Next Round: Recent Episodes
Pacific Research Institute
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the breaking news that Assembly Republicans have voted to oust Heath Flora as Leader, in favor of Alexandra Macedo. They also discuss California Democrats voting to endorse the wealth tax ballot measure, Gavin Newsom trumpeting the latest state minimum wage hike, and Steve Hilton challenging Xavier Becerra to six debates this fall.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the federal government halting some Medi-Cal payments to California due to fraud, Steve Hilton's campaign appealing to anti-Trump voters, and Xavier Becerra being criticized for discussing street vendors. Then, they discuss a proposal to reintroduce the grizzly bear population to California.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the passing and legacy of US Sen. Lindsey Graham. They then discuss AG Rob Bonta's lawsuit to try and block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and Gov. Newsom's challenge to fellow Democrats to do better fighting income inequality.
This week, Tim and Matt talk about how they celebrated America's 250th birthday. Then they discuss the hot news at the State Capitol including the (finally) enacted 2026-27 state budget, a last-minuted budget provision shifting more power over education into the Governor's office, Gov. Newsom coming out for a federal wealth tax, and a key former Newsom advisor wearing a wire on behalf of the FBI.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the frantic, last-minute negotiations going on at the Capitol to try and avert expensive ballot proposition fights this fall. They also discuss ideas to reform California's electoral system in light of the June primary, and what can be done to speed up California's notoriously slow vote counting process.
On this week's Next Round, Tim and Matt discuss Gavin Newsom's bombshell announcement that he and the First Partner are being investigated by the Feds, lawmakers passing a state budget that isn't final so they can keep getting paid, and the America 250 "cage match" on the White House lawn.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the seemingly endless California election count and the statewide races that are finally coming into focus. Plus, they discuss the race for Los Angeles mayor and whether Spencer Pratt was cheated out of a spot in the November election.
Without about half the votes in statewide, Tim and Matt go through the early returns from the California primary. They discuss the prospect of a Hilton-Becerra general election, and why Tom Steyer, Katie Porter and Matt Mahan didn't fare better. They also analyze the Los Angeles mayor's race that is drawing national attention, and breakdown some of the state's hottest Congressional races.
This week, Tim previews next week's California primary election. He takes a deep dive on the governor's race and explores whether Xavier Becerra has unstoppable momentum to making the November election, and whether two Democrats may shut out the Republican contenders for the fall campaign. He also discusses the wild race for Los Angeles mayor, and analyzes some of the races that you may not be following but are nonetheless critically important like the election for the next state insurance commissioner.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the latest news in the governor's race - including a very embarrassing interview by nominal front runner Xavier Becerra, and Katie Porter supporters charging their candidate is receiving sexist treatment over the coverage of her "likeability". They also talk about the big Los Angeles mayoral debate, and preview Gov. Gavin Newsom's May Revise budget plan being released later this week.
Tim and Matt analyze the latest developments in the race for California Governor in a big week in the campaign, with two big debates on the docket and ballots dropping in mailboxes across the state. They also talk about the LA Mayor's race and whether reality TV villain Spencer Pratt really poses a threat to Mayor Karen Bass' re-election. They also analyze one of the most important races you're probably not paying attention to - the race for state Insurance Commissioner.
This week, Matt and Tim discuss the attempted assassination of President Trump and Trump administration officials at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, DC and the irresponsible reactions by many political figures to the incident. They also talk about this week's second California gubernatorial debate and do a deep dive on Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa, who joined the debate stage for the first time.
This week, Tim and Matt break down the first California gubernatorial debate. They share their thoughts on who the biggest winners and losers were and break down the performances of each of the candidates. They also discuss how the candidates fared answering questions about California's high cost of living and explore whether the debate changed the trajectory of the race in any way. Plus, they share their thoughts on the departure of former state controller Betty Yee from the governor's race.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the sudden departure from the governor's race of disgraced and now former Congressman Eric Swalwell following sexual assault allegations. They discuss why incidents of bad behavior and other rumors that are common knowledge in political and government circles often don't get media coverage. They analyze the impact of his departure on the race, and also the impact of the vote by California Republican Party delegates not to endorse a gubernatorial candidate.
Illinois Policy head of policy and communications expert Josh Bandoch joins us this week to discuss his new book How to Get What You Want. Tim and Matt discuss the communications challenges facing national and state leaders in some of our recent crisis such as the conflict in Iran and explore how conservatives can frame the policy debate to win in blue states. They also discuss the importance of free marketeers leaning into the debate over how to alleviate poverty and how communicating well can show that big government policies pushed in states like California and Illinois are the direct cause of the cost of living challenges faced by poor and working class Americans.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the legislative and communications strategies surrounding the ongoing TSA funding dispute causing airport chaos, and the latest happenings in the California's governor race - including whether Republican candidates might finish first or second in the Top Two primary. Plus, they discuss rising gas prices triggered by the ongoing Iran conflict, and why legislative leaders are keeping secret details about how much the State Capitol rebuild is costing taxpayers.
From PRI's 2026 California Ideas in Action Conference, hear Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut moderate a panel with some of the state's top policy insiders and elected officials exploring the ongoing challenges facing Californias insurance industry, which were exacerbated by last year's Southern California wildfires.
This week, we present another special episode in a series featuring highlights from PRI's recent California Ideas in Action conference. Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut sits down with new U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Sacramento, Eric Grant. They discuss ongoing legal battles between the federal government and the state of California, crime, the Trump administration's legal priorities, and other issues.
From PRI's 2026 California Ideas in Action Conference, hear some of California's top journalists and opinion writers discuss the state of the California governor's race, and legacy of Gov. Gavin Newsom's administration. Moderated by attorney, political analyst and former reporter Melissa Caen, panelists include Marisa Lagos of KQED Radio, Politico's Lindsey Holden and Southern California News Group opinion editor Sal Rodriguez.
PRI senior fellow in business and economics Wayne Winegarden joins us this week to explore what the recent Supreme Court ruling on the Trump tariffs means for consumers, farmers, businesses and the economy.
In this special episode of Next Round, we present a recent talk from author, Manhattan Institute senior fellow and Wall Street Journal opinion columnist Jason Riley - delivered at a February PRI event in Pasadena. He talked about his latest book, The Affirmative Action Myth, and the ongoing debate over affirmative action in California and nationally.
This week, Tim and Matt talk about California's turn in the national spotlight hosting Super Bowl 60, including the controversy over the halftime entertainment and the huge California tax bill winning quarterback Sam Darnold faces. They also talk about the latest developments in the governor's race, the debate over the mileage tax at the State Capitol and California losing another billionaire due to the proposed wealth tax.
This week, we present a special recording of PRI's recent America 250 kickoff event in Los Angeles featuring a discussion of conservatism past, present, and future as we mark the semiquincentennial of the United States. Offering perspective are Claremont Review of Books editor Charles Kesler, Matt Continetti of the American Enterprise Institute, and PRI senior fellow and visiting professor at Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy, Steven Hayward.
This week, Tim and Matt discuss the communications and strategic response to the ICE operation in Minnesota, Gov. Newsom's trip to Davos to troll President Trump, and the latest estimate showing that California could lose 4 more Congressional seats in the 2030 reapportionment.
This week, PRI's team of policy experts - Wayne Winegarden, Steve Smith, and Lance Izumi - join Tim to analyze Gov. Newsom's budget priorities and explore whether his final state budget plan is sustainable or if it sets the state on a perilous fiscal course. They also discuss whether Newsom is setting up his successor for significant budget problems when they take office next year.
This week, we present a special Free Cities Center interview with Rick Caruso - founder and executive chairman of Caruso, longtime Los Angeles civic and philanthropic leader and former mayoral candidate. Mr. Caruso discusses LA's rebuilding efforts one year after the wildfires. He also shares his thoughts on policy and politician-created impediments to swift rebuilding, and what city, state, and federal leaders can do to get those affected back into their communities more quickly. Plus Tim shares his remembrances of Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who tragically passed away this week.
With the holiday season upon us, it's time for our annual PRI All Stars Year End Awards. Listen as Tim Anaya, Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi, Kerry Jackson and Matt Fleming share their picks for the year's biggest winners and losers in California politics and policy, and even offer a few predictions for 2025.
Nationally known investment expert, economist, Chapman University professor and author of more than 25 books Mark Skousen joins us to discuss his latest book, The Greatest American, on his distant relative, Benjamin Franklin. We talk about Franklin's legacy in science, business, economics, politics, and diplomacy, and ponder what Franklin would think about politicians like Zohran Mandami. He also gives a preview of next year's FreedomFest, the world's largest gathering of free minds.
Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho joins us this week to discuss his terrific new book chronicling his role prosecuting the elusive Golden State Killer. We talk about how his upbringing fleeing Communism in Vietnam fuels his passion for seeking justice for crime victims, the many challenges in prosecuting Joseph DeAngelo, and why it was so important for him to focus the book on the victims and loved ones left behind, rather than sensationalizing the killer.
This week, PRI President, CEO and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy Sally Pipes is back to discuss the debate over extending the expanded Obamacare subsidies that was at the heart of the recent government shutdown. She also discusses the market-based reforms that conservatives in Congress should be pursuing to provide affordable health care choices for all Americans.
With holiday meal planning in full swing, PRI fellow in agriculture policy Pam Lewison - a farmer in Eastern Washington and also fellow at PRI's sister think tank, the Washington Policy Center - joins us to discuss just how much our holiday meals will cost this year. She and Tim discuss the impact of the Trump tariffs on farmers and how the administration's plans to import Argentine beef will impact US cattle ranchers.
Now that the dust has settled, the PRI All Stars are back with their analysis of the 2025 election. Tim Anaya and Matt Fleming take an in-depth look at the passage of Prop. 50, how its victory will impact the 2026 congressional campaigns in California, and whether Gavin Newsom will get a big national boost. They also talk about the national election results, the retirement announcement by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the surprising news that Sen. Alex Padilla will not run for governor.
This week, Tim Anaya and Matt Fleming preview the 2025 election, starting with a deep dive on Prop. 50, where we are just a few days before the election, and how the outcome will impact California policy and Gavin Newsom's political future. Plus, they discuss the wild campaign for Mayor of New York City and look ahead with an early preview of the 2026 California governor's race.
This week, Dr. Wayne Winegarden, director of PRI's Center for Medical Economics and Innovation, joins us to discuss his new brief exploring how forthcoming restrictions in a state program serving dual-eligible Medicare and Medi-Cal enrollees will hurt patients. He discusses how the movement in government both in California and nationally limiting choice will limit access to care, increase costs to taxpayers and worsen health outcomes.
This week, we present a special episode featuring highlights from PRI's 2025 Sir Antony Fisher Dinner, which was held last month in San Mateo. Noted author, historian and commentator Victor Davis Hanson shares his thoughts on the assassination of Charlie Kirk and how the conservative movement should respond to this tragic loss. Next, Professor Charles Kesler, editor of the Claremont Review of Books, responds to Hanson's comments. Then, 2025 Taube Family Freedom Prize winner Professor Richard Epstein shares his thoughts on the Trump Administration's battles with university administrators over campus free speech.
This week, Naomi Riley - American Enterprise Institute senior fellow - joins us to discuss her latest work on child welfare issues. It is a project called Lives Cut Short (www.livescutshort.org), which is an online database that looks at how states are underreporting incidents of children who have died of abuse and neglect. She talks about the project, how state policies are contributing to this problem, what reforms lawmakers should be considering to prevent these tragedies going forward, and also offers ideas for listeners who want to get involved in this issue and make a difference.
Our special guest this week is outgoing Assembly Republican Leader - and the very first guest on Next Round podcast - James Gallagher. He looks back on his time as GOP leader, reflecting on his biggest accomplishments, what surprised him the most during his leadership, his partisan battles with Speaker Rivas and Gov. Newsom, and what the biggest piece of unfinished business he has on his legislative to-do list.
This week, we present our annual end of session look back at the just-concluded legislative session. Steven Greenhut, Matt Fleming and Tim Anaya share their thoughts on the hot issues debated in the final weeks of the legislative session, including the cap-and-trade deal, high-speed rail funding, charter school legislation, housing policy and more. Plus, they remember the late Sen. John Burton and weigh in on Gov. Newsom's State of the State "address."
From FreedomFest 2025 in Palm Springs, Tim talks with Kerry McDonald, senior fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education and State Policy Network education fellow about her new book Joyful Learning, which explores new, low-cost K–12 learning models that favor individualized, learner-centered education. They also talk about the Trump administration's proposals to downsize the U.S. Department of Education and the latest in efforts to promote school choice across the country.
We wrap up our series of podcasts on the hot issues being debated in the final weeks of the 2025 legislative session with a conversation with Assemblyman Joe Patterson, R-Rocklin. They discuss the Gavin Newsom redistricting proposal, the bills that aren't getting the attention they should be at the end of session, and his efforts to ban non-disclosure agreements in the legislative process.
Continuing our series of podcasts on hot issues being debated during the final weeks of the 2025 legislative session, longtime political strategist, redistricting consultant, and former elected official Matt Rexroad joins us to break down Gov. Gavin Newsom's redistricting scheme and what it will mean for fair elections in California. They also discuss his new job as a deputy district attorney in Colusa County, and an issue that is very personal to him - reforming California's foster care system.
This week, we start a series of podcasts featuring conversations on some of the hottest issues being debated at the State Capitol in the final weeks of the 2025 legislative session. We're pleased to be joined by Western States Petroleum Association president and CEO Catherine Reheis-Boyd, one of the most important legislative advocates in Sacramento. PRI senior fellow in business and economics Dr. Wayne Winegarden talks about efforts to keep fuel affordable and available in California in the face of costly and unworkable state government green mandates.
Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut joins us to discuss his latest booklet focusing on the lessons learned from January's destructive Southern California wildfires. They talk about policy-created problems on brush clearing, water, and land use policy that created a perfect storm and made fighting the fires more difficult, and what reforms policymakers should be considering now to prevent severe future wildfires from destroying the state.
