The Drain

The Drain
  • 4.5 (16)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

The Drain is a podcast covering California news and culture. Hosted by Kempa (founding editor of VOICES: River City) and Max (a.k.a. Sweet Palma, cofounder of Seeking Derangements), we discuss the liberal California hegemony through a leftist lens, just steps from the state Capitol. Free episodes (The Drain) every Wednesday. Premium episodes (The Plug) every Saturday at: patreon.com/thedrain Tips/Pitches/Questions to thedrainpodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thedrain.bsky.social, https://bsky.app/profile/palma.ltd, https://bsky.app/profile/yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

  1. 18H AGO

    Building a Bitter California (or, the battle of the billionaires)

    Today we're discussing the billionaires trying to ruin California politics with their Building a Better California "nonprofit," as well as the cynical neoliberal argument against the one viable gubernatorial candidate who supports the billionaire's tax and Medicare for All. We also get deep into the weeds on Google cofounder Sergey Brin's gut-health MAGA girlfriend, Gerelyn Gilbert-Soto. You may have heard that Brin cornered Governor Gavin Newsom (free link) at a lavish party late last year to lean on him to fight against the billionaire's tax (which Newsom did a month later--ruining any chance he had for a 2028 presidential run). Like a true coward, Brin ran away to Nevada months before the initiative reached its signatures to get on the ballot. Brin has a weird girlfriend who Donald Trump loves, which likely explains a large part of his rightward shift in recent years. As a result, he's picking up the mantle in the fight to stop another billionaire, Tom Steyer, from becoming the next governor of California. Steyer, you might remember, is the one viable candidate in support of the tax, as well as a slew of other progressive policies, including Medicare for All. We take a look at Brin's cynically named "nonprofit" advocacy group, Building a Better California--into which he's personally thrown $57 million. We also look at some of the bad writing by political operatives trying to put a stop to the state's surging economic populism. Paging Mahyk Muhdrid (free link). Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

    1h 6m

  2. APR 26

    *Preview* The curious federal case of Sean "Baby" Loloee

    **This is a preview of our premium show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.** This is a thrilling six-year saga of a California municipal elected official riddled with drama and controversy (free link), resulting last week in his pleading guilty to federal charges (free link) of abuse of undocumented employees in his Viva supermarkets, and to fraudulently receiving COVID-era stimulus funding. It's also a tale of a Sacramento city council member who claimed he did not live with his wife and children in their Placer County home, but instead with his employee in a small house in his district known for raucous parties, police calls, and guns. Ah, Sean Loloee. Kempa has waited a long, long time for the end of this saga. We go over Loloee's full story, including Kempa's initial public claims that he did not live in his district, the Sacramento Bee's Theresa Clift's dogged, unflinching reporting on the disgraced politician, and his eventual political demise at the hands of federal prosecutors. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

    5 min

  3. APR 23

    "I see a broken California!" (Rafael Hernandez for governor?)

    Today we're taking a look at the new polls surrounding the California gubernatorial race, now that establishment darling Eric Swalwell's chances have, thankfully, fizzled out. Obviously, the conversation includes Tom Steyer, Chad Bianco, Katie Porter, Steve Hilton, and--for some reason--San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. But Kempa and Palma go over some new polls showing a surge for current Governor Gavin Newsom's new favorite, Xavier Becerra. We also take a moment for a potential id-pol favorite for liberals in dark-horse candidate Rafael Hernandez. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

    1 hr

  4. APR 19

    Swal's well that ends swell ?

    Today we're covering the meteoric fall of U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell, and what it means for the California gubernatorial race, now that its frontrunner is out of the picture. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

