Politics Podcast | KQED News

The final sprint of the California Legislature’s work for 2015 is about to begin, and there’s a lot on tap before the last gavel falls in early September.

On this week’s California Politics Podcast, we assess some of the biggest debates coming to a statehouse near you — from climate change to special session work on health care and beyond.

I’m joined by Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project and Marisa Lagos of KQED News.

Who knew one week could offer so much political intrigue, from the cloud of scandal to the potential for a 2016 ballot measure smackdown?

This week’s California Politics Podcast examines the new chapter of corruption allegations revealed this week in San Francisco, and whether the case — or the media frenzy — has legs.

We also discuss the throwing down of the gas gauntlet, so to speak, by billionaire activist Tom Steyer in his battle with Big Oil.  And we look back at this week’s end of an era — the final payment of California’s deficit debts from more than a decade ago.

I’m joined by Marisa Lagos of KQED News and Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project.

Bob Dylan may have famously once sang that “You don’t need a weatherman to tell you which way the wind blows,” but in politics you do need some data. And right now, it’s looking like Democrats in California have the wind at their backs on some big environmental issues.

This week’s California Politics Podcast takes a closer look at some new polling data on Californians and climate change, and the possible connection to the 2016 elections.

We also open up our Twitter feed for what we’re calling political potpourri — a chance to briefly chat about political news and notes that you’ve suggested.

I’m joined by Marisa Lagos of KQED News, while Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project is away.

For the last few years, the statehouse has been the center of the debate over raising the minimum wage. But as this week’s events make clear, that’s changed.

On this episode of our California Politics Podcast, we discuss efforts to raise the minimum wage in various parts of the Golden State and how they may change the debate still raging in Sacramento.

We also discuss Gov. Jerry Brown’s big week at the Vatican, and a proposed 2016 ballot initiative that could reshape the familiar fight over property taxes and programs to help the poor.

I’m joined by Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project, with KQED News’ Marisa Lagos on vacation.

It’s an event that combines two of Gov. Jerry Brown’s favorite topics: Religion and climate change.

The governor heads to the Vatican next week for Pope Francis’ symposium on climate change and modern slavery.  Brown will join political leaders from across the globe for the two-day event.

On this week’s California Politics Podcast, we discuss the trip — and why it’s so important to Brown. Also on deck: A proposed ballot measure that could undercut Brown’s plan to build twin tunnels under the Delta, and the continuing political fallout over a tragic murder in San Francisco that has reignited debate over immigration policies.

I’m joined by Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project, while KQED News’ John Myers is on vacation.

When someone calls this summer a special one in Sacramento, it doesn’t mean what it might everywhere else. In the capital city, it’s primed to be a season where some of the most complicated policy issues have been teed up for legislative action.

But is all of this too heavy of a political lift?

This week’s California Politics Podcast takes a closer look at the issues and challenges involved in two special legislative sessions called by Gov. Jerry Brown: One on funding roads and infrastructure, the other on funding health-related services.

The challenge will be in finding the tax dollars needed — billions of them — to fix the problems.

I’m joined by Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project and Marisa Lagos of KQED News.

From high drama in court to putting a new law on the books, this week’s theme in the world of California politics seems to have a decidedly legal feel to it.

This week’s California Politics Podcast is chock full of news and notes. We discuss the ruling on the fate of independent redistricting from the U.S. Supreme Court as well as the justices agreeing to hear the case that could determine the future political power of the California Teachers Association.

We also discuss Gov. Jerry Brown’s quick signature on the bill limiting most vaccine exemptions for school children. And a glimpse at the impact of former state Senator Leland Yee’s guilty plea to federal racketeering charges.

What a week.

I’m joined by Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project and KQED News’ Marisa Lagos.

For some long-running political and policy storylines in California, important — and close to final — chapters were written this week.

Our podcast tackles two of them: Gov. Jerry Brown quietly signing the new state budget for the fiscal year that begins at month’s end, and what’s likely the last big legislative debate over Senate Bill 277 and its erasure of most exemptions from vaccines for California schoolchildren.

KQED News’ Marisa Lagos and I also take a brief look at the California connections, and impact, of Friday’s historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.

It took less than 24 hours for legislators to send a state budget proposal to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk and then concede that it was a spending plan in need of an overhaul.

Such is politics.

This week, we take a deep dive into the politics of the budget plan agreed to by Gov. Jerry Brown and legislative leaders. I’m joined by KQED News’ Marisa Lagos and Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project.

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Politics is not only the art of the possible, but figuring out what people want, and why. Which brings us to this year’s state budget debate.

This week, our California Politics Podcast examines how the week is ending with no deal between legislative Democrats and Gov. Jerry Brown on a new state budget. The legislative version gets a vote on Monday … but what happens then?

We also bid farewell to polling legend Mervin Field with a look at the importance of modern polling in all things California politics.

I’m joined by KQED News’ Marisa Lagos and Anthony York of the Grizzly Bear Project.