National Review's Radio Free California Podcast

In Gavin Newsom’s California, artificial intelligence is apparently dangerous enough to require an expanding apparatus of government regulation, but, in the hands of the state, trustworthy enough to answer your questions about government itself. In other news, Inglewood bails on its SoFi Stadium debt, Ro Khanna embraces race hustling, and David learns about Star Trek's cultural ties to SoCal’s scientific community. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.orgFollow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCAShow Notes:‘Star Trek’ premieresThe New Generation of Defense WizardsGovernor Newsom signs first-in-the-nation AI safeguards to protect Californians, calls on the federal government to do its partGovernment, made easier. Governor Newsom introduces AskCA, a new AI-powered tool for CaliforniansBetter Future AIDavid Sacks on X: “Pace the frontier”California wealth tax proponent threatened labor officials, law firm’s report findsRo Khanna, Race HustlerThe deal that helped bring SoFi Stadium to Inglewood isn’t legally valid, judge rulesHuntington Beach Approves Police Raises Amid Budget Deficit ProjectionsThis week’s advertising sponsor: California Center for Nonprofit LawNPOlawyers.comboardtrainingprinciples.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

California’s state employees swear an oath to protect the United States Constitution — so what’s up with the university professors calling for armed revolution and the liquidation of Democrats? Newsom visits with South Carolina Democrats but can’t outrun his failures back home, including high unemployment and a new audit showing that the tiniest high-speed rail system in the world has run off the tracks. Bonus: If you missed David and Will’s discussion of November’s 14 ballot measures, listen to Will’s conversation here with political analyst Jon Fleischman. Music by Metalachi.Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.orgFollow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCAShow Notes:California Profs Endorse Violence, Forget Constitutional Oath (Listener Steven A.)California drivers could pay for Gavin Newsom's personal security when he's out of office (Listener Kathy)Gavin Newsom will leave office in January. In South Carolina, he previews what could come nextNewsom’s Minimum Wage Whitewash (Listener Eric O.)California’s ‘groundbreaking’ fast food council lacks a leader, hasn’t met in over a yearInspector General slams latest high-speed rail planJudge dismisses Justice Department lawsuit challenging California transgender sports policiesBonus: California’s 14 Ballot Propositions Explained, With Recommendations! | Jon Fleischman & Will SwaimThis week’s advertising sponsor: California Center for Nonprofit LawNPOlawyers.comboardtrainingprinciples.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 1999, the last time California boosted the benefits it pays government employees – earlier retirements, richer retirements – financial disaster followed quickly. Now, state lawmakers want Newsom to try it again. We fact-check Newsom’s claims on housing starts (terrible) and jobs (worse). Iowa’s AG sues California for blocking the Paramount-Warner merger. Now that he’s successful, Mark Zuckerberg says social media companies must be regulated. David and Will break down the Nick Shirley Act. Music by Metalachi.   Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes:David Bahnsen’s “Profit from the profit”Ishi discovered in California Meta to Pay Up to $17.1 Billion in Landmark Settlement Over Social Media Addiction Claims“Hardly any” AI regulations? Becerra should know betterIowa Attorney General Says She’s Taking California to the Supreme Court Over Paramount-Warner Bros. LawsuitGavin Newsom still doesn’t understand the limits of his powerCalifornia set to force big companies to disclose historic links to slaveryKenneth Schrupp on Newsom’s jobs reportNewsom’s big housing claim is built on bad dataLawmakers vote to let first responders retire earlier and with more money. Will Newsom sign on?AB 1383 is a costly pension mistake in the makingAB 2624 signed into law, California rejects hated-filled (sic) misinformation campaignWill’s work here would likely be illegal under the Act Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since 1911, Californians have been allowed a direct role in legislation via the initiative and referendum process. This year’s November ballot features 14 measures, including the Billionaire Wealth Tax, two “affordability” programs that will make housing more expensive, and a bid to make the nation’s highest marginal income-tax rate a permanent impediment to prosperity.  Bonus! David discusses the birth today of his fifth book, “Profit from the Profit.” Music by Metalachi.   Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes:David Bahnsen’s “Profit from the profit”   This episode's advertising sponsor: California Center for Nonprofit Law NPOlawyers.com boardtrainingprinciples.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discussing this week’s news -- taxpayer-funded political campaigns, students learning about social justice from a rabid anti-Israel activist, DEI in college admissions, and Newsom’s enthusiasm for new automobile tire regulations -- David concludes with a general principle: “In public policy, every reductio ad absurdum eventually becomes an absurdum.” Bonus: Hoover Institute economist Benjamin Jaros offers his latest battlefield assessment of California’s wealth tax. