California Underground Podcast: Discussing California Politics Through a Lens of Sanity California Underground
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California is a mess right now and people are looking for a solution or a way out.
Join us weekly as we dive deep into the issues plaguing our beautiful state. We feature interviews and round table discussions with political candidates and Californians making a difference.
Let's meet in the middle and find common sense solutions.
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Ep. 254: Supreme Court Takes Up Homelessness
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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Ep. 253 - How Much Do We Pay Public Officials in California?
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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Ep. 252 - Tackling Rising Crime Rates in California
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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Ep. 251 - Fast Food Reacts to Minimum Wage Hike
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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Ep. 250 - Do We Need Another Recall?
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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Ep. 249 - Election Results (Thus Far)
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
Customer Reviews
Great
This podcast has a lot of potential! Where’s the new episode?!
I’d LOVE to give a five-star review, but…
This may be a great show. I don’t know for sure, since I can usually only hear the host’s voice. There’s someone named Camille who seems to have something to say, but she’s nowhere near the microphone and when she speaks its like she’s going from room to room and never speaking into the mic, which makes it virtually impossible to hear her without turning the radio up and down constantly.
So … the three stars are for the parts of the show I can hear, although I should give the show far less of a rating because of the production value - or lack thereof - that goes into the presentation of what might be a really good show.
Yes! Thankyou for the good fight! Enjoy your podcast and humor ….
Thanks for your voice! Enjoying very much!