Next Round

PRI Fellow in Business and Economics Damon Dunn joins us to discuss his new brief on the rise of socialism. He shares stories from his childhood growing up in poverty in Texas as his inspiration for striving to work his way up the economic ladder rather than become addicted to government anti-poverty programs. He also offers advice to free marketeers on how to best counter the rise in popularity for socialism among Millennials, who are advocating basic income, Medicare for All, free college, and other socialist programs.

PRI Senior Fellow in Business and Economics Wayne Winegarden joins us to discuss his new study on the State and Local Tax cap in the 2017 federal tax reform legislation.  Wayne discusses how the legislation amounted to taxpayers in low-tax states subsidizing Sacramento’s high tax burden and out-of-control spending, and why efforts to reduce or repeal the cap in Congress would restore tax unfairness.

Longtime Capitol journalist Steven Greenhut of the R Street Institute joins us for our annual end-of-session wrap-up.  We discuss all the hot issues from this legislative session, including the debate over who is an independent contractor and who is an employee, the fight over charter schools, the potential return of redevelopment agencies, the future of PG&E, the battle over Prop. 13 and split roll, and more.

Association of American Educators executive director Colin Sharkey joins us to discuss a new survey from their Teacher Freedom project on the attitudes of teachers one year after the historic Janus decision and shares insight on what teachers think about their union, their newly-won worker freedoms, and whether more disaffected teachers will exercise their new right to quit their union.

Lance Izumi, PRI’s Senior Director of Education Studies, joins us to discuss perhaps the most controversial education legislation in recent memory – a so-called compromise that would impose significant new requirements and restrictions on charter schools in California. Lance analyzes the key provisions of the legislation and the motivation behind it, and shares his thoughts on hit will impact future educational choice for every California student.

National Review’s Andy McCarthy joins us to discuss his new book The Ball of Collusion.  No one is better than McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor who earned the Justice Department’s highest honor, to provide perspective on the Trump investigation into Russian “collusion.”  In our conversation, McCarthy exposes the depth of the politicization within American law-enforcement and intelligence agencies.  We also discuss Iran, China, and how we can prevent domestic terrorism in the wake of the recent mass shootings.

R Street Institute’s Jarrett Dieterle joins us to discuss his research on the hottest issue of the final weeks of the legislative session, Assembly Bill 5, and the impact its passage would have on employers, our innovation economy, and Californians who want to be their own boss and work when they want to work.  We also discuss his research on occupational licensing reform, and his upcoming book on government policy on alcohol.

Claremont Institute President Ryan Williams joins us to discuss their current work on what they see as the growing threat from identity politics and multiculturalism, their recent censorship battle with Google, and how we can encourage a more balanced political debate and free exchange of ideas on campus.

Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Tim Snowball joins us to discuss the policy roadblocks unions and their allies have put up in California and other states following the Janus decision, and their ongoing legal efforts to overcome these hurdles and protect the worker freedom rights of every disaffected member who wishes to quit their union.

Reason.com Associate Editor Robby Soave joins us to discuss his new book about the disruptive political activism and growing political unrest among millennials, Panic Attack.  He discusses why “Zillennials” as he calls them are so hypersensitive and dis-unified despite sharing common goals and ideologies, explores the rise of so-called Democratic socialism, and offers advice to listeners if they find themselves confronted by a “woke” Zillennial.