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Karen Bass ripped after viral video lays out taxpayer-funded match of campaign donations Outraged Palo Alto High parents sue school district over mosque field trip Mission High leads California schools in UC Berkeley admissions. But many don’t graduate Gov. Newsom supports California regulators' approval of new replacement tire rules Los Angeles Should Follow San Francisco’s Path to Recovery — Says Man Who Helped Set Back Both Xavier Becerra floats bizarre plan to slash Californians’ utility bills Xavier Becerra’s high-speed rail solution appears to be “sue and hope” Hoover Institution’s Ben Jaros on the Billionaire Wealth Tax  Benjamin Jaros bio Misdiagnosing California’s Fiscal Crisis Don Newsom Refuses an Offer A powerful union, the billionaire tax and an alleged bargaining chip This week’s advertising sponsor: California Center for Nonprofit Law NPOlawyers.com boardtrainingprinciples.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Los Angeles resident Kamala Harris visited New Orleans to celebrate the charter schools she condemns at home -- and to encourage schoolkids to fight Republicans. Gavin Newsom swerves out of his “moderate” lane and endorses Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate race. This week in California history: Richard Nixon resigns, Buck Owens is born, and a San Francisco trans activist who sought political asylum in the Netherlands discovers there’s no place like home. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: David on Capital Record: The Common Good, Pornography, Gambling, and You Will on NPR’s Left, Right & Center: The ‘Socialist’ Brand Helps Some Democrats…For Now New Orleans students get advice from Kamala Harris at back-to-school rally How New Orleans Turned Around Its Failing Schools Congratulations @AbdulElSayed  Sacramento judge sides with Attorney General Rob Bonta in Prop 39 ballot title lawsuit California’s Medi-Cal has a bad case of fraud — and there’s only one cure Medicaid Expansion’s Growing Improper Enrollment Crisis Have an idea to fix San Francisco? You could win $50 million San Francisco dad questioned by park rangers for teaching his own kids tennis at public court Civil war breaks out in rich, white California town as activists from crime-plagued neighboring city demand it’s ‘canceled’ Transgender American who fled US admits it was ‘the dumbest thing,’ returns home from European asylum center Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a state where slavery was always illegal, California lawmakers continue their push for reparations, whitewashing the critical role of such black Californians as William Alexander Leidesdorff in the state’s founding. Bonus! What is Participatory Budgeting and why does California Policy Center senior fellow Mark Moses hate it so much? Music by Metalachi. Email Us [email protected] [email protected] Follow Us @DavidBahnsen @WillSwaim @TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes David’s Capital Record podcast: The Real Story of Rent Stabilization David: Five Takeaways About the Common Good Will Swaim: California schools turn to child sacrifice California’s next reparations fight Oakland Approves $125 Million Coliseum Sale, Clearing Way for Irving Azoff Overhaul California Democratic Party endorses billionaire tax Newsom Expresses Concerns About State Antitrust Suit Against Paramount California launches next phase of state cybersecurity plan as AI changes threat landscape  Governor Newsom announces a first-of-its-kind partnership, providing Anthropic tools to state agencies and improving services for Californians His Wedding Guests Were Arriving—Just as His $45 Billion Fund Was Falling Apart Introducing Claude for Teachers Has Kamala Harris Been Hijacked by the DSA or Has the Progressive Mask Finally Slipped? Harris cites JFK, Obama among ‘most effective’ presidents, omitting Biden Mark Moses on “participatory budgeting” The Municipal Financial Crisis – A Framework for Understanding and Fixing Government Budgeting (Palgrave Macmillan, January 2022) Participatory budgeting won’t save California cities We’re seeding PB across California! How Taylor Swift’s Wedding Became a Lesson in the Rule of Law This week’s advertising sponsor: California Center for Nonprofit Law NPOlawyers.com boardtrainingprinciples.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Vanity Fair revisits Gavin Newsom's two-decade-old affair. SEIU president Dave Regan says he did not illegally bargain over his union's proposed wealth tax. California undermines national defense. We remember the California connections of U2 pilot Gary Francis Power. Bonus! In the wake of the Facuci diary’s release, CPC’s Lance Christensen joins Will to remember what it was like inside the state capitol during Covid. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes Gavin Newsom’s ex-mistress drops bombshell essay on affair that nearly destroyed him California wouldn’t be the right place to launch California Pizza Kitchen today, co-founder says We Still Need More Ships Exclusive: California Forever loses $3.2 billion shipyard contract as defense startup picks Texas California shouldn’t punish Coast Guardsmen for serving their country Rich Californians Are Finding Creative Ways to Get Ahead of the Billionaire Tax Medi-Cal And One Big Beautiful Bill: Federal Medicaid Reforms And The Fiscal Premise Of California's Billionaire Tax Act California House Republicans ask Trump administration to block state’s new tax A powerful union, the billionaire tax and an alleged bargaining chip 2026: 5 reasons the Dodgers should not go back to the White House again next year (Lopez)  2026: Are the Dodgers tone deaf? White House visit is an insult to their fans (Plaschke) 2021: Dodgers celebrate World Series title at White House, then extend winning streak (Castillo) 2026: The Dodgers were right to go to the White House (Fleischman) Abuse and intimidation have taken over Sacramento City Hall meetings | Opinion Lance Christensen on the Fauci diary and Newsom’s failure Fauci, in Private Diary, Reflected on Covid’s Origins and His Own Fame National Review Institute Comes to San Francisco Regional Seminar: American Innovation Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

