National Review's Radio Free California Podcast
National Review's Radio Free California Podcast

National Review's Radio Free California Podcast

National Review

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Episodes

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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.]

Recent Episodes

Episode 437: The Labor Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight
MAR 23, 2026
Episode 437: The Labor Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight
The union behind the 2026 Billionaire Tax Act says it will generate $110 billion for public health programs, but Hoover Institution researchers calculate that it will actually cost California $25 billion. In the “Why Now Department,” Will and David consider multiple hypotheses about the timing of claims that United Farm Workers founder Cesar Chavez raped young women half a century ago. The legal case against Meta and YouTube asks us to believe that social media companies bear absolute responsibility for addictive use of social media. Will tells the true story of Ah Louis, a California Gold Rush-era immigrant who became the unofficial mayor of San Luis Obispo’s Chinatown. Bonus! Lance Christensen provides a first look at the year’s legislative Race to Absurdity. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Read the Statement From Dolores Huerta on Cesar Chavez’s Abuse From streets to murals, the erasure of Cesar Chavez is fast underway in California The complicated legacy of César Chávez ‘I will miss them’: Khanna mocks tech billionaires threatening to leave California for wealth tax Kathy Hochul’s Seller’s Remorse The Fiscal Losses from California's Billionaire Tax Act Gavin Newsom’s $114 Million Butterfly Bridge Jury deliberations continue in landmark social media addiction trial against Meta, Google Social media use is tied to well-being, according to the new World Happiness Report 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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83 MIN
Episode 435: Newsom Presidential Campaign Ads You Won’t See
MAR 12, 2026
Episode 435: Newsom Presidential Campaign Ads You Won’t See
California Governor Gavin Newsom says taxpayers will spend $19 million on advertising designed to burnish his record in advance of his White House run. Will and guest Will O’Neill consider recent news stories that won’t make the final cut -- skyrocketing oil prices, gender transitioning in the state’s schools, the stabbing victim who died after his ambulance was stolen, and the governor’s own flirtation with antisemitism. Bonus! Remembering Edward Dickinson Baker, the first Californian to die in the American Civil War. Music by Metalachi. Email Us:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: Army Reserve soldier from Sacramento among six killed in Kuwait drone strike Newsom planning $19-million push to polish California’s national image In a Political Campaign, City Officials Can Spend Your Money Against You. They Call it 'Education' He was stabbed while charging his car. He died after his ambulance was stolen Newsom likens Israel to ‘apartheid state,’ questions future military support Newsom Digs in After SCOTUS Rebuke, Claims Teachers ‘Forced to Be Gender Cops’ Amid angry backlash, serial child molester is rearrested the same day he was set to be paroled Here’s how Newsom’s spending binge outstripped revenues, creating California’s chronic deficit Marathon, Chevron, PBF Warn Governor Newsom of Widespread Refinery Shutdowns, Fuel shortages, Economic Collapse California’s economy faces threats with new energy policy changes Nevada governor fires warning shot at Gavin Newsom over oil crisis: ‘Real-world consequences’ Fearing GOP upset, top California Democrat urges lagging candidates for governor to drop out of race California Unions May Decide Which Republican Advances In The Governor’s Race — And Which One Doesn’t Poll: Hilton’s rise could spare Dems from disaster in California gov’s race Republican Rep. Kevin Kiley files to run as independent A budget plot twist in Oakland: From ‘fiscal emergency’ to $17 million in the black 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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71 MIN
Episode 433: Iran Out of Gas in California
MAR 3, 2026
Episode 433: Iran Out of Gas in California
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:[email protected]@calpolicycenter.org Follow Us:@DavidBahnsen@WillSwaim@TheRadioFreeCA Show Notes: In Gov. Newsom’s California, It Makes Sense to Get Gasoline from the Bahamas When US Gasoline Has to Leave the Country to Move Within It Avalanche experts fear conditions that led to deadly Tahoe slide could become ‘new normal’ Apple quietly removes environmental metrics from executive pay California bill would make fossil fuel companies help pay for rising insurance costs The 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 Environmentalists The hypothetical nuclear attack that escalated the Pentagon’s showdown with Anthropic Merrill 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 bio San Francisco taxpayers challenge race-based reparations fund in court San Francisco mayor quietly signs reparations fund that could lead to $5M payments per person The 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 bio The 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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123 MIN