California Underground Podcast: Discussing California Politics Through a Lens of Sanity California Underground

Summary

On this episode we discuss the recent case of Grants Pass v. Johnson that was heard in front of the Supreme Court recently regarding bans on camping in public spaces. We dive into previous court rulings, listen to some oral arguments, and discuss the potential impact the Supreme Court's ruling will have on homelessness in the near future.

Check out www.californiaunderground.live for more info about the podcast.

Takeaways

The Ninth Circuit's ruling on homelessness in the Martin v. City of Boise case has had a significant impact on the enforcement of camping bans in California, Washington, Oregon, Kansas, and Hawaii.

The petitioners in the Grants Pass v. Johnson case argue that the Ninth Circuit's ruling violates the Eighth Amendment, as it criminalizes the status of being homeless and imposes cruel and unusual punishments.

The Supreme Court's decision in this case could have far-reaching implications for the regulation of public spaces and the enforcement of camping bans.

The arguments made by the petitioners raise concerns about the potential slippery slope of extending the Ninth Circuit's interpretation of the Eighth Amendment to other crimes and punishments. The case of Martin v. Boise examines the constitutionality of camping bans targeting homeless individuals in public spaces.

The liberal justices, particularly Justice Sotomayor, present arguments against criminalizing homelessness based on status and emphasize the need for compassion and alternatives to sleeping in public spaces.

Justice Barrett questions the distinction between status and conduct, suggesting that actions such as setting up a camp in a public park can be considered conduct subject to regulation.

The Supreme Court's decision in this case will have significant implications for cities' ability to enforce camping bans and the criminalization of homelessness.

The hosts speculate that the majority of the court will find that camping bans do not violate the Eighth Amendment and that the decision may overturn the Ninth Circuit's ruling in Martin v. Boise.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Updates

03:05 The Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness

06:22 New Merchandise and Upcoming Live Stream

21:30 The Arguments of the Petitioners

27:20 The Potential Consequences

28:22 Introduction and Background of the Case

29:24 The Similarities Between Martin v. Boise and Grants Pass

34:00 Analyzing the Arguments of Justice Sotomayor

45:53 Analyzing the Arguments of Justice Barrett

50:49 Discussion on the Potential Outcome of the Case

59:38 Final Thoughts and Future Episodes














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Summary

On this episode we are joined by Todd Madison of Transparent California. Transparent California is a public database that collects data on public employee compensation in the state of California. They collect almost 4 million records per year and have about 42 million records online. The data they collect reveals that over a million public employees in California make over $100,000 a year, with 100,000 people making over $250,000 a year and 4,000 making over $500,000 a year. The conversation discusses the high salaries and benefits of public employees in California, particularly in the education sector. It highlights the disconnect between public employee compensation and performance, as well as the unsustainable pension debt in the state.

Check out our whole site at www.californianunderground.live



Check out Transparent California at www.transparentcalifornia.com



Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview of Transparent California

07:08 Expanding Data Collection Beyond Schools

27:12 The Unsustainable Pension Debt

34:40 The Importance of Transparency






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Summary

In this episode, Phil and his guest Jeffrey Clayton discuss rising crime rates in blue states, specifically focusing on California. They explore the role of bail in the criminal justice system and its impact on crime rates. They also discuss the effects of Proposition 47, which downgraded certain nonviolent property crimes and drug possession offenses to misdemeanors. The conversation highlights the importance of deterrence and the need to send a strong message that low-level offenses will not be tolerated. In this conversation, Jeff Clayton discusses the issues surrounding bail reform and its impact on crime rates. He highlights the need for discretion in the criminal justice system and the importance of enforcing the law. The conversation also touches on the role of district attorneys in prosecuting crimes and the significance of local elections. Jeff emphasizes the need for voters to pay attention to who their district attorney is and how their policies can affect crime rates. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the American Bail Coalition and their work in advocating for fair and effective bail policies.



Check out our full site at www.californiaunderground.live



Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

05:52 The Connection Between Bail and Rising Crime Rates

11:47 The Effects of Abandoning Lower-Level Offenses

24:08 Pressure on Legislatures

30:23 Cities with Democratic Control in Red States

37:14 Attitudes Towards Theft and Corporate Entities






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Summary

On this episode we discuss how the fast food industry is reacting to the new $20 minimum wage, the confusion around who qualifies, and how this will negatively impact workers rather than help.