She oversaw the burning of L.A.’s Westside last year. In April, Mayor Karen Bass turned to the city’s schools, backing the teacher union’s demand for the budget-busting pay hike that led to the announcement this week that the district is nearing bankruptcy. Bonus! We remember the 1973 premiere of American Graffiti, George Lucas’s love letter to California’s Central Valley. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Housing Affordability and Housing Demand PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and the Environment Governor Newsom announces $20 million in grant funding matched by Google to support local journalism across the state State workers have returned to offices. What’s next in the fight for telework? LAUSD deadline looms to make painful cuts after county says board actions ‘erode confidence’ RFC 441: Strike or not, Los Angeles Unified is on an unsustainable trajectory RFC 441: The price of LAUSD union peace will be $1.2 billion a year. Next up is paying for it RFC 441: LAUSD deal reached: Mayor Bass steps in to avoid LAUSD strike  Alameda County supervisors unanimously approve policy-driven reparations plan for Black residents Alameda County Identifies $55M in Budget Reductions, but Major Gap Remains As World Cup fans pour into LAX, long-awaited people mover train struggles with delays People Mover lawsuit LA blew $60M on homeless ‘fix’ — it housed just three units Katie Porter says she’s done with politics after failed governor bid as she teases next chapter   This week’s advertising sponsor: California Center for Nonprofit Law NPOlawyers.com boardtrainingprinciples.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Representative Ro Khanna (D., Silicon Valley) traveled to Israel, drove into a military conflict zone — and claims the Israeli government threatened him. AG Rob Bonta leads a 12-state effort to block Paramount’s proposed merger with Warner; Paramount considers joining the California exodus. Newsom signs off on a historic tax hike. California transfers coastal land to tribes. Even the wealthy can’t afford San Francisco, but don’t blame the government. Bonus tracks! CPC’s Andrew Davenport reviews the California Teachers Association’s 30-year war on charter schools and his colleague Sheridan Karras wonders why California ended standardized tests that measure student understanding of American and California history. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes How Israel Should Handle Progressive Palestine Pilgrimages Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter on X Paramount weighs leaving California over Warner Bros. rift Why I’m Suing to Block the Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger (AG Rob Bonta) Newsom’s polling slip California still one of the worst states to move to in 2026, consumer report says Newsom Lawyers Up As Missing Tax Returns Fuel More Questions About Federal Probe California approves ‘largest tax hike in history’ — here’s where you’ll pay more Newsom wants to increase an obscure tax for millions. He needs Trump’s help | Opinion California is returning a stretch of its coast to Indigenous tribes: “This is beyond huge” New California law requires allergen labeling at chain restaurants In San Francisco, Even $180,000 Tech Salaries Are No Longer Enough This week’s advertising sponsor: California Center for Nonprofit Law NPOlawyers.com boardtrainingprinciples.com Bonus track! CPC manager of strategic initiative Andrew Davenport Waging war on charter schools: A history of teacher unions’ anti-charter school campaign in California Bonus track! CPC research director Sheridan Karras The forgotten subject: California’s failure to assess history education Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Like Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, Rep. Ro Khanna is eyeing the White House. But this week was a rough one for the SIlicon Valley progressive: he finally abandoned his defense of alleged serial rapist and Nazi sympathizer Graham Platner, beclowned himself during a House Intelligence Committee hearing, and faced fresh reporting that he lives more like the oligarchs he denounces than the working class he champions. Will and David also discuss the Hollywood bombshell whose wartime invention helped change the modern world, and California's surprising connection to the Scopes "Monkey Trial," which began 101 years ago. Music by Metalachi. Email Us: [email protected] [email protected] Follow Us: @DavidBahnsen @WillSwaim @TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Hours of chaos, vandalism in Newport Beach: Are viral social media posts to blame? Newsom goes national Tony Thurmond criticizes ‘undemocratic’ plan to overhaul superintendent’s role The cost of Khanna’s Platner alliance 'Clown': Ro Khanna Picks a Fight With the Wrong Guy During House Select Committee on China Hearing ‘Ro’ Me the Money! How Progressive Class Warrior Ro Khanna Lives Like the Oligarchs He ‘Fights,’ With In-Home Elevator, $190K Range Rover, and Family-Owned Golf Courses. The Nazi Tattoo Guy Is Exactly Who You Thought He Was On the California Coast, a Picture-Perfect City Falls on Hard Times Vance Downplays Watergate and Compares Himself to Nixon David’s latest Capital Record podcast: Setting the Record Straight on Alexander Hamilton   Bonus track: Fighting for liberty in the 9th Circuit California Policy Center, Inc. v. Garcia-Brower About Jeff Schwab About Emily Rae Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Preparing for a White House run, Newsom calls for “a new social compact” -- a national wealth tax that confiscates wealth for a menu of failed California-style social programs. Bonus! Our homage to California cowboy actor Slim Pickens. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Ranch Dressing surpasses ketchup America’s 250th and the fight for liberty in California It's time for a national billionaires’ tax and a new social compact Real estate tax-cut proposal pulled from ballot in last-minute deal Newsom under fire as California gas tax hike sends pump prices even higher SF trans march turns violent as angry mob turns on cops and stomps police car UC Berkeley to Open Nancy Pelosi Institute Aimed at Advancing Democracy Kamala Harris’s Silence on Gaza Cost Her the White House? Biden pick Becerra asked Clinton to pardon cocaine trafficker after donations from his father: House probe Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