Center Square California reporter and Free Cities Center contributor Kenneth Schrupp joins us to discuss his recent reporting on policy mistakes that made preventing and fighting the recent Southern California wildfires worse. He also discusses what he's learned about controversial legislation to "reimagine" the Palisades as it is rebuilt. He also shares insights in his reporting on high speed rail, homelessness, and the aftermath of the LA ICE riots.
Listen as Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut sits down for a wide-ranging discussion with legendary San Francisco Mayor and former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. In this candid interview, they discuss the challenges facing the West Coast's urban centers including crime, housing, homelessness, education, and transportation. Brown also offers his views on some of the state's most controversial topics such as high-speed rail and redevelopment.
This week, our special guest is Assemblyman Josh Hoover, R-Folsom, who is serving in his second term and also is vice chair of the Assembly Education Committee. We discuss key issues being debated at the State Capitol these days including the state budget, efforts to crack down on homelessness, and legislation that would further hinder charter schools. We also discuss his efforts to increase oversight over state programs and spending, and his successful efforts to crack down on student cell phone use in the classroom.
This week on Next Round, we welcome back PRI senior fellow in business and economics Dr. Wayne Winegarden to talk about the big economic topics in the news recently - the passage by Congress of the reconciliation bill, the Trump administration's latest global tariff proposals, the federal budget recissions bill being debated in Congress, and the recently-enacted California State Budget. Wayne gives his analysis on these issues and shares his thoughts on how fiscal conservatives should view the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill."
This week, we talk with Dr. Ed Amos, noted physician and neurologist who tragically lost his home in the Pacific Palisades wildfires. He shares his first hand experience on the day of, and the immediate aftermath, of the wildfires, and offers a close-up view of just how effective government at all levels has done in reducing bureaucracy and helping homeowners quickly begin the rebuilding process.
With the Fourth of July upon us, our special guest this week is Chef Andrew Gruel, food entrepreneur, celebrity chef and television personality, and newly appointed Huntington Beach city councilman. We discuss how regulations and minimum wage mandates are hurting restaurants and other small businesses, how being a vocal conservative has impacted his career, and why he decided to become a city councilman. He also shares some ideas for how to cook with your family, from his terrific new book, Andrew Gruel's Family Cookbook.
Direct from FreedomFest 2025 in Palm Springs, Tim talks with Reason reporter Eric Boehm, who covers economic and trade policy. They talk about the latest developments in the Trump administration's global tariff agenda, preview how the debate over global tariffs will play out this summer, and what consumers should expect in terms of the availability and prices of goods under the Trump tariffs. Plus, they discuss a terrific, must-read article by Eric on how curling offers policymakers some good lessons about civility in our increasingly aggressive political world these days.
Direct from FreedomFest 2025 in Palm Springs, Tim talks with Reason senior editor, author, and host of the Rising on Hill TV Robby Soave. Among other topics, they discuss the LA ICE riots, how Gov. Gavin Newsom is viewed on the national political scene, and how we should look back on the legacy of Elon Musk's DOGE efforts. Plus, Tim and Matt discuss Gov. Newsom's technical error-filled TV address on the LA ICE riots, and Sen. Alex Padilla's arrest at Kristi Noem's press conference.
Rebekah Paxton of the Employment Policies Institute joins us to discuss EPI's high-profile research on the impact of California's $20 fast food minimum wage on jobs, workers, prices. They also discuss the Los Angeles' plan for a $30 minimum wage for hotel and airport workers.
This week, we talk with Susan Crabtree, award-winning investigative journalist and senior White House and national political correspondent for RealClearPolitics, author of the new book on Gavin Newsom, Fool's Gold. We discuss the impact of the governor's policy agenda on people's ability to achieve the California dream and how California's governor is viewed in Washington and national media circles. She also gives her take on that hot political book chronicling the coverup of Joe Biden's decline.
This week on Next Round, we talk with Michael Mische, Associate Professor of the Practice of Management and Organization at the University of Southern California, about his new study showing just how much more Californians will pay at the pump for gas when two of the state's major refineries shut down operations in the coming years. Plus, Tim and Matt discuss the debate over the State and Local Tax Deduction in Congress and legislation to make it easier and cheaper to build housing.
This week, we present a special recording of a recent PRI webinar with Jason Riley, Manhattan Institute fellow and longtime Wall Street Journal columnist. Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI's Center for Education, interviews Jason about his new book, The Affirmative Action Myth (Basic Books).
PRI senior fellow in business and economics Dr. Wayne Winegarden joins us with his initial analysis of Gov. Newsom's May Revise budget proposal. Wayne shares his thoughts on Gov. Newsom's plan to close the state's $12 billion budget deficit, including controversial plans to expand Medi-Cal eligibility to the undocumented and how tariffs and the "one big, beautiful bill" being crafted in Congress will affect the state budget going forward.
This week, Tim talks with Ambassador Francis Rooney, who was the U.S. Representative to the Holy See during the George W. Bush administration and who later served as a Member of Congress. They talk about talk about how American Catholics will remember Pope Francis, what to expect from the conclave electing the next pope (including discussion of some of the leading candidates), and the path the next pope should chart on global and church affairs including dealings with the Trump administration.
Ben Austin, longtime politico who has worked in both Democrat and Republican administrations in California and Washington, DC and now founding director of Education Civil Rights Now - a national non-profit with the mission of establishing a constitutional right to a high-quality public education for all students - joins PRI's Matt Fleming and Lance Izumi to discuss the potential for policymakers to enact badly-needed education reforms in these highly polarized times in California and nationwide.
This week, we feature a special recording of our live webinar featuring PRI scholars and policy experts exploring key green topics being debated and discussed in Washington, DC and in the states – from Cap and Trade and gas and carbon taxes to green appliance mandates. Learn about the latest study from PRI detailing just how much the green transition in California will cost you – you’ll grab on to your wallet when you hear the figure! Panelists include PRI's Dr. Wayne Winegarden and Todd Myers from the Washington Policy Center.
Sacramento Bee editorial page editor Marcos Bretón joins us to discuss the many challenges facing the City of Sacramento, including homelessness and the poor state of the city's public schools, along with opportunities like the Athletics playing in the city as its temporary home. They also discuss the struggles of legacy daily newspapers like the Bee to stay afloat in a changing media landscape, and the Bee's efforts to feature more conservative voices on its editorial pages.
This week, we present a special panel discussion from PRI's recent California Ideas in Action policy conference in Sacramento discussing whether there is a war on suburbia in California. Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut moderates a lively discussion of policy experts exploring the themes of the latest Free Cities Center booklet.
This week, we’re joined by former Congressman, state legislator, state Director of Finance and constitutional law scholar Tom Campbell – rated as the top government waste fighter during his tenure in the House. We discuss the President’s tariff proposals and the DOGE effort, whether Elon Musk’s team is following the proper legal path to downsize government, what Congress’ priorities should be in cutting government waste, and what state budget directors should be doing today to prepare for significantly less resources from Washington.
Parents, students, and taxpayers are growing increasingly frustrated by the inability of California’s schools to educate our kids for the future, and they are even more frustrated
to learn why our schools are doing so badly – outdated and ineffective learning models. From PRI’s 2025 Sacramento policy conference, hear a special presentation of a conversation between Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education, and Assembly Member Blanca Rubio, who is a leader in the nationwide bipartisan movement to change how we teach our kids reading and math.
This week, we present a special discussion from a recent PRI webinar featuring PRI’s scholars and other policy experts exploring how bad policy influence the recent Southern California wildfires on issues ranging from planning to insurance, sharing the lessons learned from the Maui wildfires that every Southern Californian should know as the rebuilding process begins, and discussing what should be done going forward to better protect Californians from wildfire risk.
This week is our special All-Star Panel of former speechwriters reviewing Pres. Donald Trump’s speech to Congress. Lance Izumi, PRI’s Senior Director of Education, was chief speechwriter to Gov. George Deukmejian and Attorney General Ed Meese; Tim Anaya, PRI’s Vice President of Marketing & Communications, was speechwriter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other leaders in the California legislator; and Rowena Itchon, Chief Operating Officer at PRI, was a speechwriter to Gov. Pete Wilson, and corporate CEOs and other government officials. She was also a research assistant in Pres. Reagan’s speechwriting office.
This week, we present a special presentation of our recent webinar with Sally Pipes, PRI President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy, discussing her new book, The World’s Medicine Chest: How America Achieved Pharmaceutical Supremacy – and How to Keep It (Encounter Books). The book explores how America became the world’s leader in biopharmaceutical innovation through market capitalism and argues that the embrace by Democrats and even some Republicans to follow Europe and enact controls on prescription drugs would be a grave mistake. Plus Ro and Tim discuss the infamous Trump-Zelensky Oval Office spat, and Gavin Newsom’s new podcast.
From PRI’s 2025 California Ideas in Action Conference, Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper sits down with PRI senior fellow Steve Smith to discuss what’s next in the push for stronger criminal justice policy reforms following the landslide victory of Prop. 36 combating retail theft. Plus, Ro and Tim discuss the Elon Musk questionnaire sent to federal employees, Mayor Karen Bass firing the fire chief, and the next batch of reparations bills introduced in the Legislature.
This week, we feature a special episode for Presidents’ Day – a recording from a recent PRI luncheon in Newport Beach featuring Christopher Cox. You may remember him as a former congressman and Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, but did you know that he is also an author and presidential historian? In this week’s episode, you’ll hear him discussing his new book, Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn, and also answer questions from moderator Charles Kesler, editor of the Claremont Review of Books.
This week, Joe Kent of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii joins us to share lessons learned from the Aloha State’s experience in rebuilding after the devastating Maui wildfires from a few years ago. It’s a conversation everyone who has been affected by the wildfires should listen to, especially as leaders from Gavin Newsom on down are exploring ways to “reimagine” the Palisades after the fires. Plus, Tim and Matt Fleming discuss the Super Bowl and the constitutional questions surrounding President Trump’s efforts to reform the federal government and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in government spending.
PRI Senior Fellow in Business and Economics Dr. Wayne Winegarden joins us for a special episode with his real time analysis of the proposed (and delayed by one month) Trump tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. He previews his upcoming issue brief making the case that tariffs are not a sound US economic strategy for growth and prosperity, and discusses the impact that the level of tariffs President Trump is considering would have on consumers, businesses, energy costs, and the economy.
This week, as PRI releases its new documentary "Colorado Springs: Letting Freedom Lead the Way," we present an extended cut of our interview with Mayor Yemi Mobolade and Councilman Brian Risley. They discuss how Colorado Springs has been so successful in lowering the cost of living and improving the quality of life for its residents through free market policies. Plus, Tim and Matt Fleming discuss President Trump's visit to California to inspect the Southern California wildfire damage.
This week, Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut joins us to discuss how California's ongoing insurance crisis could be a double whammy for Southern California wildfire victims looking to rebuild. He gives the history of the state's festering insurance crisis, analyzes Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara's reform plan announced just before Christmas, and discusses how much the crisis and the wildfires may cost victims and every California property owner. Plus, Tim and Ro share their thoughts on President Trump's inaugural address.
This week, we present an in-depth look at Gov. Newsom's 2025-25 state budget plan. PRI scholars Wayne Winegarden, Lance Izumi, Steve Smith, and Kerry Jackson join Ro and Tim to explore the budget's impact on taxes and the economy, education, crime, and transportation. They also explore how the Southern California wildfires will impact Gov. Newsom's budget balancing efforts.
Our podcast this week is a recording of a Festschrift celebration with Charles Kesler, editor of the Claremont Review of Books and professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. A group of his former students came together to publish essays in his honor in the book Leisure with Dignity, edited by Glenn Ellmers and Michael Anton. PRI invited essayists in Leisure with Dignity to offer their reflections on Charles Kesler. This event took place in Newport Beach, California.
The PRI All Stars are back to hand out their annual year end awards to the biggest winners and losers of 2024. What were the year's best and worst ideas? What were the fairest and bummest wraps of the year? Who is destined for stardom and oblivion? Sit back and enjoy the honorees selected by the PRI All Stars, handed out in the style of the annual McLaughlin Group year-end awards.
Adam Abolfazli, Sacramento-area public high school student and author of the new book Permission to Fail, shares with us his firsthand view from the classroom on how recent changes in public education such as increased parent and student apathy toward the learning process and a lack of academic rigor, have been detrimental to student learning and negatively impact America’s future. Plus, Tim and Ro discuss the special session called by Gov. Newsom to fight the incoming Trump administration.
Manhattan Institute fellow and director of policing and public safety Hannah Meyers joins us this week to discuss what’s next for public safety policy in California after voter approval of Prop. 36 on retail theft. She also discusses her new paper on the impact of Prop. 47 on crime and drug abuse, “Not Taking Crime Seriously.”
This week, Tevi Troy – acclaimed presidential historian, former White House aide and Deputy Secretary of Health, joins us to discuss his terrific new book, The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry. Plus Rowena and Tim discuss the latest Trump cabinet nominations, Gov. Newsom’s plan to hand out even more electric vehicle subsidies, and preview PRI’s 2024 Holiday Book List.
This week’s guest is Dallas Lawrence, a communications pro who has worked at the highest levels of government, the military, and corporate America, who joins us to discuss his new book Communicating Under Fire. The book offers terrific advice for communications novices and PR pros alike on how to prepare and respond to communications crises that everyone will eventually face in our cancel culture era. Plus, Tim and Ro discuss President-elect Trump’s cabinet appointments and Gavin Newsom ramping up his efforts to become the head of the liberal resistance against Donald Trump.
Now that the 2024 election is finally over, the PRI All Stars (Rowena Itchon, Tim Anaya, Lance Izumi and Kerry Jackson) share their thoughts on the election results. They discuss what went wrong for Kamala Harris, preview what policies we might see from an incoming Trump administration and break down Gavin Newsom's campaign fighting everything from the incoming administration. Plus, they share their way-too-early predictions for who the 2028 presidential nominees will be.
