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National Review's Radio Free California Podcast

National Review's Radio Free California Podcast

By: National Review
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 A show about the perilous state of the Golden State—and what that means for you, wherever you live. California is the hothouse lab of the Left, the nation-state creating the statist policies, art, and lifestyles of the future – and generating the political dollars to make them a reality in a community near you. Hosts Will Swaim (California Policy Center) and David Bahnsen (The Bahnsen Group, Fox Business News commentator, conservative activist) beam this weekly show internationally, from mostly undisclosed pirate-radio platforms west of the Sierra Nevada. [Intro music graciously provided by Los Angeles-based Metalachi, the metal/mariachi soundtrack of the near-future. Find them at Metalachi.com.]National Review Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Episode 433: Iran Out of Gas in California

    Episode 433: Iran Out of Gas in California
    Mar 3 2026
    The Iran war exposes California’s fragile oil supply, how the media transformed the death of nine skiers near Donner Pass into a case of “climate change,” and Attorney General Rob Bonta’s very bad week. Bonus! Attorney Andrew Quinio describes Pacific Legal’s lawsuit to block San Francisco reparations payments, and CPC senior fellow Mark Moses considers whether government exists to serve citizens -- or whether citizens exist to serve government. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: In Gov. Newsom’s California, It Makes Sense to Get Gasoline from the BahamasWhen US Gasoline Has to Leave the Country to Move Within ItAvalanche experts fear conditions that led to deadly Tahoe slide could become ‘new normal’Apple quietly removes environmental metrics from executive payCalifornia bill would make fossil fuel companies help pay for rising insurance costsThe Tangled Web of the Boulder v. Suncor Cert Grant: Pass me some aspirin. Attorney General Rob Bonta might want some, too.Judge Axes Exxon’s Defamation Suit Against EnvironmentalistsThe hypothetical nuclear attack that escalated the Pentagon’s showdown with AnthropicMerrill Kelly rejected Padres’ lucrative contract offer due to California’s ridiculous tax laws‘Like an Uber Share’ but public: South Bay city to bring low-cost, rideshare-style public transit service Bonus track! PLF attorney Andrew Quinio on San Francisco’s reparations program Andrew Quinio bioSan Francisco taxpayers challenge race-based reparations fund in courtSan Francisco mayor quietly signs reparations fund that could lead to $5M payments per personThe Cost Of San Francisco’s Reparations Proposal: Nearly $600,000 Per Household Public finance expert Mark Moses on the proper role of government Mark Moses bioThe Municipal Financial Crisis – A Framework for Understanding and Fixing Government Budgeting (Palgrave Macmillan, January 2022) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    2 hrs and 4 mins
  • Episode 431: Education Secretary Linda McMahon KOs Newsom’s Gender-Bending Policy

    Episode 431: Education Secretary Linda McMahon KOs Newsom’s Gender-Bending Policy
    Feb 25 2026
    In our bonus interview, CPC attorney Emily Rae unpacks the new U.S. Department of Education report showing how state officials use lawsuits, funding, and threats to force school officials to violate federal law regarding parent notification. In other news: Alex Padilla has missed another chance to thank federal officers who didn’t shoot him last June. Representative Lateefah Simon (D., Calif.) hates the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo but won’t leave California. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass threatens to punish property owners who welcome ICE agents. Republican gubernatorial candidates surge, Dems end their panicky convention with no clear endorsement. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: After State of the Union, Democrats say Trump did ‘what he does best: lie’The Padilla Incident and the Greater PerilH.Res.1056 - Calling for the annulment of the Monroe Doctrine and the development of a "New Good Neighbor" policyMexican army kills ‘El Mencho,’ Mexico’s most-wanted drug kingpinLA Mayor Karen Bass announces plans to ban ICE from city propertiesCoalition rallies to defend Cypress Park day labor center amid disputed Home Depot eviction threatNewsom to Middle Class Whites: I'm Average TooNewsom Pardon Allows Illegal Immigrant to Remain in U.S. Despite Attempted Murder Conviction‘I’m very worried’: California Dems confront possibility of an all-GOP governor raceL.A. County pushes to change law that opened floodgates for billions in sex abuse payoutsLAUSD borrowing $250 million to settle sex abuse claims — on top of earlier half billionDespite climate effects, beaches grew 500 acres Emily Rae, California Justice Center, on U.S. Department of Ed report: Emily Rae bioU.S. Department of Education letter to California Emily’s amicus brief in Littlejohn Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    1 hr and 32 mins
  • Episode 431: Mission to Munich!

    Episode 431: Mission to Munich!
    Feb 17 2026
    In his tour of the Munich Security Conference, Governor Gavin Newsom held himself up as a global leader on policies most European nations abandoned decades ago. David and Will also discuss: the impact of the U.S. EPA’s announcement that it will no longer follow the Obama-era “endangerment finding” on carbon emissions, San Francisco skier Eileen Gu’s decision to represent China in the Olympics, State Senator Scott Wiener’s failure to keep up with climate science, and how Newsom’s Prop. 50 may silence at least one of the brightest conservative voices in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bonus: Lance Christensen breaks down Newsom's attempted takeover of the state Department of Education. Music by Metalachi.Email Us:dbahnsen@thebahnsengroup.comwill@calpolicycenter.orgFollow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCAShow Notes:The Bahnsen Group Opens News Silicon Valley OfficeWill on NPR: Texas Dems are stuck on identity politics with Senate race at stakeCPC hiring: Director of development We Need to Tax the Rich. Are Unions Going About it the Right Way in California?Nobody wants to step on the gas (tax)Sam Darnold’s insane California tax bill stunningly exceeds Super Bowl winningsCalifornia Jock Tax Calculator Boomer Esiason suggests barring California from Hosting Super BowlVP Vance to lead California anti-fraud task force: reportMunich Security Conference: Governor Newsom reinforces climate partnerships as Donald Trump abandons long-standing American alliesLee Zeldin’s EPA Liberates American IndustryDonald Trump declares the Republican Party the pro-pollution partyWiener Watch! New bill aims to allow California AG to sue oil companies for disaster costsSoCal Edison files lawsuit over Eaton Fire, alleging LA County, other utilities are also to blameJudge clears way for mega lawsuit blaming LA and California for deadly Palisades FireEileen Gu’s Terrible ChoiceKiley says he’s weighing challenge to McClintock. He’s already launched an opening salvo.Lance Christensen: A Strangely Good Few Weeks in EducationState Superintendent Tony Thurmond on the power struggle over public schools | California Politics 360Number of the Week: Teacher strike votes are risingTeachers Unions Get DesperateTeachers email parents demanding they don’t homeschool kids – as San Francisco strike grinds into a third dayUS Secretary of Ed Linda McMahon: Teachers shouldn't have to bankroll unionsUnderstanding SFUSD’s $1.4B budget: How teachers and the district come up with different numbersLAUSD will vote on layoffs amid budget challenges, declining enrollment UTLA planning documents appear to advocate for use of school resources as ‘form of resistance’ against ICEGen Z are arriving to college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduatesUC San Diego Finds One In Eight Freshmen Lack High-School Math SkillsThe tide goes out on youth gender medicine Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    2 hrs and 1 min
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