News that California’s utility commission has created a new program to boost LGBTQ participation in electricity production has David and Will wondering: Has California become so absurd that the end is truly near? Newsom rejects the SEIU’s compromise offer on its Billionaire Wealth Tax. Government union leaders say they’ll join the California exodus if they’re forced to work. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes CA Democrats want election results faster, but say any solution hurts voters Crippling impact of Paramount-Warner deal on Los Angeles workforce revealed Inside California’s Gay-Certification Program Newsom Fined by State Campaign Finance Watchdog Just Ahead of DOJ Investigation Don Newsom Refuses an Offer California state workers union warns of mass exodus with Newsom’s return to office order | CA Politics 360 Capital Record podcast: Remote Work’s Growing Damage Sam Bankman-Fried Prison Experiment Sponsor:The California Center for Nonprofit Law Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gavin Newsom wasted no time hitting the airwaves with news that the Trump DOJ is investigating the governor’s wife. We cheer Newsom’s work to kill the Billionaire Wealth Tax. Fareed Zacharia joins the growing number of liberals who worry that California is ruining the Democratic Party brand. In our Department of Vexillology, we celebrate the June 14, 1846, Bear Flag Revolt and consider protests against the San Francisco Giants’ Gay Pride Night. Bonus! Cal Policy Center president Jackson Reese answers a listener question. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: The Bear Flag and California’s history blind spot The forgotten subject: California’s failure to assess history education The Red Bluff Round-Up, April 16, 17, & 18, 2027 Giants pitchers’ Bible verses on Pride Night caps show how they’ve missed the point Newsom Says Trump’s Justice Department Is Investigating Him and His Wife How California became a case study in failed governance Gavin Newsom’s race to block a billionaire tax California billionaire tax is a no-brainer for progressive Democrats, right? Wrong. Labor groups split on Billionaire Tax In Orange County, six-figure salaries now qualify as 'low income' Division of Housing Policy Development (OC is No. 5 in the state; all other counties here) Trump could be Oakland’s coal frenemy Winery Sues Santa Barbara Over Unconstitutional Mandate Leftists Use Google Form to Organize Stanford Commencement Walk-Out Against Google CEO Jackson Reese, California Policy Center: [email protected] Support the California Policy Center Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Always optimistic, David encourages Will to be happy -- despite recent election results. And forget Xavier Becerra's ethnic posturing: Will reminds us that California has already had a "first Latino governor." Bonus! Representative Vince Fong joins the show to offer his remedy for Governor Gavin Newson’s refusal to pay his debts. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Trump, after baselessly alleging fraud in California vote again, storms out of NBC interview Bombshell photo unveils damning Nithya Raman link with homeless voters — as fury erupts over LA ballot count In California, the Real Scandal Is What’s Legal How the Machine Buried Spencer Pratt Steady State Newsom on X: “And yes, for the record: we wish the votes were counted faster, too.” Rob Pyers on Tom Steyer Silicon Valley bet big on Matt Mahan for governor. It didn’t pay off Is the Bay Area ready to abandon its vehicles? David delivers Pacifica Christian High School Commencement (transcript) Commencement Speech on Life for Graduates, and All of Us (video) Rep. Vince Fong Payback for Gavin Newsom’s Fiscal Folly Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It takes weeks for California to count votes (because math is hard). But Lance Christensen joins Will to unpack early results from June 2 voting, featuring Steve Hilton, Xavier Becerra, Spencer Pratt, Karen Bass, congressional candidates Kevin Kiley, Richard Pan, Ken Calvert, Young Kim, James Gallagher, Mike McGuire and an additional cast of dozens. Music by Metalachi. Email Us [email protected] [email protected] Follow Us @DavidBahnsen @WillSwaim @TheRadioFreeCA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How California’s leading do-nothing gubernatorial candidate moved from dead last to first in just a few weeks. Leaders of the state’s government unions say they’ll refuse return-to-office orders because their daily commutes would raise global temperatures. More than a thousand University of California STEM professors called for the reinstatement of the SAT test. Los Angeles wants you to stop grilling hotdogs. Bonus! On June 5, 1917, Californians reacting to the Zimmerman Telegram answered Woodrow Wilson’s call to arms. Music by Metalachi. Email Us [email protected] [email protected] Follow Us @DavidBahnsen @WillSwaim @TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes The mystery behind Becerra leapfrogging over his rivals in California’s governor’s race PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government University of California Professors Are Begging Schools to Reinstate the SAT CalPERS Pays Million-Dollar Salaries for Below-Median Returns California Government Unions Will Try