Our guest on this week’s podcast is Norton Rainey, CEO of Ace Scholarships, an organization focused on securing financial support for low-income kids to attend great schools. We chat with Norton about their recent education survey of parents and their thoughts on school choice. We also discuss the many advancements of school choice across the states and the further challenges ahead.
PRI’s All Stars – Lance Izumi, Kerry Jackson, Rowena Itchon, and Tim Anaya – are back with our usual preview of the 2024 presidential election. We preview what a potential President Harris or re-elected President Trump would do in their upcoming terms, discuss the key propositions including Prop. 36 on retail theft and Prop. 33 on rent control, and breakdown the hot House races in California and the campaigns you should be paying attention to but aren’t. Stay tuned to the end to hear our Electoral College predictions.
With housing - including rent control and development policies – and homelessness key issues for voters across California this election year, we present an expanded version of our recent conversation between the Manhattan Institute’s Judge Glock and our Steven Greenhut of PRI’s Free Cities Center. The two discuss government housing mandates, NIMBY-ism, free market housing policy solutions, rent control and more. Plus, Ro and Tim discuss the latest developments in California and national politics including the controversy over Kamala Harris’ “60 Minutes” interview and a major refinery announcing its closure just days after Gov. Newsom signs gas price supply legislation.
Our guest this week is journalist Tim Carney. We recorded his talk on his new book, Family Unfriendly, at a recent PRI luncheon in Newport Beach, California. Tim discusses what’s ailing so many families these days – record rates of anxiety, depression and medication among children, and stress suffered by parents. His book focuses on how we got here as a society and how families can begin to reduce their day-to-day pressures. Tim Carney is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a senior columnist at the Washington Examiner. He’s written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Atlantic, National Review, and many other publications and has appeared on CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, CNBC, and PBS Newshour.
Phil Goldberg, special counsel with the Manufacturers Accountability Project of the National Association of Manufacturers, joins us to discuss a key upcoming Supreme Court case that could impact the future of state and local climate change litigation. We discuss with Phil why these lawsuits drive up energy costs and hurt innovation, and why a comprehensive, national legislative session is the way forward on the issue. Plus, Tim and Ro discuss the latest climate change lawsuit filed by Attorney General Rob Bonta and the latest on the special session on gas prices.
In a special episode, we interview co-host Tim Anaya and his co-author Kerry Jackson on their new book,The California Left Coast Survivor’s Guide, which chronicles the bad policy ideas that have been emanating from Sacramento for years and now are inspiring the Biden-Harris administration and policymakers nationwide. They talk about the state’s myriad bans on everything from plastic hotel shampoo bottles to commercial gas ovens, green mandates that are driving up energy costs, and restrictions on worker freedom that are shutting down entrepreneurship. Plus, Tim and Ro discuss Gov. Newsom’s latest bill signings and vetoes.
As we conclude our look back at the 2024 legislative session, PRI senior fellow in tech and innovation Bartlett Cleland joins us for a look back at this year’s big tech debates on issues ranging from AI to how social media companies are disrupting traditional media outlets. We also explore how a Trump administration or Harris administration would approach tech policy over the next for years and look back at the Biden administration’s tech policy legacy. Plus, Tim and Ro discuss the platform libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver and how the strength of his candidacy might ultimately determine who wins in November.
After the big debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, PRI’s team of former speechwriters (Tim Anaya, Rowena Itchon and Lance Izumi) are back with their analysis of the (second) first presidential debate. They weigh in on the strong and weak moments for each candidate, how each addressed their policy weaknesses, the debate over the rules and the moderators, and whether the debate ultimately changed the trajectory of the 2024 presidential election. Plus they preview the upcoming vice presidential debate and predict whether Trump and Harris will meet again on the debate stage.
Free Cities Center director and longtime Sacramento journalist Steven Greenhut joins us for a review of the just-completed 2024 legislative session. We break down the year's hottest legislative debates, including retail theft, the state budget, insurance reform, tech policy, and more. We also discuss Gov. Newsom's dwindling influence over lawmakers this year as his political ambitions turned east and the controversy over the use of NDAs in legislative negotiations.
Tune in as PRI's former speechwriters - Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi and Tim Anaya - review the just-completed Democratic National Convention. They break down President Biden's farewell speech, discuss whether Kamala Harris' big speech ticked all the boxes and set her on a strong path to the general election, evaluate how well Tim Walz introduced himself to the American people, and, of course, talk about whether Oprah's surprise appearance scooped up key votes for the Democratic ticket.
This week’s guest is a recording of remarks by renowned historian Victor Davis Hanson. We were honored to host Victor at a recent dinner in Napa Valley attended by more than 175 supporters. Victor discussed his latest book The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation. With so many conflicts around the world – from the Russia-Ukraine War to the attack of Hamas on Israel – we wanted to take this opportunity to provide Victor’s talk to those who may have missed the Napa Valley dinner. Victor addresses all these hot topics and more.
This week’s podcast is a recording of remarks by acclaimed historian and award-winning author Andrew Roberts at a recent PRI dinner. He discussed the recent elections in the U.K. and the Labor Party’s victory, elections in Europe, and his latest New York Times bestseller Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine(October 2023). The book was co-authored with General David Petraeus, former commander of the US-led coalition in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
This week's podcast is a special presentation of our recent webinar following the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, moderated by Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut. Go inside the historic decision with Theane Evangelis, partner with Gibson Dunn who represented Grants Pass before the Supreme Court and Erik Jaffe, PRI adjunct fellow in legal studies and partner with Schaerr | Jaffe who authored PRI's amicus brief in the case. PRI senior fellow in business and economics Dr. Wayne Winegarden discusses what cities and counties can now do to address homelessness in their communities following the ruling. PRI board member The Hon. Dan Kolkey gives opening remarks.
Gov. Newsom recently ordered homeless encampments on property under the state’s jurisdiction to be cleared due to the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision that ruled that it is not cruel and unusual punishment to forbid people from camping on public property. This podcast is an audio version of Free Cities Center director Steve Greenhut’s interview with Erica Sandberg, a freelance journalist and frequent commentator on San Francisco’s homeless crisis.
This week, PRI's former speechwriters (Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi, and Tim Anaya) give their take on the Republican National Convention. They analyze former President Trump's speech, given just a few days after an assassination attempt. They also discuss vice presidential candidate JD Vance's speech and weigh in on how well the other speakers at the convention set up the GOP for the fall campaign.
Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education, joins us to discuss his latest book The Great Classroom Collapse, which investigates the implosion of rigor and learning in America’s schools. He shares the stories of some of the parents, teachers, and policymakers he profiles in the book and discusses what can be done to improve classroom learning and give all students a greater opportunity for a successful future.
Longtime Sacramento lobbyist and college professor Chris Micheli joins us to discuss his new book, The Complete Practical Guide to California Government. They discuss areas of state government that need reform, recent controversies over the use of non-disclosure agreements in the legislative process and whether efforts to enact tax and spending reform will ever succeed. Plus Tim and Ro discuss the controversy over Gavin Newsom’s aborted effort to have legislators place an alternate Prop. 47 reform measure on the November ballot and President Biden’s attempts the limit the damage after his disastrous debate performance.
Who won? Who helped themselves the most in the polls? PRI's team of former speechwriters - Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi, and Tim Anaya - analyze the First 2024 Presidential Debate. They discuss President Biden's shockingly poor performance and whether President Trump learned his lessons from his 2020 debate mistakes, plus they grade the candidates' answers on immigration, the economy, foreign policy and more.
Our guest this week is Charles Kesler, one of the nation's most prominent political philosophers. He teaches government at Claremont McKenna and is the editor of the Claremont Review of Books. Prof. Kesler's former students have produced a book celebrating his work entitled: "Leisure with Dignity: Essays in Celebration of Charles R. Kesler." We'll let him explain the title.
Dr. Matt Beech, director of the Center for British Politics at the University of Hull and senior fellow at UC Berkeley’s Institute of European Studies, is back with a preview of the upcoming UK elections on July 4. We discuss the major contenders and their platforms, what kind of prime minister Keir Starmer would be if elected, how the lingering effects of Brexit will impact the vote, and whether the “special relationship” between the US and the UK will be impacted by who is elected on July 4.
Partner in Schaerr-Jaffe and PRI fellow in legal studies Erik Jaffe joins us this week for his annual preview of the decisions in the hot cases that will be handed down by the Supreme Court this month. Lance Izumi and Erik discuss how the Court may rule on President Trump's immunity claims and the remaining legal issues following the Dobbs ruling. They also talk about cases PRI is particularly interested in, such as the Grants Pass case concerning the power of local governments to address homeless encampments.
Join us for a special episode featuring a speech by Newsweek opinion editor Batya Ungar-Sargon at a recent PRI luncheon in San Francisco. Ms. Ungar-Sargon discussed her latest book, "Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women." Also, Ro and Tim discuss the legislature's recent House of Origin deadline, including legislation on retail theft, homework, and legalizing drinking alcohol on city sidewalks.
Join us for a special presentation of remarks by noted economist Stephen Moore, who was the keynote speaker and honoree at this year’s PRI Baroness Thatcher Dinner in Newport Beach. He talks about the challenges facing the US economy today and gives a preview of what economic policy would look like under a re-elected President Biden or President Trump. Tim and Ro also discuss the start of the summer travel season, Trump and Biden agreeing to two presidential debates, and the key bills that were defeated or advanced out of the Appropriations Committees.
California is in a deep budget deficit. In the May Revised budget, Gov. Newsom’s makes real cuts and suggests some efficiency improvements but are they enough? PRI senior fellow in business and economics Wayne Winegarden unpacks the governor’s plan. The proposal still relies on too many budget gimmicks and fund shifts, and underestimates the severity of the current budget shortfall.
From PRI’s 2024 Sacramento policy conference, senior director of education studies Lance Izumi moderates a panel discussing the implosion of academic rigor in California’s schools, and how that affects California’s students – particularly those most vulnerable – and impacts the state’s economic competitiveness. A preview of his upcoming PRI book The Great Classroom Collapse, Lance talks with parent activists who share their stories about challenging the education status quo in their communities. Learn about reforms to ensure students can graduate and are prepared to enter the workforce. Plus Tim discusses the pro-Hamas demonstrations at UCLA that shocked the nation and breaks down the Sacramento political finger pointing that took place in the aftermath of the riots.
This week, we're pleased to a special presentation by PRI's Dr. Wayne Winegarden on our new Spending Watch initiative, which calculates the impact of major state legislation on outmigration, unemployment, taxes, and the economy. In his presentation from PRI's recent Sacrament policy conference, he discusses the first Spending Watch analysis on the controversial reparations legislation. Tim and Ro also talk about the debate over controversial legislation to outlaw NDAs in legislative negotiations.
Our podcast guest this week is Todd Myers, director of the Washington Policy Center’s Center for the Environment. With more than two decades in environmental policy, Todd’s experience includes work on a range of environmental issues, including climate policy, forest health, old-growth forests, and salmon recovery. Todd’s new book is “Time to Think Small: How nimble environmental technologies can solve the planet’s biggest problems,” which he discussed at PRI’s Annual Sacramento Policy Conference earlier this year. This podcast is a recording of his talk.
From PRI’s recent Sacramento policy conference, we present a panel discussion featuring elected officials, innovators, and policy researchers discussing creative approaches to addressing California’s homeless problem. Speakers include Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, who is suing the city of Sacramento over its failure to enforce homeless laws on the books, Joanne Price from the innovative nonprofit Dignity Moves, which prioritizes building more economical and effective interim supportive housing, and PRI’s Dr. Wayne Winegarden, who details the findings of the new Free Cities Center booklet on housing and homelessness. Plus, Tim and Ro discuss legislation that would give you the right to “ignore your boss” outside work hours.
With reform legislation being debated to address rising incidents of retail and auto theft and a ballot measure in circulation to repeal the most sweeping provisions of Prop. 47, we present a panel discussion on California’s growing crime problem from PRI’s recent Sacramento conference. Speakers include retired Brigadier Gen. Bob Spano, whose aunt was tragically murdered in the 1980s, crime victim advocate Nina Salarno who was recently appointed Modoc County District Attorney, and Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. Plus, Tim and Ro discuss the solar eclipse and the Democrats’ “early action” budget plan.
Our podcast this week is a recording of remarks by Andrew Stuttaford, editor of National Review’s Capital Markets. Andrew spoke at a PRI dinner in San Francisco in March on progressives’ efforts to mandate electric vehicles and the problems that lie ahead should they be successful. Before becoming a writer and commentator, he worked in finance for nearly four decades. In addition to National Review and NRO, Andrew Stuttaford’s work has been published in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and City Journal.
Our guest this week is former Assemblymember Mike Gatto, who during his tenure, chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee. Mike Gatto was an up-and-coming lawmaker when his father was brutally murdered. To try and solve the mystery of his father’s murder, Mike journeys through the world of crime investigations, modern law enforcement in Los Angeles, and politics. He shares his experience and insight against a backdrop of surging violent crime in cities across the state. His father’s case is still unsolved.
Filmmakers Robert Bryce and Tyson Culver join us to discuss their new docuseries Juice, which explores how misguided government energy policies and cronyism are threatening energy reliability and affordability. Also, Rowena and Tim discuss why Gov. Newsom is delaying his State of the State address and the latest legislative proposal to address California's $73 billion budget deficit.
Our annual former PRI speechwriters analyze President Biden’s State of the Union Address: Senior Director of Education Lance Izumi was chief speechwriter to Gov. Deukmejian and Attorney General Ed Meese, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Tim Anaya was speechwriter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and numerous legislators and COO Rowena Itchon was a speechwriter for Gov. Pete Wilson and a researcher on President Reagan’s speechwriting staff.
