Brad Swail

Texas could face a $770 million annual obligation to fund SNAP benefits under new federal rules, even as food banks across the state struggle to meet growing demand. Celia Cole, CEO of @FeedingTexas, joins @bradswail on @TXTalksPodcast to discuss rising food insecurity, the consequences of federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the difficult decisions facing Texas lawmakers ahead of the 2027 legislative session. Feeding Texas represents a network of 20 food banks serving all 254 Texas counties. Cole explains how rising food prices, transportation costs, and household expenses are putting increasing pressure on families, particularly in rural communities where grocery stores and affordable fresh food can be difficult to access. The conversation examines changes to SNAP under H.R. 1, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Cole explains how new federal cost-sharing requirements could leave Texas responsible for approximately $770 million annually if the state's SNAP payment error rate remains above the federal threshold. She also addresses a critical distinction often overlooked in the debate: SNAP payment errors are not the same as fraud. According to Cole, SNAP enrollment in Texas has declined by approximately 738,000 participants, or 20%, over the past year. She discusses expanded work requirements, administrative challenges, and the consequences for children, older adults, and working families who depend on food assistance. Brad and Celia also explore whether food banks, churches, and private charities could realistically replace declining government food assistance. Cole explains that for every meal provided by food banks, SNAP provides approximately nine, illustrating the enormous scale of the federal program. The discussion turns to the economic consequences of hunger, including its effects on health care costs, children's education, workforce productivity, and local businesses. Cole argues that maintaining access to food assistance is both a humanitarian priority and an important economic consideration for Texas. They also examine possible solutions, including reducing the state's SNAP payment error rate, improving government technology, strengthening employee training, and delaying the new federal cost-sharing requirements. Finally, Cole outlines Feeding Texas's legislative priorities, including protecting funding for surplus agricultural products, improving SNAP employment and training programs, and expanding access to summer food assistance for children. Can Texas address growing hunger while navigating new federal requirements and mounting budget pressures?

Child care in Texas runs through five or six agencies and answers to none of them, says Texas 2036's John Hryhorchuk. thetexasdispatch.com/john-hr…

Why We’re Overbuilding AI Data Centers (And What Happens Next) UT Austin’s Dr. Joshua Rhodes compares the current data center rush to the early railroad boom, when the U.S. overbuilt by roughly 50%. He explains why companies are racing to get online, the enormous economic value of each megawatt of data center capacity, and why bankruptcies and consolidation are likely even if the technology is real. The conversation also touches on whether new technologies like small modular reactors can realistically compete in this environment. A practical look at the economics and risks of the AI infrastructure buildout. @bradswail @joshdr83 @TXTalksPodcast #DataCenters #AI #ERCOT #Energy #Texas

Texas has experienced extraordinary economic growth over the past 25 years, but are Texans actually feeling the benefits? @JohnHryhorchuk , Senior Vice President of @AdvocacyPolicy at Texas 2036, returns to Texas Talks with @bradswail to discuss the organization's latest statewide polling, the issues motivating Texas voters, and the policy challenges facing lawmakers ahead of the 2027 legislative session. Despite decades of economic expansion, Texas 2036's polling reveals a growing disconnect between the state's economic success and how residents feel about their own lives. Only 52% of surveyed voters believe they have personally benefited from Texas's growth, while 67.7% say they are extremely or very concerned about the future. John explains what these findings reveal about affordability, economic opportunity, and voters' confidence in their ability to control their own futures. He also examines the surprising areas of agreement between Republicans and Democrats, particularly on education, health care, and infrastructure. Education emerges as one of the strongest priorities in the polling, with voters emphasizing the importance of children reading and performing math at grade level. The conversation explores why education has risen in importance, how attitudes toward border security have shifted, and what these changes could mean for the next legislative session. Health care affordability is another major concern. John discusses widespread dissatisfaction with the current system, growing support for price transparency and oversight of health care consolidation, and the rising insurance costs facing Texas teachers. The discussion then turns to water, electricity, and the rapid expansion of data centers across Texas. While data centers receive significant public attention, Texas 2036's polling suggests voters are more strongly motivated by broader concerns about affordable electricity, reliable water infrastructure, and everyday quality of life. Brad and John also explore how Texas government agencies can better coordinate their data to improve services, evaluate education and workforce outcomes, and help policymakers respond more quickly to changing economic conditions. Finally, they examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence in classrooms and the workforce, the importance of career and technical education, and the challenges of preparing students for jobs that may look very different in the years ahead. As Texas approaches its bicentennial in 2036, the conversation raises a fundamental question: Can the state translate its remarkable economic growth into a better quality of life for all Texans? Join Brad Swail and John Hryhorchuk on Texas Talks for a data-driven discussion about the future of Texas and the decisions facing its elected leaders.