Anything To Keep Their Members From Returning To The Office No, California’s Backyard BBQ Ban Proposal Is Not Justified Long Beach: This mayor wants to bring wind energy to an oil city Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Trump-adjacent candidate for mayor of Los Angeles has raised the hopes of moderate Angelenos – and terrifies the beneficiaries of the city’s Chicago-style political machine. Starring guest cohost Jon Fleischman and featuring Gavin Newsom, Napoleon III, Karen Bass, Meghan Daum, Carl Karcher, Nithya Raman, Hasan Piker, Benito Juarez, Gustavo Arellano, and Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch. Music by Metalachi. Email Us [email protected] [email protected] Follow Us @DavidBahnsen @WillSwaim @TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes How Cinco de Mayo Got Its Start Because of California's Mexican Americans ‘It’s the Jews’: San Diego mosque shooters decried ‘the universal enemy’ in hate-filled manifesto GOP governor hopefuls give closing arguments to Central Valley Republicans Spencer Pratt has his work cut out for him in LA Spencer Pratt’s Make L.A. Great Again acolytes and their dark vision of the city What Los Angeles Has Become More than 1,000 L.A. school employees expected to lose jobs, with bigger cuts ahead The price of LAUSD union peace will be $1.2 billion a year. Next up is paying for it Strike or not, Los Angeles Unified is on an unsustainable trajectory Newsom’s office asked Oakland to clear encampment near Marshawn Lynch’s home Newsom says AI resentment to dominate future elections. ‘The pitchforks are here’ Gavin Newsom orders California to plan for aid to workers displaced by AI Caltrans considering 140 mph bus that would take passengers from San Francisco to Los Angeles The California-born fast-food chain crushed by costs, crime and competition Do You Want Fries with That Shakedown? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Democrats’ leading candidate for governor, Xavier Becerra, claims he was the victim of a financial fraud directed by his own chief of staff in the Biden administration. Now, he’s dealing with claims that he greenlit the crime. Bonus track! Lance Christensen takes us deep into the state capitol. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: The Mussel Slough Tragedy Governor Newsom announces revised budget that eliminates California’s deficit, maintains investments for working families, healthcare, education, and businesses LAO: Initial Comments on the Governor's May Revision Former Newsom chief of staff pleads guilty to scheme that bled money from Becerra’s account A surge in Nevada data center construction threatens the electricity supply for 49,000 Californians Energy company disputes claim that 50,000 Tahoe residents will lose power next yea California’s Bullet Train May Not Even Reach Downtown Bakersfield - You Can’t Make This Up Pelosi endorses a successor in San Francisco’s testy House race San Francisco's Outdoor Smoking Ban Won't Improve Public Health, but It Will Hurt the City's Bars and Taverns UC Davis festival apologizes for drum circle: ‘cultural appropriation’ Pre-roll:Duke Energy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Governor Gavin Newsom says his delivery of free diapers is another win for affordability -- “a first-in-the-nation program” to deliver the things new parents need most. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Ben Sasse Writes About Kids and Technology What to learn from the worst business deal in history Media mergers and dividend growth ‘Star Wars’ hails the once and future space western Why the Paramount-Skydance deal is good for California The Case Against State Involvement in a Warner Bros. Deal Newsom again shuts down gas tax holiday amid skyrocketing fuel prices in California California hospitals will soon provide free diapers to newborns thanks to new state program Why Did California Award This Alleged Hamas Front $40 Million? Judge bars Jewish DA from trying Stanford anti-Israel protesters, alleging conflict California Democrats Want Muslim Holidays In State Law — But Not The Jewish High Holidays Scott Wiener passed laws that made it easier to build in California. Can he do the same in Congress? California Mayor Will Plead Guilty to Working as Agent of China ‘We can shut down the city’: Lurie’s budget cuts spark a showdown with labor Lights, cameras, growth: CPC report on the Paramount deal Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special episode, Will talks with Sheila Bowen, whose Central Valley family is at the center of Remnants, a new documentary about the challenges of ranching in the era of Gavin Newsom-created wildfires. In other news, we hear from Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Jeremy Talcott about his crushing win over the California Coastal Commission, and we return to our friends at the Hoover Institution for a dramatic update in their assessment of the billionaire wealth tax coming up on the November ballot. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Jeremy Talcott, Pacific Legal v Coastal Commission California Supreme Court reins in coastal agency’s permit power in unanimous opinion Jeremy Talcott bio Remnants Remnants trailer Moving Picture Institute Paul Olivett, Moving Picture Institute, [email protected] Hoover Institution’s Benjamin Jaros & Joshua Rauh on the Billionaire Wealth Tax  The Fiscal Losses from California's Billionaire Tax Act The Commitment Problem at the Heart of California’s Billionaire Tax Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the simmering race for governor, Democratic Party insiders are coalescing around Xavier Becerra, a lifetime placeholder who is neither left nor right but who can be counted on to do absolutely nothing. Also: Ritchie Valens, Elon Musk, Kamala Harris, heroic El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, and the guy who burned down Pacific Palisades. