Political Breakdown

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Will the Supreme Court Gut the Voting Rights Act? Oct 16, 2025

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The Supreme Court appears ready to overturn the last remaining provision of the Voting Rights Act, the landmark civil rights law designed to dismantle Jim Crow-era policies that disenfranchised Black voters.

This week, the court heard oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais, a case challenging the state's redistricting map. The case was brought by a group of self-described “non-African-American voters” who argue the creation of Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district violates the Constitution.

Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer are joined in studio by Lisa Graves, a former senior Justice Department official and executive director of the progressive watchdog group True North Research. Graves' new book, Without Precedent: How Chief Justice Roberts and His Accomplices Rewrote the Constitution and Dismantled Our Rights, connects the roll back of civil rights to the leadership of Chief Justice John Roberts.

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How California is Preparing for a Health Insurance Crisis Oct 14, 2025

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The government shutdown has entered its third week, as Senate Democrats say they won’t vote to reopen it until Republicans agree to undo deep cuts to federal health care spending and extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.

If these subsidies expire, health insurance costs could double and hundreds of thousands of Californians could be priced out of coverage, according to estimates by KFF, the nonpartisan health research organization.

Scott and Marisa talk to Jessica Altman, the executive director of Covered California, which is the agency that oversees the state's implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

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Did Katie Porter Just Crash Out? Oct 10, 2025

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A video of gubernatorial frontrunner Katie Porter threatening to end an interview preceded other leaks and criticisms of the former congresswoman. Marisa and Guy are joined by The Sacramento Bee reporter Kate Wolffe to discuss what made the video go viral and how it's shaking up the 2026 governor's race.

Plus, they discuss Wolffe's recent investigation on Republican Assembly Leader Heath Flora, who she reported has enjoyed the benefits of power and routinely ignored questions about his conduct.

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Retired General Slams Trump’s Troop Deployment Oct 10, 2025

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As the courts continue to consider the legality of President Trump’s deployment of troops into American cities, Marisa and Scott talk with a retired general who’s been raising concerns about what this push could mean for the public, soldiers, our military and our democracy.

Retired Gen. Randy Manner spent 35 years in the armed forces and served as acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau. He and other retired senior military officers recently filed a brief in support of California's position against the deployment of troops in Los Angeles.

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What Gerry's Salamander Has to Do With Redistricting Oct 08, 2025

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Californians have started receiving their ballots this week for the Nov. 4 special election. Voters will decide on Proposition 50, a measure that would redraw the state’s congressional maps to help Democrats pick up five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s a move prompted by President Donald Trump’s calls for Republican states to give him more GOP seats in Congress, which Texas and Missouri have already answered.
Scott and Marisa discuss the history of gerrymandering with Los Angeles Times writer James Rainey, taking us back to an earlier era a regular part of California’s political landscape.

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Is Portland the “War Zone” Trump Claims It Is? Oct 03, 2025

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As Portland prepares for the arrival of hundreds of federal troops deployed by President Trump, Scott and Marisa talk with Dirk VanderHart from Oregon Public Broadcasting about how the city is reacting and what they’re expecting this weekend.

Then, they're joined by Guy to discuss the federal government shutdown, as Democrats refuse to support funding until Republicans address concerns about health care costs.

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This Republican Assemblymember Wants to Split California in Two Oct 02, 2025

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North State Republican Assemblymember James Gallagher has been among the most outspoken opponents of Proposition 50, the ballot measure that would redraw California's congressional districts to give Democrats more seats in Congress. Now, he's proposing to split the state in two. Gallagher joins Marisa and Scott to lay out the argument against Prop. 50 and explain what he calls his "two state solution."

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The $100,000 Visa Scheme Sep 30, 2025

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President Trump’s new $100,000 fee for companies sponsoring skilled immigrant workers with H1-B visas is causing turmoil in Silicon Valley. Companies like Google, Apple and Meta are now reassessing the cost of foreign labor, while students and workers question how stable life in the U.S. will be if they choose to come here. Scott and Marisa are joined by Zehi Yang, senior writer at WIRED, to discuss how companies and workers are responding to the visa changes.

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AOC and Schwarzenegger: The Prop. 50 Ad War Celebrities Sep 27, 2025

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The Proposition 50 redistricting campaign is ramping up with new ads featuring New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in support and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in opposition. Marisa and Guy are joined by Politico's senior political reporter Melanie Mason to discuss the money and personalities on both sides of Prop. 50. Plus, they talk about former Vice President Kamala Harris's new book "107 Days" recounting her campaign for president.

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Gubernatorial Candidate Katie Porter on Kimmel, ICE and Prop. 50 Sep 25, 2025

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Former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter joins Marisa and Scott in studio to discuss the latest news, including a looming government shutdown, the national redistricting fight, ICE’s implementation of Trump’s deportation policies and Jimmy Kimmel's broadcast return. Porter is running for governor of California in 2026.

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