Our guest this week is Rea Hederman, executive director of the Economic Research Center and vice president of policy at The Buckeye Institute, a free market think tank based in Ohio. Its new report, “Net-Zero Climate-Control Policies Fail Farmers and Families” looks at the impact the Biden administration’s climate-control policies will have on farmers and families. Farm operating costs is estimated to increase by 34%, annual grocery bills will increase $1,330, and the cost of basic food items will increase more than 70%. We discuss with Rea Hederman how California’s farmers and families could be particularly hard hit.
Our podcast guest this week is Steve Hilton, the keynote speaker at PRI’s 2024 Sacramento Ideas in Action Conference. Steve was a top advisor to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, a contributor at Fox News, and now running “Golden Together” a group focused on new ideas to increase affordable housing in California. Steve gave a rousing talk to our audience, rallying our guests to continue the fight for limited government and free market ideas.
Our guest this week is Paul Tice, a Wall Street veteran and now an adjunct professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business. His new book The Race to Zero provides a detailed rebuttal to the case for sustainable investing from the perspective of a long-time Wall Street analyst, investor, and now a finance professor. He argues that sustainable investing doesn’t aim to generate high returns for investors or to further ethical goals such as saving the planet; rather, its proponents want to control of the world’s financial system in order to ensure that the allocation of capital and investments across markets is politically favorable to establishment interests.
Our guest this week is Stanford University historian Jennifer Burns. Professor Burns has just published her new book “Milton Friedman: The Last Conservative.” Milton Friedman was a tremendous supporter of PRI and our work, giving lectures and attending many events. We invited Prof. Burns, who specializes in U.S. twentieth century history focusing on the state, markets, and capitalism and how these play out in policy and politics, to discuss the life of one of the greatest economists of the 20th century and his groundbreaking work.
Our guests this week are Steve Greenhut, director of PRI’s Free Cities Center and Wayne Winegarden, senior fellow in business and economics. The two have joined forces to produce PRI’s latest mini book from the Free Cities Center, “Giving Housing Supply a Boost: How to Improve Affordability and Reduce Homelessness.” They discuss the policies that have made homebuilding prohibitively expensive in the state, contributing to the high cost of housing and increasing homelessness.
Roger Simon wrote novels and screenplays before co-founding and becoming CEO of the pioneering blog aggregation and news and opinion website PJ Media (formerly Pajamas Media) in 2005. He’s best known for the Moses Wine detective series, which have won prizes from the Mystery Writers of America and the Crime Writers of Great Britain. In his latest book, American Refugees: The Untold Story of the Mass Exodus from Blue States to Red States, he profiles people like him who got fed up with the politics, taxes, etc. in states like California and decided to move across the country to red states like Tennessee – states that they thought would be a welcome haven from their former leftist home states. We chat with Roger about what he and others found when they reached their destination.
Our guest this week is Jeff Anderson, president of the American Main Street Initiative, which publishes political and public policy research by scholars and writers. Jeff has held many prominent positions in presidential administrations, including director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics at the Justice Department. Jeff was also a professor at the Air Force Academy. We chat with Jeff about the upcoming presidential elections, his thoughts on the candidates and their prospects, and his insights on the electorate.
Listen as PRI’s All Stars – Wayne Winegarden, Lance Izumi, Sally Pipes, and Steve Smith – respond to Gov. Newsom’s much-anticipated 2024-25 state budget plan. They discuss Gov. Newsom’s much lower state budget projection and spending priorities, the budget’s impact on K-12 education, whether the Governor will suspend the controversial $25 health care minimum wage increase, and how it will affect efforts to increase public safety in California.
PRI's All Stars - Rowena Itchon, Tim Anaya, Lance Izumi, and Kerry Jackson - are back with their choices for 2023's biggest winners and losers, in our annual tribute to the McLaughlin Group. We hand out our choices for best and worst ideas of the year, the bummest wraps, and give our predictions for who is destined for stardom in 2024.
Calling all history buffs, this episode is for you! PRI board member and Hillsdale College Associate Professor of Government Richard Samuelson joins us to discuss the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, the events surrounding the incident, and the lessons we can learn from the Boston Tea Party about today’s politics. Plus, Ro and Tim discuss California’s $68 billion budget deficit and Kevin McCarthy’s retirement from Congress.
Attorney, political analyst and “Get Out the Bet” podcast co-host Melissa Caen joins us to discuss all things politics. We discuss the latest on Mayor London Breed’s re-election chances, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s global travels, the California U.S. Senate race and the race for the White House. Plus Tim and Ro discuss the 10 Freeway fire in Los Angeles.
Our guest is Ben Judge, managing director of Monument Valley, a firm focused on adapting academic research for popular audiences. Ben is also the creator and executive producer of the documentary Right Makes Might: The Lincoln-Douglas Debates. We chat with Ben about his new book United and Independent: John Quincy Adams and American Foreign Policy. The father of early American foreign policy, we ask Ben whether there are lessons to be learned from Adams’ foreign policy doctrine and if they can be applied to the foreign policy challenges we face today.
The PRI holiday book gift guide has become an annual tradition. This year’s list has something for everyone on your gift list: politics, history, business, philosophy, mystery, horror, and good old-fashion whodunits. Enjoy and happy holiday shopping.
Our guest this week is Scott Beyer, founder of the Market Urbanist, a website that reports and researches innovative free-market policy solutions to the myriad of problems many cities are facing. Scott is the author of PRI’s new mini book: Latin America’s Urban Experience: How Markets Help Developing Countries Cope with Government Dysfunction. Scott is on a three-continent tour (Latin America, Africa, and Asia) to experience first-hand what cities in developing countries are doing to improve the lives of residents and what the U.S. can learn from these communities with very little government assistance and the free market at work.
Attorney, professor and master negotiator John Lowry, author of the new book "Negotiation Made Simple," joins us with advice for listeners on how to maximize your position whether you're haggling over an employment contract or the price of a new car. He also shares his thoughts on some current negotiations generating media headlines. Plus, Tim and Ro weigh in on Gov. Newsom's trip to China.
Attorney, professor and master negotiator John Lowry, author of the new book "Negotiation Made Simple," joins us with advice for listeners on how to maximize your position whether you're haggling over an employment contract or the price of a new car. He also shares his thoughts on some current negotiations generating media headlines. Plus, Tim and Ro weigh in on Gov. Newsom's trip to China.
This is a special recording of a recent PRI dinner in San Francisco featuring Professor Charles Kesler, the editor of the Claremont Review of Books, offering his perspective on U.S. politics and the global situation in Israel and China. Ro and Tim also weigh in on Gov. Newsom's trip to China and Israel.
sddasdasOur guest this week is Emily Hoeven, opinion columnist at The San Francisco Chronicle. Before coming to the Chronicle, she wrote CalMatters’ daily WhatMatters newsletter on California politics and policy and makes frequent appearances on TV, radio, podcasts, panels, and helped launch a weekly political segment on ABC 10. We chat with Emily on a variety of issues affecting San Francisco and California from homelessness, to housing affordability, to the new leadership in the Assembly and Gov. Newsom’s political prospects.
It’s that time of the year when the Governor decides which bills to sign and which to veto. Rowena Itchon, chief operating officer at PRI and Tim Anaya, vice president of marketing and communications have a round-up discussion of the major bills -- from health care to climate change to unemployment benefits for striking workers. In addition, they give their take on the GOP move to remove Cong. Kevin McCarthy from the Speakership, and the issues facing California’s newest Senator – Laphonza Butler.
Our guest this week is PRI senior fellow Dr. Wayne Winegarden. We discuss with Wayne his new study comparing the results of states that had very restrictive COVID-19 policies versus those that did not. He concludes that while COVID-19 restrictions did lead to some health benefits, they were unfortunately negated by large economic and education losses. We also discuss with Wayne the policy lessons learned should we ever experience another pandemic.
Our guest this week is Kerry Jackson, PRI’s senior fellow on California Reform. Kerry has been following Gov. Newsom’s and Attorney General Bonta’s lawsuit on oil companies and its implications. He also discusses SB 253, a corporate climate change disclosure bill; the federal and state push for electric busses including school buses, hydrogen cars, and “Climate Week.”
Our guest this week is Clark Judge, founder and managing director of the White House Writers Group and Chairman of PRI. A former speechwriter to Pres. Ronald Reagan, Clark is a veteran of Washington politics and presidential elections. We chat with Clark to get his insights on California politics from his national perspective and what we can expect from the upcoming election cycle.
Our guest this week is Steve Greenhut, director of PRI’s Free Cities Center and a veteran California journalist. Steve recaps the legislative session with the highlights and lowlights (unfortunately for Californians, mostly lowlights). He also weighs in on the new Speaker Robert Rivas, the ever-controversial Public Safety Committee, and Gov. Newsom’s political prospects.
Our guest this week is PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden who discusses his new study “The Free Cities Index.” Many of America’s cities have been on the decline for years, while other cities have thrived and attracted more and more Americans. Wayne examined a multitude of variables – taxes, crime, schools – and ranked the 50 largest U.S. cities in terms of livability and growth. Not surprisingly, the states that ranked the highest have seen increasing migration, while states near the bottom have seen population declines. Unfortunately, many of California’s largest cities are ranked near the bottom.
Our guest this week is Lance Izumi, senior director of education at PRI. Lance discusses all things education – from the Supreme Court’s decision on the Harvard case on Asian American admissions discrimination, to wokism in our schools – including the new woke math in California. Lance also highlights the results of a recent PRI survey on parents’ assessment of their local school boards.
Enjoy the discussion from PRI’s recent luncheon with UC Berkeley Law Professor and author John Yoo, discussing his new book “The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Supreme Court,” in conversation with PRI senior fellow Steven Hayward. In addition to the book, they discuss other hot legal topics including the debate over ethics requirements for the Supreme Court and the recent Montana state court ruling on climate change.
Our guest this week is New York Times bestselling author Carol Roth She discusses her newest bookYou Will Own Nothing with PRI senior fellow in business and economic studies Wayne Winegarden. Carol examines global inflation, government spending, and a growing trend in Western countries to not accumulate wealth. She cautious that this is the perfect economic environment for the rich and powerful to solidify their positions and prevent anyone else from getting ahead. Carol reveals how the agendas of many large corporations, world governments, international organizations, and socialist activists, are working to reduce the power of the dollar and prevent millions of Americans from taking control of their wealth. She shows why owning fewer assets makes you poorer and less free. This book is an essential guide to protecting America’s prosperity for the coming generations.
Our guest this week is Heather Mac Donald, bestselling author and Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute. This is a recording of a luncheon discussion on her new book “When Race Trumps Merit.” Heather argues that racial disparities at universities, executive suites, the medical and legal professions and other fields are due to the academic skills gap that causes the current lack of proportional representation. She believes that so long as alleged racism remains the main explanation for these racial disparities, we will tear down excellence and put lives, as well as civilizational achievement, at risk.
Our guest this week is Paul Atkins, CEO of Potomak Partners, a financial services consulting firm in Washington, DC. Paul was also a commissioner at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 2002 to 2008. We discuss with Paul ESG – environmental, social, and governance – investing and its negative impact on shareholders, retirement investors, and the investing public, as well as government’s overreach in advancing the ESG agenda.
On this week’s episode, we talk with Bob Spano and Carl Olson, whose beloved family members were tragically murdered decades ago, and who have recently been forced to relive these traumatic memories when the individuals who murdered their family members were granted parole. PRI senior fellow Steve Smith discusses how misguided policy changes and executive actions are contributing to the state’s broken parole system, and what lawmakers and Gov. Newsom should do to fix the problem.
Our guest this week is Kerry Jackson, PRI senior fellow at our Center for California Reform. He and senior fellow in business and economics Wayne Winegarden, Ph.D. co-authored PRI’s new study “Enriching Lawyers and Not Helping Victims: Why tort reform will help grow the economy and address injustice. The study found that Americans pay a “tort tax” of $1,300 per person thanks to lawsuit abuse. Reforming the legal system could boost the U.S. economy by 2 percent over time. Kerry discusses the findings of the study and offers recommendations on we can mitigate this drag on the economy.
This week, we’re joined by Bill Meehan, editor of the new book on William F. Buckley’s travel writings, Getting About. He discusses Buckley’s passion for travel writing, some of the most entertaining moments from his global journeys, and what advice today’s travelers can take away from Buckley’s years of travel adventures.
On this Independence Day week our guest is Ken Pope, CEO of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. It’s been nearly 35 years since the Berlin Wall has fallen, but communism continues to thrive in many areas around the world. Ken discusses the continuing threat of communism, why it’s important for our young people to know its history of devastation and suffering, and the work of the Foundation in educating all Americans on the importance of protecting our freedoms.
Stephen Soukup joins us this week to discuss the newly released paperback edition of his book The Dictatorship of Woke Capital, which explores how Wall Street and corporate investing has gone woke on issues like ESG. We discuss the evolution of American business and the economic philosophies that shaped the push for woke capitalism, the players advocating for investing based on social issues, and proposed regulations and legislation that could undermine investments in politically incorrect companies and industries.
Transportation expert Marc Joffe of the Cato Institute joins Steven Greenhut of PRI’s Free Cities Center for a discussion of how to transform transportation policy in California to better serve customers and focus on transportation engineering rather than social engineering. They also discuss the current state budget debate over a bailout for state transit.
In September 2020, Gov. Newsom signed an executive order requiring all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Wayne Winegarden, PhD and co-author of PRI’s new study “Sapping California’s Energy Future” discusses why this and other policies from Sacramento are jeopardizing California’s energy security and could lead to future energy shortages. The study finds that California will fall 21.1 percent short of the electricity required to meet the state’s 100 percent electric vehicle mandates. Wayne advocates repealing California’s green mandates, and instead promote market-based climate change policies and embrace technologies that secure a low-emission energy system.