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: “La Bamba” (Original)  “Come on, Let’s Go!” (Ramones)  California braces for uncertainty as last shipment of Persian Gulf oil arrives in Long Beach The Torching of Los Angeles Was Anti-Capitalist Vigilantism California Regulators Apologize to Elon Willie Brown endorses Tom Steyer for California governor Democratic and Republican candidates for Calif. governor lead latest poll How Xavier Becerra became the Joe Biden of California’s governor race Kamala Harris endorses L.A. Mayor Karen Bass for reelection Kamala Harris bought a Malibu home. Her neighbors think that means something. LAO: California spent more than it could afford El Cajon sues California, alleges state ‘sanctuary’ laws illegally entice undocumented immigrants Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We discuss the bizarre manifesto of Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, Calif. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Hightower agrees to buy $9.5bn practice The Bahnsen Group A May Day Push to ‘Shut It Down’ Takes Shape Across the Country Read Here: The full manifesto by accused shooter at White House Correspondents' Dinner The pile-on that wasn’t Anti-Billionaire ‘OUR REVOLUTION’ Endorses Billionaire Steyer for Gov California Voter ID Measure Qualifies For November Ballot ‘A betrayal:’ California to share data on immigrant drivers nationally Governor Newsom launches first new conservancy in 15 years to accelerate progress at the Salton Sea Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea | KQED Truly CA Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Just six weeks from the California gubernatorial primary, Democrats are still auditioning for a lead — and risk watching Republicans steal the show. Can someone please introduce candidate Tom Steyer to the U.S. Constitution? State Senator Scott Wiener’s attempt to muzzle ICE melts in the Ninth Circuit. A fake bear wreaks fake terror on luxury vehicles in Lake Arrowhead. Bonus! A brief history of California’s Modoc War. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Trump ally Roger Stone hired to lobby for Bay Area tribe seeking control of Presidio ‘San Francisco treasure’: City, state leaders blast Trump for firing Presidio Trust board 3 sentenced for insurance fraud after using bear costume to stage fake attacks on luxury cars Takeaways from the first California governor’s debate since Eric Swalwell’s exit ‘Becerra Bounce.' How Xavier Becerra surged from behind to be a frontrunner in governor's race ‘Dark Horse’ Gets Sudden Jolt in Packed California Race Steyer proposes ending ICE, jailing police 9th Circuit blocks California limits on anonymous immigration agents G.B. V. Environmental Protection Agency (9th Cir. 2026) How Newsom Boosted His Book Sales With $1.5 Million From His PAC CA hasn’t signed off on a promised deal to help bail out LA if the Olympic Games lose money Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

United Teachers of Los Angeles activists are celebrating the massive salary hike they won on Tuesday, but Lance Christensen says all Californians will pay the price. That same day, attorneys for Rocklin Unified School District asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision of a little-known California administrative court that California Justice Center attorney Emily Rae says violates the federal rights of parents of schoolchildren. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Emily Rae: Follow @EmilyRaeCJC Rocklin Unified Takes Parental Notification Fight to U.S. Supreme Court Lance Christensen: Follow @lancelands The price of LAUSD union peace will be $1.2 billion a year. Next up is paying for it Strike or not, Los Angeles Unified is on an unsustainable trajectory Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As his career prospects evaporate, disgraced former Representative Eric Swalwell now begs exemption from the “believe women” standard he applied to his conservative political opponents. An Easter Egg hunt in Long Beach leads to a human skull, Mayor Karen Bass celebrates the return of Baywatch but says nothing about the return of typhus to L.A., Kamala Korner is back, and the Wiener Watch never left! David offers an explainer on a clash of the tech titans in Musk vs. Altman. Bonus: Kenneth Schrupp discusses Manhattan Institute’s investigation into allegations of fraud in the state’s $30 billion annual In-Home Supportive Services Program. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Eric Swalwell Reaps What He Sows An Easter Egg Hunt in a California Park Leads to a Human Skull Mayor Bass welcomes Baywatch and major productions back to Los Angeles Typhus from fleas hits record level in L.A.:  Where the hot spots are and how to protect yourself World Cup: 2 Months Out, FIFA and Host Cities Sideline Rights ‘Thinking About It’: Kamala Harris Teases 2028 Presidential Run Newsom administration won't say how much Kamala Harris' CHP security detail is costing California taxpayers Senator Wiener Announces Bill To Protect Survivors Of Conversion Therapy Lawmaker backing transgender treatments for kids squirms as man says puberty blockers destroyed him Meta builds AI version of Mark Zuckerberg to interact with staff Elon Musk Lawsuit Claims OpenAI Used a Fake Charity to Build an $800 Billion Empire California tries to criminalize journalism — to protect fraud California unveils hospice fraud arrests, pushing back on ‘kingdom of fraud’ claim by Trump official Kenneth Shrupp, Manhattan Institute Gavin Newsom’s $30 Billion Fraud Magnet Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Angling for a White House run, Governor Gavin Newsom talks up his plan to bring white men back to the Democratic Party while his wife warns women that Republicans are working to push women “back into the straitjacket of femininity that is only in service of men.” In other news: Newsom will spend $19 million to persuade Americans that California is awesome and Trump endorses gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton. In the history department, Will and David discuss the 1972 state Supreme Court decision that ended the death-penalty convictions of 107 California killers including Sirhan Sirhan, Charles Manson, and one Robert Page Anderson. