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Texas Talks

Texas Talks
Texas
Property Taxes
Texas Legislature
Water
Education
Educational Savings Account
Texas House Of Representatives
Unions
Local Government Debt
Austin
Recycling
Bottle Bill
NIL (name, Image, and Likeness)
School Choice
Texas Hemp Industry
Grunt Style Foundation
Rural Health Care
Yondr
Interchange Fees
Ultra-Processed Foods

Texas Talks with Brad Swail is a weekly podcast that features wide-ranging discussions with the people, organizations, and businesses that shape public policy in Texas. Texas Talks aims to provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the policy debates and reasons and insight into the personalities that shape public policy in Texas.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes119Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
GovernmentSociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

Why are homes in Texas becoming increasingly unaffordable — and what will it actually take to fix it?

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Sean Dobson, CEO of Amherst Group, to break down the real forces driving today’s hou... more

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores what it really takes to raise a family in Texas today — and what must hold up over the next decade if the state wants to remain a place of opportunity.

In th... more

This episode kicks off the Texas Talks Special Series: AI and Public Policy, a multi-part series exploring how artificial intelligence will reshape governance at every level in the years ahead.

Artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedente... more

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores how Texas courts and the justice system must evolve to serve a rapidly growing state.

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail is joined by Chief Just... more

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Recent Guests

Sean Dobson
CEO of Amherst Group
Amherst Group
Episode: Housing Affordability Crisis in Texas: Rates, Supply & Policy w/Sean Dobson
AJ Rodriguez
Executive Vice President of Texas 2036
Texas 2036
Episode: The Future of Raising a Family
Tanner Jones
CEO, Vulcan Technologies
Vulcan Technologies
Episode: AI and Public Policy: Transforming Government w/Tanner Jones & Chris Minge
Chris Minge
CTO, Vulcan Technologies
Vulcan Technologies
Episode: AI and Public Policy: Transforming Government w/Tanner Jones & Chris Minge
Wallace B. Jefferson
Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas; launched state-wide e-filing and access initiatives
Alexander Dubose & Jefferson
Episode: The Future of Texas' Court System
Luis Soberon
Leads Justice Policy at Texas 2036
Texas 2036
Episode: The Future of Texas' Court System
Marc Levin
Chief Policy Counsel at the Council on Criminal Justice
Council on Criminal Justice
Episode: Current and Future Justice Reforms in Texas w/ Marc Levin
Henry Cisneros
Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former mayor of San Antonio
Former HUD Secretary; Co-author of The Austin San Antonio Mega-Region and The Texas Triangle
Episode: The Future of Megaregions
Roy Spence
Co-founder and longtime chairman of GSD&M; founder of Make It Movement and the Purpose Institute
GSD&M; Make It Movement; Purpose Institute
Episode: Future of Work in Texas: Skills, Mobility, Opportunity w/Roy Spence & Renzo Soto (Future of Texas)

Host

Brad Swail
Host of the Texas Talks podcast

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#147
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#189
Saudi Arabia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#190
South Korea/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Housing Affordability Crisis in Texas: Rates, Supply & Policy w/Sean Dobson
Q: What policy levers do you see as most effective for making homes more affordable in Texas, and what unintended consequences should policymakers watch for?
Key levers include increasing housing supply through zoning reform, enabling accessory dwelling units, and rethinking minimum product standards to foster innovation while maintaining safety. Unintended consequences include reduced access for lower-income families if policies overly constrain credit access or shift supply away from affordable options; thoughtful, localized implementation is essential.
Housing Affordability Crisis in Texas: Rates, Supply & Policy w/Sean Dobson
Q: Could you expand on Amherst Group's role and the core focus of your work in single-family housing finance?
Amherst specializes in the dynamics of the single-family housing ecosystem—from mortgages to securitized products—and built expertise in evaluating cash flows, default risks, and how long-term ownership affects investor outcomes. This deep research helps explain why the market behaves the way it does and informs policy discussions.
Using AI to Improve Transparency w/Charles Blain
Q: I want to ask you in a moment, who do you think is going to, who do you think this is for?
The tool is intended for a broad audience—citizens, citizen journalists, and local journalists—so they can understand and interrogate government data, compare across jurisdictions, and hold officials accountable without needing specialized access to newsroom resources.
Ep. 84 - Mike Morath (TX Education Commissioner)
Q: Could you summarize the Teacher Incentive Allotment and its impact on teacher retention?
The allotment provides substantial merit-based pay, typically $3,000 to $36,000 per year per teacher, tied to performance; its design aims to keep excellent teachers in the classroom by rewarding high performers and encouraging professional growth, which has been shown to improve retention.
Ep. 84 - Mike Morath (TX Education Commissioner)
Q: What is Bluebonnet and how widely is it implemented across districts?
Bluebonnet is a state-approved reading and math curriculum designed to align with Texas standards; it has moved from pilots to full implementation in many districts, with districts varying in how broadly they adopt it, but the intent is to standardize high-quality instruction.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Talks

What is Texas Talks about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Texas Talks offers weekly conversations with policymakers, business leaders, and analysts shaping public policy in Texas. Episodes routinely explore economic incentives, tax policy, health policy, education tech, workforce issues, and regulatory dynamics, often anchored by data-driven critique or pragmatic reform ideas. A distinctive thread across episodes is presenting policy debates with a nonpartisan frame, highlighting how incentives, costs, and governance structures drive real-world outcomes for communities and businesses. Listeners likely include policy practitioners, public affairs professionals, and executives seeking accessible, issue-focused Texas policy discussions that surface practical implications for markets and regulation.

Where can I find podcast stats for Texas Talks?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Texas Talks. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Texas Talks and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Texas Talks get?

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What are the audience demographics for Texas Talks?

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How many subscribers and views does Texas Talks have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Texas Talks has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Texas Talks?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Texas Talks:

1. Texas Bullpen Podcast
2. The Idiot
3. Texas Take
4. Up First from NPR
5. The Daily

How many episodes of Texas Talks are there?

Texas Talks launched 2 years ago and published 119 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Texas Talks?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Texas Talks?

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What guests have appeared on Texas Talks?

Recent guests on Texas Talks include:

1. Sean Dobson
2. AJ Rodriguez
3. Tanner Jones
4. Chris Minge
5. Wallace B. Jefferson
6. Luis Soberon
7. Marc Levin
8. Henry Cisneros

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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