a frenemy of ours, Jordan said. This Texan succinctly explains why we can’t quit the kingdom as we face down Iran and Iraq. WEBSITE LINKS: Robert Jordan website Robert Jordan’s SMU biography

A small-town Texas police chief said something recently that caught the attention of the Jasons. Immigration rhetoric is making our communities less safe, he wrote in an op-ed. Make no mistake, this lawman isn’t taking sides. He’s advocating for keeping all criminals off the streets – regardless of their immigration status. You might know some of it. That fiery rhetoric drives undocumented immigrants into the shadows. Criminals then prey on those immigrants because these folks are less likely to call police. But here’s where the chief connected the dots for the Jasons. What if an undocumented immigrant witnesses a crime against you but is too afraid to come forward? These aren’t just scenarios. This is happening in Texas today, the chief says.

Dallas is more than 7,200 miles away from the Baghdad airport where a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Those miles disappear when you consider how Middle East tension has a real impact on your money. In this special episode, a personal finance advisor tells the Jasons why now is the time to invest in some stocks, even as the market takes a hit on fears of a worsening conflict. Plus, Texas is the third-largest oil producer in the world. But, an energy industry expert explains why we’ll still pay higher gas prices because of what’s happening overseas.

The president promised to replace NAFTA. Democrats finally got what they wanted and this new deal is now called the USMCA – or United States Mexico Canada Agreement. As we move into the new year, both sides say Texas will benefit big time from it. How so? That’s what this episode of Y'all-itics is about. We also tracked down a phone number for the original U.S. negotiator on NAFTA in the early 1990s. Turns out that trade deal – which is the skeleton for this one – might never have passed if it weren’t for a baseball game. That veteran negotiator shared some interesting stories on how it all happened.

Can’t we all just get along? On last week’s episode, we heard about Better Angels. The group is trying to close the political polarization gap, bridge the divide and get people on the left and right to start talking again. We think the group is on to something. So, in this episode, we’re pouring a pint with two people who have gone through the program – a conservative and a moderate. They’re far apart on some things but they shared a few ideas with the Jasons that have helped them understand and respect the other side. More Info: https://www.better-angels.org/

Before you go home for the holidays you need to listen to this episode. Politics often creeps into the conversation around the family dinner table this time of year. The rhetoric and divisiveness has gotten so bad that some folks have stopped talking to family members and close friends because of their political beliefs. A non-profit is quietly helping to close the political polarization gap, bridge the divide and get people talking again. They explained how they’re doing it in this episode of Y'all-itics. And turns out, Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler's colleague is dealing with this problem right now. She answered a call while waiting for a piña colada on a beach vacation to explain what’s going on with her family. Just make sure her mom doesn’t hear this story! More info: https://www.better-angels.org/

Forget battleground states; 2020 will be decided by battleground counties. Collin County Democrats don’t mind being the underdog. But Republicans there admit 2020 is no joke. Collin County used to be reliably red but the GOP has seen cracks in support there over the last few election cycles. Now, after recent Democratic victories in Kentucky, Louisiana and Virginia, Collin County Democrats say they think their county could turn blue as soon as 2020. And if Collin County turns blue, Texas likely turns blue. If Texas turns blue, then Republicans lose the White House for a generation. That’s what’s at stake in the suburbs next year. Both parties sat down with the Jasons to talk about Collin County’s role in 2020.

This isn’t something politicos wants to talk about. Black women are taken for granted by candidates and campaigns. That’s not just a bold statement – black women in Texas say this has been a political reality for too long. That's the topic we're talking about with Tracy Scott, the founder & CEO of The Black Women’s PAC, on this episode of Y’allitics. Black women, like all voters, want politicians to finally address issues that affect them. And these women wield power at the ballot box, reminding us of one thing they could easily do to impact the outcome of the next election.

On this episode of Y’all-itics, we go out to the farm. The Texas economy has done well over the past decade. Farmers have not. They know all about economic downturns, but their income today is half of what it was six years ago. Crops just aren’t selling for what they were. Then came the trade war with China and the tit-for-tat tariffs. Now, a difficult situation is a little more desperate. But when you ask who’s to blame, there's not an easy answer. One Texas farmer shares his own struggles and how they are shaping his vote for 2020, in a candid conversation with hosts Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler.

Get ready for the "Year of the Text Message." In 2020, political campaigns are coming to your mobile phone. In elections past, campaigns have spent millions of dollars on television and radio ads, campaign signs and billboards to reach voters. The 2020 cycle will be different. In this episode, we discover how much a campaign will pay for your cell phone number and what they’re going to do with it over the next year. Texting is changing the way candidates run for office. Vinny Minchillo, principal at GlassHouse Strategy and a veteran of political ads, pulls the campaign curtain back with hosts Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler.

Y’all-itics is the unofficial political podcast of Texas. Each week Jason Whitely and Jason Wheeler will crack open an ice-cold Texas brew and explore a single hot topic affecting Texans as we gear up for the 2020 election. 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!