Next Round

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.