Erik Jaffe, PRI adjunct fellow in legal studies and one of America’s top constitutional lawyers, joins us for his annual preview of the hot Supreme Court cases that will be handed down before the end of the term. They discuss cases involving private property rights, tech, college admissions policies, legislative gerrymandering, and more. They also explore the controversy over Supreme Court ethics and the mystery of why we still haven’t found the Supreme Court “leaker.”
Our guest this week is Hoover Institution senior fellow and UCLA professor Dr. Lee Ohanian. He and host senior fellow Dr. Wayne Winegarden discuss California’s growing outmigration problem and its contributing factors including unaffordable housing, the high cost of living, homelessness and other problems plaguing California.
Bill Smith of the Pioneer Institute in Massachusetts joins Wayne and Tim to discuss his important new book “Rationing Medicine”, which focuses on an obscure economic concept called QALYs – or quality adjusted life years. Government bureaucrats in Europe use QALYs to deny access to life saving medications for patients. Some in the U.S. are pushing for the adoption of QALYs as a way to address high prescription drug costs. Learn how QALYs would jeopardize health care innovation and harm patients.
The Biden Administration has just revived the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, which is another costly green mandate on the production of electricity in the U.S. Buckeye Institute Vice President of Policy Rea Hederman Jr. joins us to discuss their new report showing how much more Californians and Ohioans could pay for electricity if the plan takes effect, and how it would subject the rest of the country to the type of green energy mandates that Californians have been struggling to afford for years.
PRI fellow in agriculture policy Pam Lewison joins us for a discussion of how this year’s record rainfall has been both a blessing and a major challenge for California’s farmers. She also discusses federal and state policy debates and pending legal rulings that could significantly impact state water policy and California agriculture.
PRI Senior Fellow in Tech and Innovation Bartlett Cleland joins Next Round for a discussion on the hot debates in Washington and Sacramento on tech policy. Bartlett and Tim discuss what federal policymakers should do on TikTok and ChatGPT. They also explore the just-announced regulations to implement California’s upcoming privacy law and state legislation aimed at protecting minors online.
Our guest on this week’s podcast is Kevin Hassett, the 29th Chairman of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers under President Trump. Dr. Hassett was the speaker at a recent PRI dinner in Palo Alto. He is Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and the author of several books, including The Drift: Stopping America’s Slide to Socialism (Regnery Publishing, 2021). He served as the Chair in American Politics and Culture and Director of Research for Domestic Policy at the American Enterprise Institute, and Senior Economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
Our podcast guest this week is Sally Pipes, PRI president and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care. Sally discusses two health care bills that are wending their way through the legislature. Senate bill 770 is a new bill sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener – a more incremental approach to single-payer. The other bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Ash Kalra, is one that we’ve seen in the past, an approach that would mean a complete takeover of health care by state government. She also updates listeners on Sen. Bernie Sanders’ new efforts at the federal level.
Our podcast guest this week is fellow podcaster Spencer Klavan, host of the podcast “The American Mind.” In his new book: “How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for 5 Modern Crises,” Spencer defends Western culture and explains why and how we must hand it on to future generations. Spencer is a classicists with a PhD from Oxford. He lectured at Oxford before becoming associate editor of the Claremont Review of Books.
Our podcast this week features PRI senior fellow in business and economics Wayne Winegarden. Wayne discusses his study ranking the 50 states in terms of the regulatory burden imposed on charities by the state. Nonprofits and charities make significant contributions to communities – from food pantries to homeless shelters, to churches and schools. In some states, the regulatory cost of starting a charity or the reporting requirements and fees can be onerous. Listen to the podcast to find out where your state stands. Also, Wayne gives his thoughts on the state of the economy given the recent bank failures.
Our guest this week is noted author and attorney Philip Howard. Beginning with his book The Death of Common Sense in 1995, Philip has written about the central role of human responsibility in a functioning government—the freedom to make timely choices, and to be accountable for them. In 2002, he formed Common Good, a nonpartisan coalition to champion these ideas. His latest book, Not Accountable, shows how elected officials have been disempowered by public unions.
This is the final podcast recording of PRI’s Annual Sacramento Policy Conference. The theme of this panel discussion is “Reimagining Our Cities.” The panelists include Hon. Daniel Kolkey, PRI board member and chair of PRI’s California Reform Committee; Tom Tait, former mayor of Anaheim on Anaheim’s “freedom experiment” under his leadership; and Sal Rodriguez, a PRI senior fellow, Opinion Editor of the Southern California News Group and author of PRI’s new mini book, Dynamism or Decay? Getting City Hall Out of the Way.
Our podcast this week features a panel from PRI’s 5th Annual Ideas in Action Conference in Sacramento. The All-Star PRI panel on improving the quality of life in our cities includes PRI president and Thomas W. Smith fellow in Health Care Sally Pipes, who discusses the state of African American Health Care in our cities; Senior Director of Education Lance Izumi on improving inner-city schools; and senior fellow Steve Smith on crime and safety.
This podcast is a recording of a panel discussion on the conditions of America’s largest cities from PRI’s 5th Annual Ideas in Action Conference in Sacramento. It features an upcoming study by PRI senior fellow in business and economics Wayne Winegarden presented by PRI’s COO Rowena Itchon; Margaret “Marjy” Stagmeier of Tristar Real Estate Investment and author of Blighted: A Story of People, Politics and American Housing; and The Hon. Steve McShane, Salinas City Councilmember and CEO of the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Our guest this week is Keith Knopf, President and CEO of Raley’s. Mr. Knopf was the keynote speaker at this year’s PRI Sacramento conference. He is a senior retail executive who brings deep expertise in strategic leadership, business transformation, consumer insights, sustainability and governance. Keith served in an executive capacity in three Fortune 200 companies including May Co., Victoria’s Secret, and Kohl’s before joining Raley’s. Mr. Knopf discusses the problems facing businesses operating in the state from overregulation to crime to the high cost of living.
Our guest this week is best-selling author Michael Shellenberger who gave the closing remarks at this year’s Sacramento policy conference. Michael is the author of San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities and Apocalypse Never: Why Environmental Alarmism Hurts Us All. He is cofounder of the California Peace Coalition, an alliance of parents of children killed by fentanyl, parents of homeless addicts, and recovering addicts. Michael is a leading investigative journalist who has broken major stories on crime and drug policy as well as homelessness.
Our guest this week is PRI senior fellow in urban studies Steve Smith. Steve is a former police officer, has helped organize peacekeeping forces abroad, and is a retired professor of justice administration. His new study, “Paradise Lost: Crime in the Golden State, 2011 – 2021” documents how a decade of dramatic criminal justice policy changes aimed at reducing incarceration – including AB 109 and Prop. 47 and 57 – and sweeping executive orders issued by Gov. Newsom during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to what Steve calls “mass victimization,” of Californians and is now responsible for the increase in crime statewide.
Our all-star cast of former speechwriters are back to unpack the President’s State of the Union Address. Lance Izumi, senior director of Education, was director of Gov. “Duke” Deukmejian’s speechwriting team and was also a speechwriter for former Attorney General Edwin Meese; Tim Anaya, vice president of marketing and communications, was Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s speechwriter and also wrote speeches for senior California legislators; and Rowena Itchon, COO, was a speechwriter for Gov. Pete Wilson’s and a researcher in President Reagan’s speechwriting office.
Our guest this week is one of the nation’s leading experts on China, Gordon Chang. His analysis and commentary have been published in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Barron’s, the National Review and other major media outlets. He’s also appeared in many television news shows – including CNN, FOX News, CNBC, CBS, PBS, and the BBC. In these recorded remarks to PRI supporters, Gordon Chang discusses China’s quest to remake the international order.
Our guest this week is Steve Greenhut, PRI director of its Free Cities Center and the author of PRI’s book Winning the Water Wars. Steve discusses the damage from the January storms and the state’s lack of water storage infrastructure that would have prevented the water from running out into the Pacific Ocean. Despite the heavy rains, the state may still be facing a drought in the summer months. It’s time that the state’s elected officials get serious about water storage and water markets.
Our guest this week is foreign policy expert Kiron Skinner. Prof. Skinner is the Taube Professor of International Relations and Politics at Pepperdine School of Public Policy. She’s the recipient of PRI’s 2022 Sir Antony Fisher Freedom Prize. Prof. Skinner’s past government service includes positions at the State and Defense departments. She is an award-winning and best-selling author with particular scholarship focused on the life and public policy of President Ronald Reagan. Prof. Skinner gives a comprehensive analysis of the threats to the U.S.’s national security worldwide.
Our guest in this episode is Steve Hilton, host of The Next Revolution on Fox News and The Daily California podcast. He is the author of Positive Populism – Revolutionary Ideas to Rebuild Economic Security, Family and Community in America and the UK Sunday Times bestseller More Human – Designing a World Where People Come First. Steve was previously CEO of Crowdpac, the political crowdfunding platform he co-founded in 2014, and before that was Senior Advisor to former Prime Minister David Cameron, where he helped lead the implementation of the British government’s domestic reform program. This podcast was a recording of a luncheon talk for PRI where he discussed the next revolution in California.
What you’ve all been waiting – PRI All-Stars Year-End Awards. The cast of PRI characters include Lance Izumi, senior director of education; Kerry Jackson, senior fellow on California Reform, Ben Smithwick, vice president of development, Tim Anaya, vice president of marketing and communications, and your host Rowena Itchon.
Our special guest this week is golfing legend Dottie Pepper. Her book, Letters to A Future Champion – My Time with Mr. Pulver, caught Tim’s eye and he made it his book recommendation for last year’s Holiday Book guide. We chat with Dottie about her book, which is a tribute to her mentor Mr. Pulver and the life lessons he taught Dottie. We also talk a little public policy – what she thinks about California’s heavy taxation on athletes and all California residents, and the issue of name, image, and likeness rights for college athletes.
Our guest this week is Marjy Stagmeier, a successful Georgia developer and author of the new book Blighted: A Story of People, Politics, and an American Housing. Marjy describes her own remarkable efforts in transforming an urban community of crime and despair into one where families could thrive, schools improve, and streets become safer for all. The book should sound a wake-up call to all those who previously thought rehabilitation of marginalized apartment communities was unachievable.
Our guest this week is Robert Baggott, a recently retired fixed-income trader. Bob was with the Capital Group for more than 16 years and before that was in institutional sales. These days he sails and does a lot of volunteer work, especially serving the sick and the poor. Now that he’s retired however, he no longer has to be a buttoned-up Wall Street guy and he tells us what he really thinks. We chat with Bob about the Fed, interest rates, inflation, the economy, and his investment outlook. Bob is also quite the poet and reads one of his compositions at the end of the podcast.
Right by the Bay blog readers know that around this time of the year, we’ve traditionally put together a holiday gift book recommendation list for our supporters. This year we’re providing the list via podcast from our staffers themselves. As an added treat, we also provide our holiday drink recommendations. We cover it all – books from the wonky to the practical, photography to children’s books. Happy Thanksgiving and happy book shopping.
Our guest this week is Clark Judge, PRI Chairman and Managing Director and Founder of the White House Writers Group, a high-stakes communications firm. Clark provides his insights on the results of the recent mid-term elections and what it means for Republicans, Democrats, free-market policies, and the 2024 presidential race.
Our guest this week is Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics. The new members of Congress will take office in January in the midst of high inflation and economic uncertainty. PRI has developed a To Do List of reforms for both Washington and Sacramento. Wayne discusses some of the key reforms that would help mitigate high gas prices, rising energy costs, as well as inflation, and put the economy back on a path to growth and prosperity.
Our guest this week is Todd Myers, Director of Center for the Environment at the Washington Policy Center. Todd discusses his new book, Time to Think Small: How nimble environmental technologies can solve the planet’s biggest problems. The book outlines how small technologies are empowering people to protect threatened wildlife species, reduce CO2 emissions, and reduce ocean plastic. We chat with Todd about how innovative entrepreneurs and everyday citizens are doing a much more effective job at cleaning the environment than government.
PRI’s All-Star panelists gather again to preview the mid-term elections. We discuss both the California and national elections, the gaffes and the scandals of this campaign season, and of course, our predictions. Featured are senior director of education Lance Izumi, California fellow Kerry Jackson, senior director of communications Tim Anaya, and Rowena Itchon, senior vice president.
Our guest this week is Brian Domitrovic, an economic historian focusing on the history and development of supply-side economics. He is the author of six books, beginning with the now standard history of supply-side economics Econoclasts(2009) and now his current book, Taxes Have Consequences (co-authored with Arthur B. Laffer and Jeanne Sinquefield) on the history of the income tax in the U.S. He has been a professor at institutions in Texas and Colorado and is the Richard S. Strong Scholar at the Laffer Center in Nashville. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University.
Father’s Joe’s Villages was established in 1950 to serve San Diegans experiencing homelessness and poverty. It has grown to include a comprehensive campus and other sites that house over 2,000 people nightly. We discussed with Deacon Jim Vargas, President and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages, their program to help the homeless gain self-sufficiency and his thoughts on the growing homelessness problem in California.
Our guest this week is Nick Loris, Vice President of Public Policy at C3 Solutions, short for Conservative Coalition for Climate Solutions. Nick studies and writes about a wide range of energy and climate policies, including natural resource extraction, energy subsidies, nuclear energy, renewable power and energy efficiency. Tim caught up with Nick at the State Policy Network annual meeting in Atlanta. They talk about all things energy, including the state and federal green energy policies as well as the unrelenting high gas prices at the pump.
A known thought leader, writer, and speaker on all issues of innovation, communications and technology, PRI Senior Fellow Bartlett Cleland has spent his entire public policy career in the technology and innovation space. Tim sat down with Bartlett at the State Policy Network Annual Meeting in Atlanta where they discuss tech and public policy.
Our guest this week is Paul Cho, CFO of LifeArk, an organization that has designed 3-D printed houses for the homeless. The first prototype community of its kind is in El Monte, California. Paul discussed the current challenges in building housing for the homeless, including the bureaucratic hurdles presented by CEQA, the California Environmental Quality Act, as well as misguided “housing first” policies. We also ask him what advice he would give Governor Newsom when it comes to mitigating the housing and homeless crisis here in the state.
