National Review's Radio Free California Podcast

Episode 460: Kamala Is Stuck on Long Division

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:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@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.

Episode 459: California’s Reparations Sideshow

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 dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.com will@calpolicycenter.org 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.

Episode 458: Gavin Newsom’s Ruby Rippey Problem Won’t Go Away

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:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@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.

Episode 457: The General Sherman of Los Angeles

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:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@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.

Episode 456: Ro’d to Nowhere

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:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@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.