National Review's Radio Free California Podcast

California schools named “Cesar Chavez” must do better -- or drop the name. Representative Kevin Kiley (R., Placer County) leads the fight to keep Julie Su out of the federal Department of Labor’s top job. New study shows Florida outperformed California during Covid. Dem legislator booted from committee assignment after challenging Newsom’s gas tax. David’s leading role in the fight to push back against financial firms unbanking people based on their politics or religion. Music by Metalachi.

David and Will spend far too much time discussing the San Diego State University Aztecs’ rampage through March Madness — and what about that name?! In other news: the meaning of Nashville, state senator Scott Wiener’s affection for just one Fortune magazine story, and why government unions are so eager to gut California’s 112-year-old initiative process. Music by Metalachi.

Governor Newsom announces California will produce its own insulin; what could go wrong? LA’s teachers union closes schools for the third time in four years. Joe Biden’s death tour of Monterey Park. Mrs. Newsom’s ties to Silicon Valley Bank. State Attorney General Rob Bonta blames carmakers for skyrocketing car theft. BART without oversight. SF supervisor Hillary Ronen was against cops until she was for them. Birthday Bonus: California-based Barbie turns 64! Music by Metalachi.

What the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank means for Gavin Newsom. A.B. 5 continues its death spiral. LA’s teachers union says it’ll shut down schools for the third time in four years — for the “kids,” by which they mean the adults. The city of Huntington Beach sues Gavin Newsom over housing. State assemblyman Bill Essayli (R., Riverside) says he’s working to “reset” the relationship between schools and parents — and that has teachers unions terrified. State senator Scott Wiener is at it again, trying to hide tax increases from voters. Music by Metalachi.

Mike “My Pillow” Lindell is ready to help Shasta County officials who still believe the Dominion Voting Systems helped Dems steal the 2020 election. For reasons of race, California politicians eagerly ignore the role of guns in criminal prosecutions. A Ukrainian teenager escaped war but found chaos in San Francisco schools. Stanford’s class of 2026 doesn’t look like America. Music by Metalachi.

Julie Su was running Gavin Newsom’s Labor Department when it handed out $33 billion in unemployment funds to global crime fraudsters. Now, she’s Joe Biden’s nominee to run the federal Labor Department. Newsom is celebrating Tesla’s (partial) California comeback. UC professor, race activist, and Marxist feminist Angela Davis discovers she’s a daughter of the Mayflower. Los Angeles’ powerful teachers union reaffirms its commitment to ignorance. Will talks with Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale about California’s failed homeless policies. Bonus: We read your letters! (Some of them.) Music by Metalachi.

Flying solo, Will speeds through the longest runlist ever and interviews two guests — author Robert Loewen ('Lioness of Leiden') and Philip K. Howard ('Not Accountable: Rethinking the Constitutionality of Public Employee Unions'). In other notes, Newsom got bad state financial news Wednesday and responded with a tweet about Marjorie Taylor Greene. There’s record snow on the ground, but there’ll be drought restrictions by summer. California’s House Republicans are right on Ukraine. Why do Rob Reiner and the California Teachers Association love smoking? AG Rob Bonta says California’s gravest threat may be resort fees. The Wiener Watch is back. Music by Metalachi.

Utah’s refugee-weary governor says Californians should stay in California. Representative Katie Porter says Dianne Feinstein’s U.S. Senate seat should go to a black woman — leaving unexplained Porter’s own very white campaign for the seat. Silicon Valley congressman Ro Khanna makes the “progressive case for capitalism.” Also: Fallout from Karen Bass’s promise to end homelessness in Los Angeles, California’s “unprecedented” financial free-fall, and food critic David Bahnsen’s review of Medieval Times. Music by Metalachi.

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry loved the progressive state — until it plans low-income housing behind his Atherton mansion. Cal fires America’s top swim coach over claims that she bullied her athletes. SBF may go to prison, but he isn’t finished wrecking California. Regulators propose relief payments for the trouble regulators created. Travel to Yermo, Calif., with National Review’s Jay Nordlinger. Music by Metalachi.

Tyre Nichols was a Sacramento skater kid who left “oppressive” California for freedom and opportunity in Memphis, where he was killed earlier this month by five black police officers. Liz Warren disses Kamala Harris. Newsom makes up tax facts. State lawmakers and government unions making another run at a California billionaires' tax. This week in history: The Santa Barbara Oil Spill of 1969 and the creation of the modern environmental movement. Music by Metalachi.