Next Round has a very special guest on this podcast – John O’Neill. He was the author of Unfit for Command, the bestseller detailing John Kerry’s tour of Vietnam. Now he has a new book, the Dancer and the Devil, the Dancer being ballerina Anna Pavlova and the Devil, Joseph Stalin. John makes the case that it was Stalin who was responsible for Pavlova’s mysterious and sudden death. He also discusses the history of bioweapons, how they have been the weapon of choice for communist countries against enemies of the state, and the origins of the Wuhan virus in China.
Our guest this week is Steve Greenhut, a fellow at PRI and director of PRI’s upcoming Free Cities Center. Steve is back to discuss the just ended legislative session and the new laws that Californians could see in the books. We discuss with Steve the franchise tax bill and what it means for restaurants, new housing bills, green energy, zero-cash bail, the future of single-payer health care, the budget and prospects for a prolonged recession.
Our guest this week is Deroy Murdoch, National Review and FOX News contributor. We have a free-wheeling discussion on all things politics – from President Biden’s recent wins, to the upcoming mid-term elections, to Gov. Newsom’s prospects for higher office. He also gives his perspective on the state of the Golden State from his vantage point as a former Californian now living in New York City.
Our guest this week is Secretary Betsy DeVos in conversation with Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education. Sec. DeVos is author of the new book Hostages No More: The Fight for Education Freedom and the Future of the American Child (Center Street Books). They discuss how we can expand school choice options for every student and parent, how to improve student performance, how to roll back government intrusion into classroom learning, and other key education reform topics.
Now that it has been passed by Congress, PRI’s top experts join us to discuss what the so-called Inflation Reduction Act will mean for you and your family. Sally Pipes analyzes the health care provisions of the legislation, particularly its impact on the future of Obamacare, and the development and availability of life-saving medications. Wayne Winegarden discusses the bill’s climate provisions, and whether it will have any positive impact on inflation or the economy.
Now that it has been passed by Congress, PRI’s top experts join us to discuss what the so-called Inflation Reduction Act will mean for you and your family. Sally Pipes analyzes the health care provisions of the legislation, particularly its impact on the future of Obamacare, and the development and availability of life-saving medications. Wayne Winegarden discusses the bill’s climate provisions, and whether it will have any positive impact on inflation or the economy.
On this week’s podcast, enjoy a special presentation of PRI’s recent Newport Beach luncheon featuring Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute in conversation with PRI senior fellow in urban studies Steve Smith. Heather and Steve discuss crime and homelessness in the Golden State.
Join Rowena and Tim for a special celebration of Next Round’s 5th anniversary as they take a trip down memory lane reliving some of our most interesting, provocative, and entertaining interviews. They share behind the scenes stories of how the podcast got started, why its name was changed, and the most embarrassing technical foul-ups. Finally, hear their choices for their favorite podcast guests and the most entertaining cocktail recommendations.
This podcast features a new analysis of Gov. Newsom’s Project Homekey – his plan to alleviate homelessness in the state. Project Homekey, which evolved from the original Project Roomkey, provides taxpayer funds to renovate old buildings or build new ones to house the homeless. PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden and PRI fellow Kerry Jackson join forces to evaluate Project Homekey’s effectiveness in permanently helping the homeless off the streets and into safe housing.
Our guest this week is Michael Pack, director of the documentary “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words.” His new book of the same name includes comments by Justice Thomas that did not make it into the 2-hour film. We discuss with Michael highlights of Justice Thomas’s early life, the people who influenced his views, his confirmation hearing, and his legacy at the Supreme Court.
With California’s fire season in full swing, Eric Edwards and Sara Sutherland, senior research fellows with the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) in Montana, join us to discuss their new paper detailing how bureaucratic federal environmental reviews – much like the California Environmental Quality Act – add delay and expense to critical efforts across the country to reduce wildfire risk on forestland.
Our guest this week is Wayne Winegarden, Senior Fellow in Business & Economics at PRI. We discuss with Wayne what’s on everyone’s mind – inflation, rising gas prices, a possible recession, and whose to blame. He cuts through all the finger-pointing in Washington and Sacramento and offers ways that will truly help lower prices.
Our guest this week is Prof. Matthew Beech, Director of the Centre for British Politics at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. Dr. Beech is also a Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley's Institute of European Studies and the Centre for British Politics. A political scientist and historian, he teaches post-war British political history, government, and the culture wars. We discuss with Dr. Beech, the state of conservative politics, what’s happening with Brexit, and the current relationship between the U.S and U.K.
Former Californian and Georgia Center for Opportunity President Randy Hicks joins us from the Heritage Resource Bank Conference in Nashville to discuss the important work of the Georgia Center in using free market ideas to help lift people out of poverty and up the economic ladder, and the lessons that Californians can learn from their work in Georgia to help positively turn around people’s lives and create safer, more livable communities.
Our guest in this podcast is Robert Alt, president of PRI’s sister think tank in Ohio, the Buckeye Institute. Tim Anaya recently attended the Heritage Foundation’s Resource Bank conference in Nashville and caught up with Robert Alt. They discussed the Institute’s work in challenging Ohio’s COVID-19 mandates and lockdowns, and government overreach.
Our PRI All Stars are back to discuss the results of the California elections. On the panel is Lance Izumi, senior director of education, Kerry Jackson, fellow in California studies, and of course, Rowena Itchon, senior vice president and Tim Anaya, senior director of communications. The All Stars discuss the results of the big races and what it all means for the November election.
Wall Street Journal opinion editor Matthew Hennessey joins us to discuss his new book “Visible Hand,” which breaks down what young people and all Americans should know about economics thanks to some important lessons taught by his parents who bought and operated a bar, his high school soccer coach who painted a mural, ice cream lovers choosing their favorite flavors, and even the lead singer of the Sex Pistols.
Erik Jaffe, PRI adjunct fellow in legal studies and one of the nation’s top constitutional lawyers, joins us to give his reaction to the Supreme Court “leak” and previews the major cases that will be decided in the coming weeks.
In this podcast, our guest is Jim Palmer, president and CEO of the Orange County Rescue Mission, the county’s most comprehensive private homeless services provider. Jim has worked to create long-term self-sufficiency and stability among the homeless by going beyond temporary solutions to address the underlying causes of transitional and chronic homelessness. Steve Greenhut, director of PRI’s Free Cities Project, discusses with Jim Palmer his strategy and success in transforming the lives of thousands of formerly homeless Californians.
In this podcast, our guest is Steve Greenhut, director of PRI’s new Free Cities Project. The Free Cities Project will regularly release incisive research and analysis on crime, housing, education, homelessness, social mobility and other urban issues through commentaries, briefs, videos, and webinars. Through the project, PRI aims to foster serious thinking and incubate good ideas that will improve America’s cities.
Our guest this week is Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow and director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation. Wayne has written a series of papers titled Coverage Denied that analyzes and proposes reforms to fix the problems in the current health insurance system which have threatened patient health outcomes and have led to huge financial risks for patients facing unexpected or chronic health care challenges.
Our podcast guest this week is New York Times bestselling biographer Walter Stahr on his new book on Salmon Chase. Chase is often remembered as Lincoln’s rival for the Republican party nomination in 1860 – but he was much more. He was one of the key leaders of the anti-slavery movement, helped found the Republican Party, served as senator and governor of Ohio, and became a Supreme Court justice. Stahr, in his biography, gives a fresh take on one of the most interesting and influential men of his time.
Our guest this week is PRI Senior Fellow Steve Smith. An expert in public safety policy, he was a former police officer and a former professor of criminal justice. Steve gives his thoughts on the Sacramento shooting as well rising crime in the state, the role of progressive prosecutors, and soft-on-crime policies.
Our guest on this podcast is Paul Mango who was Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the conception, development, and implementation of Operation Warp Speed – the U.S.’s effort to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to America and to the world. Paul discusses how the Trump Administration, the U.S. health care industry, the military, and the nation’s best minds in science and medicine came together in a single effort, saving the lives of hundreds of millions around the world.
Our guest on this podcast is Dr. Murray Sabrin on his new book Universal Medical Care from Conception to End of Life: The Case for A Single-Payer System. Under the individual single-payer system outlined by Dr. Sabrin, every American adult would be in charge of his or her medical coverage. There would be no more conflicts regarding insurance companies or the government on medical procedures and medications. In a free market, every adult--the single payer--would pay for what he/she needs to achieve optimal health.
California once again experienced one of the largest wildfires in state history in 2021, in the shadow of a severe drought that is increasing fire danger. In this panel discussion from PRI’s annual Ideas in Action Conference in Sacramento, policy experts discuss what can be done to reduce wildfires and reform the state’s water policies. The speakers include Steven Greenhut, author of the PRI book Winning the Water Wars; the Hon. Daniel Kolkey, PRI Board Member and Chair of the California Reform Committee; the Hon. James Gallagher, California State Assemblymember of the 3rd District; and Brian Isom, Research Manager, Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University.
This podcast is a recorded panel discussion from PRI’s annual Ideas in Action conference in February. Californians and California businesses have been moving out of the state in droves. This panel discusses the causes of outmigration and what we can do to stem the tide. The speakers include Wayne Winegarden and Kerry Jackson, co-authors of PRI’s study “California Migrating,” Assembly member Vince Fong of the 34th District; Loren Kaye, President of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education; and Scott Kaufman, Legislative Director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
This podcast features the keynote remarks of Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert at PRI’s annual “Ideas in Action” policy conference in Sacramento. Ms. Schubert is known for her successful prosecutions in cases such as the Golden State Killer and the state’s unemployment fraud during the pandemic. She discusses California’s rising crime rate and what policymakers can do to stop this disturbing trend.
The California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, is a 50-year-old law responsible for holding up many projects in the state due to its labyrinthian process and its vulnerability to lawsuits. Across the state, housing developments, schools, hospitals, even bike paths and wildfire mitigation efforts have been stymied by CEQA. Chris Carr, one of the state’s top environmental and land use attorneys, and co-author of PRI’s new study “The CEQA Gauntlet” discusses the problems with CEQA and reforms that will enable the state to safeguard its environment and at the same time grow the economy.
This special edition podcast features PRI’s panel of former speechwriters offering their perspectives on Pres. Biden’s first State of the Union Address. On the panel: Lance Izumi, a former speechwriter to Gov. George Deukmejian and former Attorney General Edwin Meese, and now PRI’s senior director of the Center of Education; Tim Anaya, former speechwriter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Congressman Kevin McCarthy when he was in the California Assembly, and is now senior director of communications at PRI; and Rowena Itchon, former speechwriter to Gov. Pete Wilson, a research assistant in Pres. Reagan’s speechwriting staff, and is now senior vice president at PRI.
Our guest on this podcast is national bestselling author, Michael Shellenberger. He recently spoke to PRI supporters at a luncheon in San Francisco on his new book: San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities. Michael has witnessed San Francisco’s decline over the past 30 years as it struggles with lawlessness, homelessness, violent crime, and drug abuse. He discusses why the policies enacted by San Francisco’s leaders have failed to manage these issues and why the progressive ideology has made the problems worse.
In this podcast, our guest is Steve Smith, senior fellow in Urban Studies. Steve is a recognized leader in education, training, law enforcement, and peacekeeping operations, with over 20 years of experience in domestic and international policing and investigations. He discusses the growing crime in California and other major cities around the country, the consequences of crime policies in recent years, prison reform, and the benefits of community policing.
This podcast, recently celebrating National School Choice Week, features senior director of PRI’s Center for Education Lance Izumi discussing his recent book The Homeschool Boom: Pandemic, Policies and Possibilities. It also includes a panel discussion on school choice and homeschooling with Alicia Carter, PACT Academy principal; Carrie Carlson, a homeschool charter school teacher; and Heather Harrison, a homeschool parent at Ocean Grove Charter School.
Our guest this week is Pam Lewison, Director of the Washington Policy Center Initiative on Agriculture and a PRI Fellow. Pam farms in Eastern Washington and is a tireless advocate for agriculture in the Western states and around the country. She discusses the challenges of being a farmer and rancher under state governments with progressive policies.
Our podcast guest this week is Naomi Schaefer Riley, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of the new book No Way Home: How the Foster Care System, Family Courts, and Racial Activists are Wrecking Young Lives. Naomi discusses the failure of state and federal child welfare systems to keep at-risk children safe and how these kids are getting lost in red tape, bureaucracy, and politics.
In this podcast, our guest is Sally Pipes, President & CEO of the Pacific Research Institute and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy. Sally discusses the new single-payer health care proposal in California, the new tax hikes to fund the plan, and its impact on Californians. She also gives her perspective on whether or not she thinks the plan will pass.
Governor Newsom this week released his 2022-23 state budget plan. The PRI All Stars – Wayne Winegarden, Lance Izumi, and Kerry Jackson – break down what the Governor’s proposed spending bill will mean for you and your family. They discuss its impact on taxes, debt, spending, pensions, education, health care, infrastructure, and more.
Following the opening segment where Tim Anaya and Rowena Itchon discuss their “favorite” new California laws of 2022, listen to PRI’s recent webinar conversation with Chris Wright, CEO of Liberty Energy and PRI board member. PRI senior fellow Steven Hayward moderates a conversation with Wright about energy and the environment, and the critical role that oil and gas plays in the modern world. They also discuss why California and Colorado’s anti-oil and gas laws hurt both their citizens and the environment. Watch his “viral” video calling out The North Face’s critical policies on oil and gas while neglecting to mention that a majority of their products are made from fossil fuels:
https://youtu.be/GH0UjtGCgU4
PRI’s All-Stars are back for the annual year-end rewards: Panelists include Kerry Jackson, Fellow at PRI’s Center for California Reform; Tim Anaya, Senior Director of Communications; Lance Izumi, Senior Director of Education; and Rowena Itchon, Senior Vice President.