Make sure to check out our full site at www.californiaunderground.live

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Discussion of Minimum Wage

03:07 Anecdotal Story Time and Fast Food Industry Reaction

11:14 Exemptions and the PaneraGate Scandal

20:38 The Annual Increase in Minimum Wages

33:01 Introduction to the $20 Minimum Wage for Fast Food Workers

39:09 Challenges Faced by Businesses and Potential Job Losses

53:54 The Impact on Cafeteria Workers in Public Schools

57:36 The Barrier of Minimum Wage and Entry-Level Job Opportunities

01:05:11 Concerns about Automation and Job Outsourcing

01:08:08 Considering the Economic Impact and Drawbacks of Minimum Wage Policies










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Summary

In this episode, Phil and Camille discuss the second effort to recall Governor Gavin Newsom and whether he deserves to be recalled again. They review Newsom's State of the State address in 2022, focusing on his promises regarding gas prices and the economy. They also examine the process and timeline of a recall election and the challenges of electric vehicle adoption. The conversation highlights the high gas prices in California and the state's struggling economy, leading to the conclusion that Newsom's promises have not been fulfilled. In this conversation, Camille and Phil discuss the failures of California Governor Gavin Newsom in various areas, including the state's unemployment rate, job growth, homelessness, crime rates, and more. They highlight the misleading jobs numbers, the ineffectiveness of mask mandates, and the slow progress in addressing the homelessness crisis. They also emphasize the importance of focusing on local elections and flipping seats in the state legislature to bring about positive change in California. While a second recall of Newsom is discussed, they suggest that redirecting energy towards local elections may be a more effective strategy.



Make sure to check out our full website at www.californiaunderground.live



Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:49 The Second Effort to Recall Governor Gavin Newsom

03:00 State of the State Address in 2022

04:31 Gas Tax Increase and Rising Gas Prices

05:50 Understanding the Recall Process

07:43 Recall Election Results

08:02 Potential Duration of a New Recall

09:25 Cost and Timing of Signature Collection

11:13 Recall Election Candidates

11:25 Cost of Recall Elections

12:29 State of the State Address in 2022

13:16 No Pause in Gas Tax Increase

15:23 Blaming Oil Companies for Gas Prices

19:24 Gas Prices and Taxes in California

20:23 Challenges of Electric Vehicle Adoption

25:47 Electric Vehicle Sales and Infrastructure

28:14 California's Leadership in Clean Technology

29:59 EV Sales and Market Growth

35:11 EV Sales and Market Slowdown

37:35 California's Economy and Job Growth

38:56 California's Unemployment Rate

39:03 California's Unemployment Rate and Job Growth

40:15 Misleading Jobs Numbers

41:41 Postponed State of the State Address

42:55 California's Economy and Budget Deficit

43:37 Impact of Acupuncturists and Dieticians on Jobs Numbers

44:04 Inaccurate Jobs Data

44:45 Public Perception of California's Economy

45:16 Lockdowns and Saving Lives

46:08 Effectiveness of Mask Mandates

47:12 Exaggerated Evidence for Masks to Fight COVID

49:24 Homelessness Crisis and Care Court

50:01 Failure to Implement Comprehensive Homelessness Strategy

58:11 Crime Rates and Failed Policies

01:00:56 Need for a Second Recall


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Summary

In this episode, Phil and Camille dive into a discussion of the primary elections and the delayed results in California. They analyze the Senate race between Adam Schiff and Steve Garvey, as well as the mayoral race in San Diego. They also discuss the controversy surrounding Larry Turner's residency and his campaign for mayor. The conversation covers the California Underground's approach to interviews, concerns about San Diego City Mayor candidates, positive election results in San Francisco, Katie Porter's claims of rigged elections, election results in San Diego's 75th District, Prop 1 passing in California, the race in the 75th District, and final thoughts.

Chapters

02:03 Discussion of Primary Elections

04:18 Why Election Results Take So Long

06:41 Analysis of Senate Race

09:11 Analysis of Mayoral Race

34:01 The California Underground's Approach to Interviews

36:22 Concerns about San Diego City Mayor Candidates

39:32 Positive Election Results in San Francisco

43:32 Katie Porter's Claims of Rigged Elections

44:59 Election Results in San Diego's 75th District

50:53 Prop 1 Passes in California

57:48 The Race in the 75th District

01:04:33 Final Thoughts



To learn more about California Underground, check out our full site at www.californiaunderground.live


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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/californiaunderground/message