Next Round

After the big debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, PRI's team of former speechwriters (Tim Anaya, Rowena Itchon and Lance Izumi) are back with their analysis of the (second) first presidential debate.  They weigh in on the strong and weak moments for each candidate, how each addressed their policy weaknesses, the debate over the rules and the moderators, and whether the debate ultimately...

Free Cities Center director and longtime Sacramento journalist Steven Greenhut joins us for a review of the just-completed 2024 legislative session.  We break down the year's hottest legislative debates, including retail theft, the state budget, insurance reform, tech policy, and more. We also discuss Gov. Newsom's dwindling influence over lawmakers this year as his political ambitions turned east...

Tune in as PRI's former speechwriters - Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi and Tim Anaya - review the just-completed Democratic National Convention.  They break down President Biden's farewell speech, discuss whether Kamala Harris' big speech ticked all the boxes and set her on a strong path to the general election, evaluate how well Tim Walz introduced himself to the American people, and, of course, talk...

This week's guest is a recording of remarks by renowned historian Victor Davis Hanson.  We were honored to host Victor at a recent dinner in Napa Valley attended by more than 175 supporters.  Victor discussed his latest book The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation. With so many conflicts around the world – from the Russia-Ukraine War to the attack of Hamas on Israel – we wanted t...

This week's podcast is a recording of remarks by acclaimed historian and award-winning author Andrew Roberts at a recent PRI dinner.  He discussed the recent elections in the U.K. and the Labor Party's victory, elections in Europe, and his latest New York Times bestseller Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukrain e   (October 2023). The book was co-authored with General David Petraeus...

This week's podcast is a special presentation of our recent webinar following the Supreme Court's recent decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson , moderated by Free Cities Center director Steven Greenhut. Go inside the historic decision with Theane Evangelis, partner with Gibson Dunn who represented Grants Pass before the Supreme Court and Erik Jaffe, PRI adjunct fellow in legal studies and partner wit...

Gov. Newsom recently ordered homeless encampments on property under the state's jurisdiction to be cleared due to the Grants Pass Supreme Court decision that ruled that it is not cruel and unusual punishment to forbid people from camping on public property. This podcast is an audio version of Free Cities Center director Steve Greenhut's interview with Erica Sandberg, a freelance journalist and fre...

This week, PRI's former speechwriters (Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi, and Tim Anaya) give their take on the Republican National Convention.  They analyze former President Trump's speech, given just a few days after an assassination attempt. They also discuss vice presidential candidate JD Vance's speech and weigh in on how well the other speakers at the convention set up the GOP for the fall campaign...

Lance Izumi, senior director of PRI's Center for Education, joins us to discuss his latest book The Great Classroom Collapse , which investigates the implosion of rigor and learning in America's schools.  He shares the stories of some of the parents, teachers, and policymakers he profiles in the book and discusses what can be done to improve classroom learning and give all students a greater oppor...

Longtime Sacramento lobbyist and college professor Chris Micheli joins us to discuss his new book, The Complete Practical Guide to California Government . They discuss areas of state government that need reform, recent controversies over the use of non-disclosure agreements in the legislative process and whether efforts to enact tax and spending reform will ever succeed. Plus Tim and Ro discuss th...

Who won?  Who helped themselves the most in the polls? PRI's team of former speechwriters - Rowena Itchon, Lance Izumi, and Tim Anaya - analyze the First 2024 Presidential Debate.  They discuss President Biden's shockingly poor performance and whether President Trump learned his lessons from his 2020 debate mistakes, plus they grade the candidates' answers on immigration, the economy, foreign poli...

Our guest this week is Charles Kesler, one of the nation's most prominent political philosophers. He teaches government at Claremont McKenna and is the editor of the Claremont Review of Books. Prof. Kesler's former students have produced a book celebrating his work entitled: "Leisure with Dignity: Essays in Celebration of Charles R. Kesler." We'll let him explain the title.

Dr. Matt Beech, director of the Center for British Politics at the University of Hull and senior fellow at UC Berkeley's Institute of European Studies, is back with a preview of the upcoming UK elections on July 4.  We discuss the major contenders and their platforms, what kind of prime minister Keir Starmer would be if elected, how the lingering effects of Brexit will impact the vote, and whether...

Partner in Schaerr-Jaffe and PRI fellow in legal studies Erik Jaffe joins us this week for his annual preview of the decisions in the hot cases that will be handed down by the Supreme Court this month.  Lance Izumi and Erik discuss how the Court may rule on President Trump's immunity claims and the remaining legal issues following the Dobbs ruling.  They also talk about cases PRI is particularly i...

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 dr...

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 su...

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 pare...

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 R...

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...

From PRI's recent Sacramento policy conference, we present a panel discussion featuring elected officials, innovators, and policy researchers discussing creative approaches to addressing California's homeless problem.  Speakers include Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, who is suing the city of Sacramento over its failure to enforce homeless laws on the books, Joanne Price from the inno...

With reform legislation being debated to address rising incidents of retail and auto theft and a ballot measure in circulation to repeal the most sweeping provisions of Prop. 47, we present a panel discussion on California's growing crime problem from PRI's recent Sacramento conference.  Speakers include retired Brigadier Gen. Bob Spano, whose aunt was tragically murdered in the 1980s, crime victi...

Our podcast this week is a recording of remarks by Andrew Stuttaford, editor of National Review's Capital Markets .   Andrew spoke at a PRI dinner in San Francisco in March on progressives' efforts to mandate electric vehicles and the problems that lie ahead should they be successful.   Before becoming a writer and commentator, he worked in finance for nearly four decades.   In addition to Nationa...

Our guest this week is former Assemblymember Mike Gatto, who during his tenure, chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee.  Mike Gatto was an up-and-coming lawmaker when his father was brutally murdered. To try and solve the mystery of his father's murder, Mike journeys through the world of crime investigations, modern law enforcement in Los Angeles, and politics.  He shares his experience and...

Filmmakers Robert Bryce and Tyson Culver join us to discuss their new docuseries Juice, which explores how misguided government energy policies and cronyism are threatening energy reliability and affordability.  Also, Rowena and Tim discuss why Gov. Newsom is delaying his State of the State address and the latest legislative proposal to address California's $73 billion budget deficit.