Dr. Joshua Rhodes, research associate with the Webber Energy Group at the University of Texas, Austin, joins us to discuss the findings of a new national scorecard on electricity competition in the 50 states, and discusses why electricity competition is key to reducing costs, increasing reliability, and lowering emissions in California and across the country.
Lanhee Chen, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, discusses all things California, from budgetary mismanagement – including COVID-19 relief funds, the looming pension crisis, as well as government accountability and transparency. One of the state’s leading policy experts, Lanhee Chen provides his perspective on the issues facing California.
Manhattan Institute senior fellow Mark Mills joins us to discuss his new book “The Cloud Revolution,” which explores how the convergence of new technologies centered around the Cloud has the potential to unleash the next great American economic boom and could set the stage for another “Roaring ‘20s”.
This week’s podcast guest is Melanie Kirkpatrick, author of Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience. Melanie Kirkpatrick is the former deputy editor of the Wall Street Journal and is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. In her book, you’ll learn what really happened on the first Thanksgiving, how Thanksgiving became a national holiday, and the great traditions of Thanksgiving weekend.
Alicia Jessop, associate professor at Pepperdine University, sports industry leader, attorney, and journalist, discusses the massive changes to college athletics that have resulted from the change in name, image, and likeness regulations earlier this year. Jessop and Evan Harris of PRI’s Young Leaders Circle discuss how college athlete compensation has changed following the Supreme Court ruling in NCAA v. Alston and changes in state law, and analyze the impact of the initial name, image, and likeness deals made by college athletes this year.
PRI senior fellow in business and economics Dr. Wayne Winegarden joins us to discuss the final paper in his “Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity” series on entrepreneurship. Wayne discusses how well-intentioned government policies enacted during the pandemic, such as eviction moratoriums and massive spending increases, actually made the pre-pandemic problems faced by small businesses even worse. He also analyzes the impact the budget reconciliation bill would have on future entrepreneurship and makes recommendations to federal and state policymakers to boost small businesses.
American Enterprise Institute senior fellow and Philanthropy Roundtable Executive Senior Fellow Howard Husock joins us to discuss his new book on housing policy, The Poor Side of Town and Why We Need It. We discuss various “housing reform” movements over the past century that actually wiped away once-thriving neighborhoods and private home ownership for many immigrant and minority communities, and what California policymakers can learn form a century of policy mistakes as they seek to alleviate the state’s housing crisis.
Enjoy this recent conversation between Jon Miltimore of the Foundation for Economic Education and PRI’s Evan Harris for our Young Leaders Circle Speaker Series. They discuss socialism, progressive politics, economic news, and the latest pandemic restrictions.
Our guests in this podcast are Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics and Kerry Jackson, PRI fellow on California Reform. Wayne and Kerry co-authored PRI’s new study “California Migrating,” which reveals the root causes of the outmigration by California residents and businesses. The state’s detrimental policies have reduced people’s quality of life and inhibited their ability to prosper. Kerry and Wayne discuss the reforms we need to bring people back to the state and reinvigorate the California dream.
Roxana Janka of the new Good4U coalition and campaign discusses their mission to ensure every child has the individualized educational options necessary to meet the demands of the workforce and get a good paying job. She also discusses their new statewide poll and the message that California high school parents upset with the current state of public education have for state lawmakers. The podcast begins with Rowena and Tim discussing the latest bad economic numbers and another big California company announcing their move out of state.
Our guest this week is Zack Smith, a legal fellow with the Heritage Foundation’s Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. Zack has been closely watching the growing movement of progressive prosecutors who flout the rule of law. In California, we see this in San Francisco and Los Angeles where both district attorneys faced recall efforts. Zack discusses how these “rogue prosecutors” have resulted in increasing crime in our cities.
This week’s guest is Clark Judge. In addition to being chairman of PRI, he is the founder and managing director of the White House Writers Group – a high stakes communications firm. Clark Judge was also speechwriter to Pres. Ronald Reagan. We discuss Pres. Biden’s handling of the pandemic, the Afghanistan catastrophe, the crisis at the southern border, and the slow economic recovery. He also offers his perspective on the White House’s ineffective communications strategy.
In this podcast, PRI All-Stars, Rowena Itchon, senior vice president, Lance Izumi, senior director of education, and Tim Anaya, senior director of communications come together to provide their perspective on the California recall election and its defeat. The All-Stars discuss what this means for the direction of public policy in the state and how it impacts the 2022 mid-term elections.
Our guest this week on PRI’s Next Round podcast is Lance Izumi, senior director of education. Lance discusses his upcoming book The Homeschool Boom: Pandemic, Policies, and Possibilities. There’s been a homeschooling boom during the pandemic, as parents have sought ways to improve their children’s education during the school lockdowns. Lance explains why homeschooling is becoming more popular, discusses many of its myths, and profiles a diverse group of families who are homeschooling their children.
PRI’s podcast guest this week is Corey DeAngelis, executive director of the Educational Freedom Institute, director of research for the National Federation for Children, and a fellow at the Cato Institute and the Reason Foundation. He is interviewed by PRI’s director of the Young Leaders Circle, Evan Harris. They discuss all things school choice and why it’s even more important now that the flaws in the public school system have been exposed by the pandemic. Ro and Tim also discuss the latest California recall polls.
Next Round’s guest is economist Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in Business and Economics. Dr. Winegarden discusses some of the key issues being debated in Washington and Sacramento, from the infrastructure bill to the $3.5 trillion budget resolution package to California and the nation’s climate change policies. As director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation, he also highlights his breakthrough research on valuing medicines.
Next Round’s guest this week is Pat Nolan director of the American Conservative Union Foundation’s Center for Criminal Justice Reform. Nolan, an author of a chapter in PRI’s new book Saving California, discusses the state’s rising crime problem, “woke” prosecutors, and reforming California’s prison system through faith-based programs.
This week’s podcast guest is Adrian Moore, vice president of the Reason Foundation. His areas of research are privatization, government and regulatory reform, transportation, urban growth, and utilities. Dr. Moore discusses his chapter on California’s infrastructure problems in PRI’s new book, Saving California. He also gives his perspective on Pres. Biden’s infrastructure plan.
Next Round’s guest this week is Steven Greenhut, editor of PRI’s new book Saving California: Solutions to the state’s biggest policy problems. Greenhut brings together policy experts, including Wendel Cox, Joel Kotkin, Sally Pipes, and Lance Izumi, to offer policy reforms to tackle the state’s most pressing problems, from housing affordability, to homelessness, to wildfires. We also get Steve’s take on the effort to recall Gov. Newsom.
This week’s podcast guest is Melanie Kirkpatrick, author of the new book, Lady Editor, a biography of Sarah Josepha Hale. Hale was the editor of the most prominent ladies magazine in her day and responsible for publishing prominent American authors such as Edgar Allen Poe and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her influence popularized the white wedding dress, the polka, and recipes in magazines. Hale also lobbied to bring us Thanksgiving. Melanie Kirkpatrick, author, former deputy editor of the Wall Street Journal, and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute brings to life a remarkable American figure.
In this podcast, PRI’s guest is Judge Janice Rogers Brown, former associate justice of the California Supreme Court and a former judge on the DC Court of Appeals. Judge Brown discusses the rise of “woke” ideology and how it threatens our Constitution and America’s institutions. The moderator is Judge Daniel Kolkey, former justice of California’s Court of Appeals, counsel to Governor Pete Wilson, and a member of PRI’s board.
This podcast features William Voegeli, senior fellow at the Claremont Institute and senior editor at the Claremont Review of Books. Ro and Tim discuss with Dr. Voegeli his recent essay in the Claremont Review on California’s activist government and its crisis of competence.
Next Round features Carol Roth, New York Timesbestselling author and PRI fellow and economist Wayne Winegarden. They discuss Ms. Roth’s new book, The War on Small Business, the economic recovery, Federal Reserve policy, and what’s next for American small business owners. Carol Roth is a “recovering” investment banker, entrepreneur, TV pundit and host, and bestselling author of The Entrepreneur Equation.
University of Tennessee law professor and Instapundit founder Glenn Reynolds – author of an Encounter Intelligence book on space policy – joins us for a fascinating conversation about America’s future in space, which will be dominated by the private sector rather than the work of government space agencies. We discuss how space can address climate change and global energy problems, how space will inspire new innovation, and what our policy approach should be to encourage more space activity while minimizing international conflict.
This podcast features PRI President Sally Pipes and the Goldwater Institutes Director of Health Care Policy Naomi Lopez in an insightful discussion on health care in America and what lies ahead under the Biden-Harris administration.
Gail Heriot, a law professor at the University of San Diego, was co-chair of both the campaign for California’s Prop. 209 in 1996 and the successful campaign to prevent its repeal in 2020. Editor of the new book A Dubious Expediency, she offers compelling reasons to reconsider educational policies that discriminate in favor of some students and inevitably against others.
This podcast features Debra Saunders, the long-time columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle who turned Trump White House beat reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. These days Debra Saunders is a fellow at the Discovery Institute’s Chapman Center for Citizen Leadership. Debra discusses what it was like to be a member of the White House press corps during the Trump years, reporting during the coronavirus pandemic, and offers her insights on the state of California.
In this podcast our guest is Anne Marie Schubert, District Attorney for Sacramento County. Ms. Schubert along with 44 DAs are suing Gov. Newsom for his policy to allow 76,000 inmates – including many who committed violent crimes – to attain early release with good behavior credits. We also discuss the state’s growing soft-on-crime approach and the rise in crime in major cities across California
The featured guest for this podcast Erik Jaffe, partner at Schaerr Jaffe, a constitutional lawyer, and a PRI fellow in Legal Studies. Erik takes us through a tour of the major U.S. Supreme Court cases this session and the constitutional issues in question, from Obamacare to the First Amendment. Erik also discusses what he thinks of Pres. Biden’s bipartisan commission on Supreme Court reforms.
This podcast features Venezuelan Jorge Galicia, a lawsuit student who escaped his country and is now speaking to college students nationwide about his experience. Jorge recounts Venezuela’s path, beginning with socialist policies such as free college and free health care, then descending to the authoritarian regime it is today. This podcast was first aired for PRI’s Young Leaders Circle. The interview was conducted by Evan Harris, director of YLC.
This week’s podcast features Steve Greenhut, author of PRI’s new book Winning the Water Wars. Steve gives an update on California’s drought and how we got here, after failing to prepare during the previous non-drought years. He discusses current legislation, the concept of water markets, and countries that have better managed their water issues – namely Israel. Ro and Tim discuss the Governor’s revised budget and the blizzard of billions Newsom plans to spend.
This week’s podcast features Robert Poole, director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation. Bob Poole, one of the leading transportation policy experts in the nation – discusses Pres. Biden’s so-called infrastructure plan and what’s really in it. Mr. Poole also discusses California’s poor infrastructure and ideas to improve it, including public-private partnerships and market-oriented solutions.
PRI’s guest in this podcast is Nolan Gray, an urban planner and currently a Ph.D. student at UCLA. Housing affordability and housing shortages are two key reasons so many Californians are fleeing the state. Nolan discusses why housing is so expensive and the regulatory barriers that are preventing more houses from being built. He also offers policy recommendations to help more Californians find an affordable place to live.
This week’s guest is Dr. Henry Miller, PRI senior fellow in health care studies. In addition to being a physician, Dr. Miller was a former official at the FDA and founding director of the FDA’s Office of Biotechnology. Dr. Miller provides an update on the pandemic, the progress of vaccine distribution, and his perspective on the CDC’s pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Co-hosts Rowena and Tim discuss Biden’s first 100 days, the recall effort, and new gubernatorial candidate Caitlyn Jenner.
Julian Morris, Senior Fellow at Reason and a Senior Scholar at the International Center for Law and Economics, joins us for a discussion on environmental topics as we mark Earth Day 2021. We discuss the Biden Administration's "green infrastructure" proposals, California's big government energy policies, whether government fuel emission standards have delivered on their promises, and how California's and America's environmental policy regimes have worsened the state's housing crisis and undermined growth in so many areas of the economy.
Prominent conservative scholar Charles Kesler discusses his new book Crisis of the Two Constitutions – The Rise, Decline, and Recovery of American Greatness with PRI senior fellow Steve Hayward. Prof. Kesler is the editor of the Claremont Review of Books, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, and a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute.
The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) promotes itself as “the nation’s drug pricing watchdog.” However, as documented in the first of a series of PRI reports, ICER’s cost-effectiveness analyses contain inappropriate methodologies and subjective judgments in determining the value of medicines. In this podcast, PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden discusses why ICER’s reports contain biased, inaccurate assumptions.
Steven Greenhut, author of the recent PRI book Winning the Water Wars, moderates a panel of water experts and policymakers who preview the course the Biden Administration will likely chart on California water policy. They also highlight potential landmines in the water debate in the months ahead and discuss how free-market ideas like water markets could secure the state’s water future. Panelists include: Congressman Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, former Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway, and Brett Barbre, General Manager of the Yorba Linda Water District.
Despite the success of charter schools, they have come under attack on multiple fronts. State lawmakers have enacted state laws that handicap the establishment of charter schools and their operation. Additionally, charter school opponents have used the Covid-19 pandemic to exacerbate funding disparities between charter schools and traditional public schools. Lance Izumi, author of the new PRI brief, “New and Emerging Threats Facing Charter Schools,” will lead a panel discussing what charter school parents, students and advocates must do to combat the growing threat from teacher unions, state lawmakers, and a new federal administration hostile to their very existence. Panelists include State Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, Norman Gonzales of John Adams Academy, and Cameron Curry of Classical Academies.
In this podcast, Kerry Jackson and Wayne Winegarden preview their new book No Way Home: The Crisis of Homelessness and How to Fix it with Intelligence and Humanity. The panel discussion was recorded from PRI’s annual Sacramento Policy Conference in February. Also, Rowena Itchon and Tim Anaya, former gubernatorial speechwriters, in the opening round give their review of Gov. Newsom’s State of the State Address.
