Next Round Pacific Research Institute

Join us for a special episode featuring a speech by Newsweek opinion editor Batya Ungar-Sargon at a recent PRI luncheon in San Francisco.  Ms. Ungar-Sargon discussed her latest book, "Second Class:  How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women."  Also, Ro and Tim discuss the legislature's recent House of Origin deadline, including legislation on retail theft, homework, and legalizing drinking alcohol on city sidewalks.

Join us for a special presentation of remarks by noted economist Stephen Moore, who was the keynote speaker and honoree at this year’s PRI Baroness Thatcher Dinner in Newport Beach.  He talks about the challenges facing the US economy today and gives a preview of what economic policy would look like under a re-elected President Biden or President Trump.  Tim and Ro also discuss the start of the summer travel season, Trump and Biden agreeing to two presidential debates, and the key bills that were defeated or advanced out of the Appropriations Committees.

California is in a deep budget deficit.  In the May Revised budget, Gov. Newsom’s makes real cuts and suggests some efficiency improvements but are they enough?  PRI senior fellow in business and economics Wayne Winegarden unpacks the governor’s plan.  The proposal still relies on too many budget gimmicks and fund shifts, and underestimates the severity of the current budget shortfall.

From PRI’s 2024 Sacramento policy conference, senior director of education studies Lance Izumi moderates a panel discussing the implosion of academic rigor in California’s schools, and how that affects California’s students – particularly those most vulnerable – and impacts the state’s economic competitiveness.  A preview of his upcoming PRI book The Great Classroom Collapse, Lance talks with parent activists who share their stories about challenging the education status quo in their communities.  Learn about reforms to ensure students can graduate and are prepared to enter the workforce.  Plus Tim discusses the pro-Hamas demonstrations at UCLA that shocked the nation and breaks down the Sacramento political finger pointing that took place in the aftermath of the riots.

This week, we're pleased to a special presentation by PRI's Dr. Wayne Winegarden on our new Spending Watch initiative, which calculates the impact of major state legislation on outmigration, unemployment, taxes, and the economy.  In his presentation from PRI's recent Sacrament policy conference, he discusses the first Spending Watch analysis on the controversial reparations legislation.  Tim and Ro also talk about the debate over controversial legislation to outlaw NDAs in legislative negotiations.

Our podcast guest this week is Todd Myers, director of the Washington Policy Center’s Center for the Environment.  With more than two decades in environmental policy, Todd’s experience includes work on a range of environmental issues, including climate policy, forest health, old-growth forests, and salmon recovery. Todd’s new book is “Time to Think Small: How nimble environmental technologies can solve the planet’s biggest problems,” which he discussed at PRI’s Annual Sacramento Policy Conference earlier this year.   This podcast is a recording of his talk.