Is the Texas Data Center Queue a Bubble? Expert Explains the Numbers Dr. Joshua Rhodes breaks down the massive ERCOT large-load interconnection queue and why the biggest headline numbers (400+ GW) are unrealistic. He covers the jump from recent peak demand growth to speculative forecasts, how unsigned load requests flooded the system after AI took off, the old ad-hoc process that couldn’t handle the volume, and why only 20–30% of projects in the generation queue historically get built. A clear explanation of the gap between requested data center load and what the Texas grid can actually support. @bradswail @joshdr83 @TXTalksPodcast #ERCOT #DataCenters #AI #TexasGrid #EnergyPolicy

Can Texas produce enough electricity to power the artificial intelligence revolution, or are the state's massive data center projections creating an infrastructure bubble? Host is @bradswail talks with @joshdr83 , a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, nonresident fellow at Columbia University, founding partner of IdeaSmiths LLC, and host of the Energy Capital podcast, joins Brad Swail on Texas Talks to examine the future of Texas' electricity grid, the explosive growth of AI data centers, and the challenges facing ERCOT. Rhodes discusses the current state of the Texas power grid, including improvements made since Winter Storm Uri and remaining concerns about natural gas supply during extreme weather. He explains how new solar generation and battery storage helped Texas manage record electricity demand without the dramatic price spikes that have accompanied previous summer peaks. The conversation then turns to projections suggesting Texas could need approximately 400 gigawatts of electricity capacity to accommodate future demand. Rhodes argues that reaching those levels within the proposed timeframe would require an unprecedented expansion of power generation, transmission infrastructure, manufacturing capacity, and construction resources. Brad and Joshua explore whether the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and data centers resembles an economic bubble, what happens if proposed projects never materialize, and whether excess power generation could ultimately benefit ordinary Texans through lower electricity prices. They also discuss the potential of small modular nuclear reactors and geothermal energy, the rising cost of natural gas turbines and transformers, and the question of who should pay for the infrastructure required by large technology companies. Beyond electricity demand, the discussion examines community concerns surrounding data center water consumption, cooling systems, noise pollution, local tax incentives, and the economic benefits these facilities can provide. Finally, Rhodes explains ERCOT's Batch Zero process, recent efforts to bring greater accountability to large-load connection requests, and what he hopes the 90th Texas Legislature will prioritize when developing future energy policies. From nuclear power and grid reliability to artificial intelligence, data centers, and electricity costs, this episode explores how Texas can balance economic growth, technological innovation, and affordable, reliable energy without placing unnecessary burdens on everyday Texans. @TXTalksPodcast

The Counties That Fund New Mexico Want Out | Rep. @CarlTepper @bradswail Four oil-producing counties on the Texas line generate about a third of New Mexico’s income. Their legislators asked to join Texas. Santa Fe has not agreed. Rep. Carl Tepper (R–Lubbock) explains who started it, why those counties already live off Lubbock, what the process requires in both capitals and in Congress, and why he puts the land at about $11 billion. He also gets into frontier counties, six-man football, and what those few people produce.

The Nurses Are Younger Now. The Patients Are Scared of the Bill. Allen Harrison says North Texas nursing supply has recovered, but the workforce is much younger than before COVID. The shortages now are technicians: CT, MRI, respiratory therapy. He makes the case for those jobs, pay, schedules, loan repayment, and sign-on bonuses, as something lawmakers should want in their communities. Asked what patients he will never meet would say about the system, he answers: they’re scared, they need someone to listen, and the billing is often as stressful as the care. The charge on the statement is not the amount they will owe, but nothing in the bill makes that obvious. Texas Talks, live at the Texas Hospital Association annual conference. @bradswail

Should Texas Build a Statewide Prosecutor for One County? | Rep. @CarlTepper Governor Abbott wants a statewide prosecutor. Rep. Carl Tepper is not sure Texas should build one because one county keeps reelecting its district attorney. On the day of the House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight hearing, Tepper (R–Lubbock) walks through the case against Travis County DA José Garza, missing indictment deadlines, a three-strikes idea for repeat misdemeanors, and why he would rather not fund a new statewide office for a problem in one county. @bradswail

Should repeat misdemeanors lead to a three-strikes policy? Host @BradSwail sits down with @CarlTepper to discuss repeat misdemeanor offenses, accountability and the potential impact of a three-strikes approach.

Hospitals Don’t Set Prices. Insurance Stopped Working Like Insurance. Allen Harrison breaks hospital costs into thirds (hospitals, drugs, physicians) and says hospital increases are mid-single digits, roughly in line with CPI. The harder point: hospitals post charges, they do not unilaterally set what they are paid. Medicare and Medicaid ignore charges. Commercial rates are negotiated. He also says the system guessed wrong on enhanced premium tax credits. Patients who lost exchange coverage mostly became uninsured, not commercially insured. Then the cost shift: employer coverage now works like prepaid care, while insurers push back toward catastrophic deductibles of $3,000 to $5,000. Texas hospitals collect about 40% of the patient portion. His system expects to write off more than $1 billion in charges this year. Texas Talks with Allen Harrison, Medical City Healthcare, recorded September 22, 2026, at the THA annual conference. @bradswail

What is the “homeless industrial complex,” and how does it operate? Host @BradSwail sits down with @CarlTepper to discuss homelessness, the organizations and systems involved, and how public resources are being used to address the issue.

Why is Texas spending $35 million a year, and why is it getting worse? Host @BradSwail sits down with @CarlTepper to discuss the growing cost, what is driving it and why the problem continues to worsen.