This podcast features a virtual debate on free speech and the role of social media platforms in moderating online content. PRI brings together an unmatched team of experts including former Congressman Chris Cox, one of the original authors of Section 230; the Honorable Dan Oliver, one of the country’s leading conservatives and former Federal Trade Commissioner under President Ronald Reagan; and Bartlett Cleland, PRI’s senior fellow in Technology and Innovation and a top expert on tech policy.
In this podcast, PRI Senior Fellow Wayne Winegarden discusses his new study “The Small Business Gig.” The gig economy is one of the fastest growth sectors in the U.S. But entrenched union power has been leading the charge for more and more restrictions in California and the U.S. Winegarden discusses the importance of the gig economy in creating entrepreneurial businesses and he offers reforms to help spur continued growth.
This podcast is a recording of the health care panel discussion at PRI’s virtual Sacramento Policy Conference. Our All-Star panelists include Sally Pipes, PRI President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy; Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics and director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation; and Dr. Henry Miller, PRI senior fellow in health studies. It also includes introductory remarks from PRI Board Member Daniel Kolkey. PRI’s health care experts discuss health care policy reforms that should be made permanent following the pandemic, and the latest developments on Covid-19 vaccines and therapeutics.
Policymakers in Sacramento and Washington are focusing on how to turn the economy around, keep businesses afloat, and help people stay employed amidst the ongoing pandemic. Elected officials, policy insiders, and free market economists discuss efforts to retain and create new jobs in California, the federal stimulus legislation, and other reforms to reduce costs and economic burdens on employers and employees. The speakers are: Wayne Winegarden, PRI senior fellow in business and economics and director of PRI’s Center for Medical Economics and Innovation; Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute; Lance Hastings of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association, and Professor Michael Thom of USC.
Newly elected Representative Young Kim of Orange County provided the keynote address at this year’s virtual Sacramento Ideas in Action Policy conference. Rep. Kim discusses her first days in Congress, her legislative priorities, and her goal to forge bipartisanship in Washington.
Cynthia Ariosta and Carl Dene of the Coalition of Bay Area Restaurants and Wineries discuss the impact of Gov. Newsom’s on again/off again restrictions on small businesses. The pandemic has hit California hard, especially small businesses and employees of restaurants and wineries. Cynthia and Carl provide first-hand experience on what they have done to survive the pandemic, the cost of the outside dining restrictions to their establishments, and what they would do to help small businesses thrive and prosper in the state.
The new Pacific Research Institute book A Kite in a Hurricane No More profiles the challenges and ultimate triumph of Mia Giordano, a young woman with serious learning disabilities. As we observe National School Choice Week 2021, this podcast features Mia along with Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education; Mia’s mother, Christine Zanello; and Barbara Arrowsmith, founder of the Arrowsmith Program that helped Mia succeed. Learn what policy changes would ensure every American child has the same choices that Mia has had.
PRI former speechwriters offer their perspective on President Biden’s inaugural speech. Lance Izumi was speechwriter to Attorney General Edwin Meese and Gov. Deukmejian and is now PRI’s senior director of education studies, Tim Anaya was speechwriter to Gov. Schwarzenegger and other California lawmakers and now PRI senior director of communications, and Rowena Itchon was a speechwriter to Gov. Wilson and a research assistant in Pres. Reagan’s speechwriting office, and now senior vice president at PRI.
Michael Thom, professor at USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy, discusses his new book Taxing Sin. Prof. Thom reviews the history of sin taxes, which goes back for hundreds of years, and the traditional sin taxes, such as alcohol and tobacco taxes. He also discusses new 21st century sin taxes – soda, plastic bags, and marijuana. Tim Anaya also provides highlights from Governor Newsom’s proposed 2021 budget.
Listen to PRI’s recent webinar featuring an all-star panel of experts representing legal, regulatory, and policy industries discussing state and federal changes to data privacy and cybersecurity during 2020 and what the future holds for tech, digital privacy, and cybersecurity in 2021.
Dr. Leslie Lenkowsky, an expert on philanthropy and public affairs, offers his insights into American civil society’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and what increased restrictions on personal freedom mean for our democracy. Dr. Lenkowsky is a professor at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University and a member of the philanthropic studies faculty of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Steve Moore, a member of President Trump’s economic task force, discusses the domestic policy implications from the 2020 election with moderator PRI senior fellow Steve Hayward. Steve Moore offer his insights into what lies ahead for our nation amid the ongoing pandemic, civil unrest, and increasing political divide.
Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI’s Center for Education, joins us to discuss his new book, which profiles the journey of Mia Giordano, who overcame learning disabilities through science and school choice. He discusses the promise show by advanced brain research in helping students with learning disabilities to overcome them, how Mia was able to undergo a “life-changing metamorphosis” thanks to school choice, and what policy reforms should be enacted to give every student the choices Mia had to enroll in alternative learning programs and secure a bright future.
Dr. Henry Miller, PRI senior fellow in health care studies and former founding director of the FDA’s Office of Biotechnology, joins us with an update on efforts to develop vaccines and therapeutics to fight Covid-19. He discusses how a transition between two presidential administrations will affect the work of the federal government in fighting Covid-19, whether a national mask mandate is a good idea, whether Governors like Gavin Newsom should initiate state-level reviews of potential vaccines, and what can be done to respond to the recent surges in the coronavirus.
PRI Chairman of the Board Clark Judge returns to discuss the lessons learned from Election 2020. He shares his thoughts on where the conservative movement stands today after four years of President Trump, offers advice to conservatives, President Trump and President-Elect Biden on the road ahead, and provides a behind-the-scenes look at what happens in Washington during a presidential transition.
This week, PRI’s Evan Harris interviews R Street Institute’s Steven Greenhut about his newly-published PRI book, Winning the Water Wars. In the book, Greenhut makes the case that California can end its decades-long water wars and meet the state’s water needs by promoting abundance rather than managing scarcity.
Now that all the votes have been cast, the PRI All Stars are back with a special election wrap-up. They break down the night’s biggest winners and losers and the night’s biggest surprise results, discuss what the national election trends mean for California, analyze the results of the big state ballot propositions, and explore how Tuesday’s results impact Gov. Newsom’s budget balancing efforts.
Our PRI All Stars are back with an election preview. On deck are Tim Anaya, senior director of communications, Kerry Jackson, fellow in California Reform, Evan Harris, manager of media relations and outreach, and Rowena Itchon, senior vice president. We discuss the California propositions, the presidential race, and of course “Preeeedictions”.
Michael Anton, lecturer in politics and research fellow at Hillsdale College’s Kirby Center in Washington, DC and former national security official in the Bush (43) and Trump administrations, joins PRI senior fellow Steve Hayward for a discussion of Anton’s new book, “The Stakes: America at the Point of No Return”.
PRI fellow in legal studies Erik Jaffe shares his thoughts on the Amy Coney Barrett nomination hearings, and what changes we might expect to see at the Supreme Court under a Justice Barrett. We discuss the controversy over “court packing” in the presidential campaign, some of the notable cases that the Court will consider this term, and whether it will be the Supreme Court who will ultimately decide the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
Norman Gonzales and Carlos Yniguez from John Adams Academy join PRI’s Lance Izumi to discuss a change in this year’s budget that takes away funding for thousands of kids attending charter schools across the state, and how the school is fighting this loss of critical charter school funding in the courts.
In case you missed our special live webinar, listen to PRI’s Lance Izumi as he interviews U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The two discuss the importance of expanding school choice opportunities for every American student, school reopenings following the COVID-19 pandemic, and the President’s education reform agenda.
This podcast with Heather Mac Donald, Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor at City Journal, was recorded from a recent webinar with PRI’s own Steve Hayward doing the Q&A. Heather offers her perspective on the recent riots, the surge in violent crime in our cities, and calls to defund police departments nationwide.
State Board of Equalization Member Ted Gaines joins us to discuss one of the most controversial issues on the November ballot, Proposition 15, which would create a new split roll property tax system for commercial property. He shares his thoughts on how Prop. 15 would impact small businesses, renters, and family farmers, and whether its passage would be a stepping stone to eliminating the landmark Proposition 13.
PRI’s former speechwriters (Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi and Tim Anaya) are joined by attorney, former Reagan and Wilson administration appointee and PRI board member Lawrence Siskind in breaking down the best and worst moments of the first presidential debate. They share their thoughts on the most memorable lines by President Trump and former Vice President Biden and Chris Wallace’s performance as debate moderator, and discuss whether the debate helped or hurt the candidates.
Few topics are hotter these days than mail-in ballots and the role of the U.S. Postal Service. John Barger, a member of the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors appointed by President Trump, joins us to discuss the Postal Service’s plans to move what looks to be an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots in the upcoming election, the misinformation and politicization of the post office’s role, and the current financial and operational state of the U.S. Postal Service.
Kenneth Green, Ph.D., PRI Senior Fellow in Environment, discusses the recent California wildfires, the state’s climate change policies, what he thinks about presidential candidate Joe Biden’s environmental agenda, as well as Pres. Trump’s performance on energy and environmental issues.
If you’ve ever had a medical procedure and received a large bill from your hospital because, unknown to you, one of your doctors was not in your insurance network – that’s the subject of this podcast. PRI senior fellow Wayne Winegarden discusses his recently released study on “Surprise Medical Billing.” He explains how it happens, why it happens, and the reforms that could prevent it.
PRI’s former speechwriters (Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi and Tim Anaya) review the 2020 Republican National Convention. They discuss how the convention dealt with outside events taking over the headlines, analyze the party’s use of real people versus big names, and weigh in on whether the Democrats or Republicans had a more effective “virtual convention.” And, of course, they break down the big convention speeches, including those by Kevin McCarthy, Mike Pompeo, Kimberly Guilfoyle, the Trump Kids, Melania Trump, Mike Pence, and President Trump.
PRI’s former speechwriters (Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi, and Tim Anaya) discuss the highs and lows of the first virtual convention in American history. We share our thoughts on the key highlights from the -2020 Democratic convention, including John Kasich, Bernie Sanders, Michele Obama, Hillary Clinton, Jill Biden, Barack Obama – and, of course, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. Stay tuned because you may be surprised by some of our takes on the convention’s big speeches.
This week’s podcast is a special presentation of PRI’s recent Young Leaders’ Circle webinar, which brought together distillery owners, craft brewers, and licensing experts to examine the impact that COVID-19 has had on the production of our favorite cocktails and beers. The craft beer and distillery industry has seen incredible disruption, with states and counties opening and closing breweries almost overnight. California, like many other states, has adjusted its alcohol distribution and regulations to allow breweries and distilleries easier access to customers. Are these regulations working? Are there any changes needed? What does the rest of 2020 look like? Should temporary regulatory relief be made permanent?
The Hon. Dan Kolkey – former legal advisor to Gov. Wilson, former appeals court justice, and PRI board member – joins us to discuss how this year’s key public policy issues, such as the state’s response to COVID-19, the housing crisis, and efforts to prevent mass power outages during this year’s fire season, are being impacted by the courts. He also discusses how the Attorney General is putting his thumb on the scale for several November ballot initiatives with biased titles and summaries.
R Street Institute’s Steven Greenhut returns for his annual look at the year’s legislative session in Sacramento. We discuss how the Legislature and Governor have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic and rising social unrest, a $54 billion budget deficit, and worsening homeless and housing crises. He also looks ahead to November at what he calls the “scary propositions” that voters will decide, and previews his soon-to-be released PRI book on California water policy, Winning the Water Wars.
PRI Senior Fellow in Tech and Innovation Bartlett Cleland joins us to discuss the California Consumer Privacy Act, which took effect on July 1. He discusses the serious flaws with the new law and how it will impact consumers and business owners, looks ahead to November when voters would have a chance to enact an even tougher law in Proposition 24, shares the ideal free market version of a privacy law, and talks about how COVID-19 has affected technology and data privacy.
PRI senior fellow in health care studies Dr. Henry Miller gives us an update on what scientists are learning about COVID-19 and the progress in finding a vaccine. He also weighs in on whether schools should be reopening this fall, gives his thoughts on what the Trump administration is doing good and bad in fighting the pandemic, and offers advices on how we can reduce our chances of getting the coronavirus.
This podcast is a special rebroadcast of a recent webinar featuring Damon Dunn, PRI fellow in business and economics, discussing his new book Punting Poverty: Breaking the Chains of Welfare. The former collegiate and pro football player turned entrepreneur pushes back against the universal basic income movement, calling it “fool’s gold that does not even attempt to offer economic empowerment.”
PRI Senior Fellow in Business and Economics Dr. Wayne Winegarden joins us to discuss the latest study in the “Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity” series, which makes the case that future medical innovation will be hindered unless state and federal policymakers embrace health care entrepreneurship.
PRI Chairman and White House Writers Group founder and managing director Clark Judge evaluates how effectively political leaders in Washington, state capitols, and city halls are communicating with the public during the COVID-19 crisis and the social unrest following the death of George Floyd.
As single-payer advocates such as Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and House member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are seizing on the COVID-19 pandemic to push even more aggressively for a complete takeover of our health care system by the federal government, listen to a special presentation of our recent webinar featuring PRI President, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy Sally C. Pipes discussing why “Medicare for All” would be the wrong solution for the U.S. to embark on to combat the coronavirus and other future health crises.
This podcast features Erik Jaffe, a partner at Schaerr-Jaffe and a PRI fellow in Legal Studies. A constitutional attorney, Erik has been involved in over 100 Supreme Court matters. We discuss some of the high court’s decisions involving COVID-19, and the upcoming major cases in this session including LGBTQ rights, DACA and the “Dreamers”, abortion, and President Trump’s personal financial records. We also discuss whether the U.S. Supreme Court will be a factor in this year’s presidential elections.