So, Does It Matter? - on CA Politics - Podcasts!

This week in California politics was a mess — and not in a subtle way. In this episode of “Worst Week in California Politics,” we break down three major stories that show exactly why voters are frustrated, disengaged, and losing trust in institutions: • A Madera County candidate tied to January 6 raises serious questions about judgment and fitness for office • A new Berkeley IGS poll shows Kamala...

Democratic Governor candidate Matt Mahan just had the worst week in California politics. The latest Berkeley IGS poll has the San Jose mayor at just 3.5% — a brutal showing for a candidate who entered the race with money, media attention, and a narrative as a “moderate Democrat” who could shake up the field. So what’s going wrong? In this episode, Jon Fleischman breaks down why Mahan’s campaign ap...

California Assemblyman Carl DeMaio joins Jon Fleischman for a candid conversation about the state of California politics, the dysfunction inside Sacramento, and the strategy behind his reform efforts. In this episode of the So, Does It Matter? One-On-One Podcast , DeMaio explains why he believes California’s political system is dominated by insiders and special interests, and why conservatives mus...

A controversy is erupting over an upcoming California gubernatorial debate hosted by USC and broadcast by ABC7 Los Angeles and Univision. Debate organizers limited the stage to six candidates using a formula based on polling and fundraising. But the outcome immediately triggered accusations of bias after several candidates of color were excluded from the debate lineup. In this episode, Jon Fleisch...

Gas prices are rising across the United States, but California drivers consistently pay far more than the rest of the country. As of the time this video was recorded, AAA reports that the average price of regular gasoline in California is $5.41 per gallon, compared to a national average of $3.63. That’s nearly $1.80 more per gallon — meaning a typical fill-up costs Californians about $25 to $30 mo...

Here is a tight, professional description for Transistor (shorter than Substack, optimized for podcast apps): Today, Jon takes a closer look at the latest public opinion polling shaping the California governor’s race — including two newly released surveys from UC Berkeley’s Citrin Center (in partnership with Politico) and Emerson College. Jon breaks down what the numbers show, what changed from Em...

Artificial intelligence is advancing at an extraordinary pace. But are the incentives driving its development aligned with the public interest? In this episode of the So, Does It Matter? Podcast, Jon Fleischman sits down with AI entrepreneur Tim Estes for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of artificial intelligence, the race among technology companies to build the most powerful systems,...

Congressman Kevin Kiley, who represents a "red" district east of Sacramento, was totally screwed when Prop. 50 passed, and blew up his seat into six other seats. He decided to run in the new 6th District, which has a 10-point Democratic advantage. There is a big food fight on the Democratic side, and while there is a Republican running, it's not him! At the last minute, Kiley filed as a "No Party...

Each week, Jon Fleischman, a longtime California political strategist and analyst, pens a column at www. SoDoesItMatter.com highlighting the biggest winners and losers of the week. At the bottom of that, below a paywall, is a video featuring the biggest loser of the week. We typically do not feature paywalled content here - but we're trying to drive more traffic to this podcast channel. So here it...

In this special edition of So, Does It Matter? Live! , Jon Fleischman is joined by George Nassar, partner at Public Opinion Strategies, one of the leading Republican polling firms in the country. George walks through fresh polling data on California’s political environment and explains what the numbers really mean beneath the headlines. Using a series of detailed charts, he breaks down voter attit...

This week on So, Does It Matter? The Podcast, Jon Fleischman sits down with veteran political strategist Matthew Klink, president of Klink Campaigns, for a candid and detailed discussion about the current state of Los Angeles city politics. They break down how power actually operates inside LA’s weak-mayor system, the influence of public-sector unions, and the growing role of Democratic Socialists...

In this episode of So, Does It Matter? Live! , Jon breaks down what the mainstream headlines missed in the latest PPIC poll, including voter resistance to a $10 billion housing bond and majority support for lower taxes over expanded government services. He explains why early governor’s race polling is less important than union spending power, and why a Republican-on-Republican general election is...