    1h 7m

  5. APR 17

    *Preview* The Sacramento Bee stings Doris Matsui

    **This is a preview of our premium show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.** Hey folks! We've both been working a lot this spring, so episodes have been hard to come by, but we're ramping up once again for you all -- expect your usual two per week. Today we're discussing a couple of major things. To begin: Kempa's sweet baby pit bull (and The Drain's official mascot), Olive, needs a home. That's right, Kempa's baby needs a forever space. She's a quirky 60-lb, 9-year-old baby, with a couple of special needs that I can give details on if you reach out. Olive's currently in a wonderful foster home just a mile away from me, but I'm desperate to find a place that's just perfect for her. So if you might have that (and you preferably live in northern California), please reach out to the show at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. Beyond that, we're discussing how the Sacramento Bee absolutely bodied Congresswoman Doris Matsui with a promise of no endorsement since she ran away from a discourse between herself and Mai Vang for her seat in Congress. We also discuss Matsui's missteps on Iran. Speaking of which, we take a look at the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC, and how they're trying to sour the race between Ammar Campa-Najjar and Marni von Wilpert in the Dem-on-Dem race for CA-48. Finally, we take a look at one of our faves f*****g things up in the race for Nancy Pelosi's open Congress seat in San Francisco. Why is Track AIPAC giving all this airtime to Saikat Chakrabarti and not a true progressive in Connie Chan? We have the info. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

    5 min

  6. APR 11

    California's presidential hopefuls and the perfidious Turk

    Hasan Piker has somehow dominated liberal and rightwing discourse in recent weeks, to the point that leftists are just making fun of the mainstream for their obsession with the leftist streamer. Today we're discussing Democrats' and conservatives' manic rantings against Piker, and looking at two of California's presidential hopefuls--progressive U.S. Representative Ro Khanna and eely Governor Gavin Newsom--who would be happy to go on his show (eat your heart out, CIA asset/U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin). Governor Newsom, you might remember, recently stepped back on his statement that Israel is an apartheid state--presumably because he is vying for zionist groups' funding in his 2028 presidential run. We talk about that, through the lens of Sacramento Bee columnist Robin Epley's phenomenal takedown of the governor (free link). We also take a look at some of the debacles in the California governor's race. Note: this was recorded before the Swalwell news broke, but rest assured we'll be covering that in the coming week. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

    1h 12m

  7. MAR 31

    *Preview* The Drain🕳️'s official 'Why?' Combinator Challenge

    **This is a preview of our premium show, The Plug. To listen to the full episode, go to patreon.com/thedrain.** For this week's episode, Palma and Kempa are exploring the what and why of one of San Francisco's foremost venture capital projects: Y Combinator. Venture capital has become the scourge of San Francisco culture. And Y Combinator stands at the forefront of that cancer. We take a look at some of the dumbest shit that ghouls like Garry Tan and his ilk have been willing to invest in. We're sure you'll enjoy. Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa

    5 min

  8. MAR 27

    California's broken representative democracy, with Caledon Myers of the ProRep Coalition

    Today we're joined by Caledon Myers, founder and Executive Director of the ProRep Coalition, which is fighting to bring proportional representational democracy to California and beyond. You might have read his case for a new form of governance in Cal Matters or the San Jose Mercury News (free link). That's because he's been working with experts for years to analyze just why the United States' first-past-the-post electoral system (as well as California's top-two "jungle" primary system). We discuss just what's broken here at home, and what steps we can take to make our democracy actually reflect the diversity of its constituents. Want to join the fight? Sign up at the ProRep Coalition's website to stay tuned for their next steps. A lot is on the horizon... Don't forget to like, rate and subscribe to The Drain on your favorite podcast platforms. Questions? Comments? Pitches? Email us at thedrainpodcast@gmail.com. We're still hanging about on Twitter: @sweetxpalma and @youknowkempa We're also on Bluesky: @thedrain.bsky.social, @palma.ltd, @yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

    57 min
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4.5
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

The Drain is a podcast covering California news and culture. Hosted by Kempa (founding editor of VOICES: River City) and Max (a.k.a. Sweet Palma, cofounder of Seeking Derangements), we discuss the liberal California hegemony through a leftist lens, just steps from the state Capitol. Free episodes (The Drain) every Wednesday. Premium episodes (The Plug) every Saturday at: patreon.com/thedrain Tips/Pitches/Questions to thedrainpodcast@gmail.com Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/thedrain.bsky.social, https://bsky.app/profile/palma.ltd, https://bsky.app/profile/yeshelloitskempa.bsky.social

Information

  • Creator
    The Drain
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    77
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Drain

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