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: People v. Anderson UCLA crushes the Other USC to win NCAA women’s basketball national championship ICE Busts Slain Iranian Military Leader’s Niece & Her Daughter Who Called US ‘Great Satan’ In L.A. San Diego warship to recover Artemis II astronauts when they splash down in ocean Friday Trump endorses Steve Hilton in California governor's race Billionaire candidate for California governor catching heat for past business interests, wealth Sexual Harassment Allegations Could Rock Swalwell’s Campaign For Governor Major global PR firm Edelman wins $19 million state contract to promote California in a better light For Democrats, the Era of the Girl Dad and Male Ally Is Over Governor Newsom convenes leaders to confront crisis facing boys and men CNN black sheep Scott Jennings gives withering take on Jennifer Newsom: ‘She’s a real problem’ Jennifer Siebel Newsom Has Bleak Warning For MAGA Women After Recent Firings Gavin Newsom’s wife pushed weird gender films into California classrooms — while paying herself a fortune The great corruption of behested payments in California Air district fines Fairfield Budweiser brewery $2.3M over alleged emissions violations Major cheese producer closes Fresno-area facility, cuts jobs as it opens Texas site Yamaha moves US headquarters out of California after nearly 50 years Public Storage is the latest company to leave California for Texas Public Storage to Acquire National Storage Affiliates in $5.6 Billion Stock Deal The Chinese Billionaires Having Dozens of U.S.-Born Babies Via Surrogate CCSF union president violated policies in antisemitic rant, investigation finds Long Beach City College votes to name its Labor Center in honor of Dolores Huerta Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed an emergency bill to rename the Cesar Chavez holiday “Farmworkers Day.” Will and David suggest we commemorate instead the East Los Angeles teacher who was the subject of the 1988 movie Stand and Deliver -- and was then driven from teaching by his own union. Representative Eric Swalwell earned a key campaign endorsement from the California Teachers Association -- a kind of Surgeon General’s Warning for voters in the state’s June primary. In other news: Tech’s very bad week in court, and it’s time for San Francisco to defund its corrupt “Defund the Police” campaign. Bonus tracks! Red State reporter Jen Van Laar on LAUSD’s all-in-the-family negotiations with the state’s largest teacher’s union, and former Los Angeles Times religion reporter Bill Lobdell on the Catholic Church sex-abuse scandal, televangelists, Cesar Chavez, and California’s public schools. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes Newsom signs law renaming Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day A Calculated Move : Jaime Escalante Prepares to Leave to Teach in Sacramento UTLA’s response The USC professor at the center of the debate debacle A big weekend for Eric Swalwell F.B.I. Said to Dig Up Old Investigative Files on Democratic Lawmaker Swalwell campaign in the hot seat after accepting almost $15K from CCP-tied law firm: 'Stop playing footsie' Social media trials usher in Big Tech's latest moment of reckoning Top S.F. official who led Dream Keeper equity program charged with felonies: ‘abuse of power’ Holed up: L.A. tries closing off manhole where people live, nearly sealing someone inside LA’s Declining Homelessness Numbers: Real or Illusory? California introduces financial literacy course starting with class of 2030-31 'New Era': Landmark Policy to Expand Tribal Stewardship for At Least 7.5 Million Acres in California Jen Van Laar Literal bedfellows among teacher union activists and the district negotiating their pay package Bill Lobdell “Losing My Religion: How I Lost My Faith Reporting on Religion in America and Found Unexpected Peace” Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The union behind the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act says it will generate $110 billion for public health programs, but Hoover Institution researchers calculate that it will actually cost California $25 billion. In the “Why Now Department,” Will and David consider multiple hypotheses about the timing of claims that United Farm Workers founder Cesar Chavez raped young women half a century ago. The legal case against Meta and YouTube asks us to believe that social media companies bear absolute responsibility for addictive use of social media. Will tells the true story of Ah Louis, a California Gold Rush-era immigrant who became the unofficial mayor of San Luis Obispo’s Chinatown. Bonus! Lance Christensen provides a first look at the year’s legislative Race to Absurdity. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Read the Statement From Dolores Huerta on Cesar Chavez’s Abuse From streets to murals, the erasure of Cesar Chavez is fast underway in California The complicated legacy of César Chávez ‘I will miss them’: Khanna mocks tech billionaires threatening to leave California for wealth tax Kathy Hochul’s Seller’s Remorse The Fiscal Losses from California's Billionaire Tax Act Gavin Newsom’s $114 Million Butterfly Bridge Jury deliberations continue in landmark social media addiction trial against Meta, Google Social media use is tied to well-being, according to the new World Happiness Report Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The once-powerful, still-iconic founder of the United Farm Workers is now getting the old Me-Too makeover with his own union reporting allegations that he was the radical left’s Jeffrey Epstein. Also: Newsom’s hypocrisy on surging gasoline prices, Oscar-winner Jessie Buckley’s defense of family, population-alarmist Paul Ehrlich is dead, L.A. County’s fraud problem, the Silicon Valley's deeply flawed initiative to block the wealth tax, and more! Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Cesar Chavez allegations jolt California’s labor movement Jessie Buckley’s Beautiful Homage to Mothers The End Is Still Near The sleeper initiative that could upend more than the wealth tax We visited “ground zero” for hospice fraud: Los Angeles, California Progressive lawmakers Bernie Sanders, Ro Khanna unveil $4.4T wealth tax targeting billionaires SEIU California Endorses Eric Swalwell for Governor You get an endorsement! You get an endorsement! Sable’s president in shining armor Governor Newsom blasts Trump for raising gasoline prices on Americans with no plan and no accountability Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

California Governor Gavin Newsom says taxpayers will spend $19 million on advertising designed to burnish his record in advance of his White House run. Will and guest Will O’Neill consider recent news stories that won’t make the final cut -- skyrocketing oil prices, gender transitioning in the state’s schools, the stabbing victim who died after his ambulance was stolen, and the governor’s own flirtation with antisemitism. Bonus! Remembering Edward Dickinson Baker, the first Californian to die in the American Civil War. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Army Reserve soldier from Sacramento among six killed in Kuwait drone strike Newsom planning $19-million push to polish California’s national image In a Political Campaign, City Officials Can Spend Your Money Against You. They Call it 'Education' He was stabbed while charging his car. He died after his ambulance was stolen Newsom likens Israel to ‘apartheid state,’ questions future military support Newsom Digs in After SCOTUS Rebuke, Claims Teachers ‘Forced to Be Gender Cops’ Amid angry backlash, serial child molester is rearrested the same day he was set to be paroled Here’s how Newsom’s spending binge outstripped revenues, creating California’s chronic deficit Marathon, Chevron, PBF Warn Governor Newsom of Widespread Refinery Shutdowns, Fuel shortages, Economic Collapse California’s economy faces threats with new energy policy changes Nevada governor fires warning shot at Gavin Newsom over oil crisis: ‘Real-world consequences’ Fearing GOP upset, top California Democrat urges lagging candidates for governor to drop out of race California Unions May Decide Which Republican Advances In The Governor’s Race — And Which One Doesn’t Poll: Hilton’s rise could spare Dems from disaster in California gov’s race Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley files to run as independent A budget plot twist in Oakland: From ‘fiscal emergency’ to $17 million in the black Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Following a smashing victory in a San Diego federal court, attorney Paul Jonna describes the U.S. Supreme Court’s dramatic intervention to end California’s determination to hide student gender-transition plans from parents. Bonus! California attorney Michael McClellan lays out the conservative case for skepticism about artificial intelligence. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Paul Jonna on Mirabelli and SCOTUS Paul Jonna, Limandri & Jonna Thomas More Society Court sides with parents in dispute over California policies on transgender students Michael McClellan on AI Governor DeSantis Hosts Roundtable on AI Policy at New College of Florida 2028: The Consequences of Abundant Intelligence Gemini Said They Could Only Be Together if He Killed Himself. Soon, He Was Dead. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Iran war exposes California’s fragile oil supply, how the media transformed the death of nine skiers near Donner Pass into a case of “climate change,” and Attorney General Rob Bonta’s very bad week. Bonus! Attorney Andrew Quinio describes Pacific Legal’s lawsuit to block San Francisco reparations payments, and CPC senior fellow Mark Moses considers whether government exists to serve citizens -- or whether citizens exist to serve government. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: In Gov. Newsom’s California, It Makes Sense to Get Gasoline from the Bahamas When US Gasoline Has to Leave the Country to Move Within It Avalanche experts fear conditions that led to deadly Tahoe slide could become ‘new normal’ Apple quietly removes environmental metrics from executive pay California bill would make fossil fuel companies help pay for rising insurance costs The Tangled Web of the Boulder v. Suncor Cert Grant: Pass me some aspirin. Attorney General Rob Bonta might want some, too. Judge Axes Exxon’s Defamation Suit Against Environmentalists The hypothetical nuclear attack that escalated the Pentagon’s showdown with Anthropic Merrill Kelly rejected Padres’ lucrative contract offer due to California’s ridiculous tax laws ‘Like an Uber Share’ but public: South Bay city to bring low-cost, rideshare-style public transit service Bonus track! PLF attorney Andrew Quinio on San Francisco’s reparations program  Andrew Quinio bio San Francisco taxpayers challenge race-based reparations fund in court San Francisco mayor quietly signs reparations fund that could lead to $5M payments per person The Cost Of San Francisco’s Reparations Proposal: Nearly $600,000 Per Household Public finance expert Mark Moses on the proper role of government Mark Moses bio The Municipal Financial Crisis – A Framework for Understanding and Fixing Government Budgeting (Palgrave Macmillan, January 2022) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.