In this episode, Jon Fleischman takes on an issue he’s been talking about for three decades: whether part-time elected officials should receive full-time taxpayer-funded health care benefits. Jon argues that public service on a city council, school board, or special district is meant to be part-time — and that part-time roles should not come with full-time perks. While he supports reasonable stipe...

In this episode, Jon Fleischman discusses the current state of California politics, focusing on the Democratic Party Convention and the upcoming governor's race. He critiques Democratic policies that have driven up living costs in California and expresses skepticism about the candidates' credibility. Fleischman emphasizes the need for change in governance and reflects on the implications of the cu...

In this first-ever Substack Live session, I experimented with a new real-time format to discuss the latest developments in California politics and engage directly with subscribers through live questions and chat. We covered several major topics shaping the political conversation right now, starting with the controversy surrounding Sheriff Chad Bianco’s comments on immigration and the potential imp...

In this special episode of the So, Does It Matter? Podcast, I try something new — four guests at once. I sit down with the “Golden Ticket” slate: Steve Hilton for Governor, Gloria Romero for Lieutenant Governor, Michael Gates for Attorney General*, and Herb Morgan for Controller. Together, they lay out how a coordinated team in statewide office would approach California’s biggest problems — from t...

What really happens inside California’s state Capitol — and how can regular people actually follow it? In this episode of So, Does It Matter? , Jon Fleischman talks with investigative reporter Ryan Sabalow of CalMatters about a powerful new transparency tool called Digital Democracy . The platform uses AI to transcribe legislative hearings, track votes in real time, and connect campaign contributi...

Gracey Van Der Mark’s life story is anything but typical. In this episode of the So, Does It Matter? Podcast , Jon Fleischman sits down with the Huntington Beach Councilmember and California State Assembly candidate for a candid, deeply personal conversation about her journey from poverty and homelessness to public office. Gracey shares what it was like growing up in a low-income Los Angeles commu...

This week’s Biggest Loser of the Week in California Politics is Gavin Newsom — and it’s not even close. While California faces a massive budget deficit, the highest homelessness numbers in the nation, and a cost-of-living crisis driving families out of the state, Governor Gavin Newsom chose to fly to Switzerland to audition for higher office at the World Economic Forum in Davos. It did not go well...

In this episode of the So, Does It Matter? podcast, Jon Fleischman sits down for a wide-ranging, one-on-one conversation with California Assemblywoman Alexandra “Ali” Macedo, a first-term Republican representing the Central Valley. Ali shares her personal background — growing up on a farm, working in agricultural compliance, and attending law school while managing a business — and explains what le...

In this special episode of So, Does It Matter? , Jon Fleischman is joined by California Assemblyman James Gallagher following the sudden passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa — a mentor, close friend, and defining figure in Northern California politics. Gallagher reflects on LaMalfa’s life, faith, and legacy, including his first job in politics working for him and the values that shaped their shared...

California taxpayers may finally have a chance to go on offense. In this episode of the So, Does It Matter? podcast, Jon Fleischman is joined by Jon Coupal , president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, for a wide-ranging discussion about taxes, ballot measures, and the future of taxpayer protections in California. The conversation begins with a deep dive into the Save Proposition 13 ball...

Episode Notes For our first podcast interview of the year, Jon Fleischman is joined by Katy Grimes, Editor-in-Chief of the California Globe , for a timely and substantive discussion of California politics at a moment of real upheaval. The conversation opens with an extended discussion of the sudden passing of Congressman Doug LaMalfa, reflecting on his life, legacy, and the shock his death sent th...

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool — it is being built to persuade, influence, and shape behavior. And it’s happening faster than our laws, institutions, and public debate can keep up. Full Description: Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than our laws, faster than our institutions, and faster than our ability to fully understand what it is becoming. This is not an argument a...

California is not a theory. It’s a test case. As Gavin Newsom enters his eighth year as governor, California has become the most unaffordable state in the lower 48—and it didn’t happen by accident. In this episode of So, Does It Matter? , Jon Fleischman walks through nine specific policy decisions made or expanded under Newsom that have driven up the cost of living for Californians. From gasoline...