Political Breakdown

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Two Rising Democrats on the Battle for Their Party’s Future May 23, 2025

Show notes

Two young leaders are making waves in the Democratic Party.

Oakland Congresswoman Lateefah Simon joins Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos, just hours after the House narrowly passed a sweeping policy bill that would cut trillions in taxes and slash safety net programs, including Medicaid and SNAP.

Plus, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, who became a gun control activist after surviving the Parkland school shooting in 2018, explains his plan to bring fresh perspectives — and elect younger candidates — to the Democratic party.

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Separating the Hype from the Substance of Trump’s Middle East Trip May 21, 2025

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President Trump’s four-day visit to the Middle East featured splashy business deals, very little talk about human rights abuses and plenty of ethical questions – like ones raised by the gift of a lavish $400 million plane from Qatar for Trump to use as a temporary Air Force One.

In many ways trip was a reset of relations – especially with Saudi Arabia, whose president was shunned by the Biden Administration, and Syria, whose new leader will benefit from Trump ending U.S. economic sanctions despite concerns over the country’s new leader.

NPR White House Correspondent Franco Ordoñez covered the trip and he joins co-hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos.

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Newsom’s Plan to Balance Budget Could Face Tough Going in Sacramento May 17, 2025

Show notes

Earlier this week, Governor Newsom unveiled his new plan to balance the California's $12 billion budget deficit--with cuts that are raising controversy.

The governor wants to put the scalpel to Medi-Cal -- California’s version of Medicaid. Newsom said that he wants to save the state money by capping enrollment of adult immigrants that are here illegally. He also proposed charging these individuals a $100 monthly co-pay for Medi-Cal access.

Hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined by KQED Politics Correspondent, Guy Marzorati, to take a deep dive into how this all could play out in Sacramento.

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Republican State Sen. Brian Jones on the Change He Wants for California May 16, 2025

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Republican State Sen. Brian Jones heads the Senate GOP caucus, and represents parts of San Diego County-- a decidedly purple Southern California district.

After stints in both houses of the legislature, He's serving his final term in Sacramento. Although Republicans make up a minority of lawmakers at the state capital, they've made headway in recent months pushing against Democrats on issues like public safety.

On this episode of Political Breakdown, Sen. Jones joins hosts Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer in studio at KQED's San Francisco office. His appearance comes just a day after Governor Newsom unveiled his updated budget proposal for the coming fiscal year.

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Freshman Congressman Derek Tran on His Balancing Act in a Purple District May 13, 2025

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In November, Orange County Congressman Derek Tran became the first Vietnamese American to represent Little Saigon in Washington, D.C. Tran barely defeated Republican incumbent Michelle Steel, helping Democrats flip three California House seats from red to blue. Scott and Marisa talk with Tran about representing a very purple district and his father's harrowing story as a refugee after the Vietnam War.

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AP White House Reporter on California’s Image in D.C. May 09, 2025

Show notes

On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The administration has barred journalists from The Associated Press from the White House press pool for refusing to adopt the renaming in its coverage. Scott and Marisa are joined by The AP's White House reporter Chris Megerian to discuss the president's renaming orders, including his plans to announce whether the U.S. will start referring to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf.

Plus, they dig into California’s influence and reputation in D.C. and Governor Gavin Newsom's balancing act with the Trump administration.

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Two Opposing Takes on Trump May 08, 2025

Show notes

Marisa and Scott talk to two Golden State politicians representing California in Washington, D.C.

First, they're joined by Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley, who represents the state's third congressional district, which spans most of the California-Nevada border. Kiley is an ally of the president and shares his perspective on Trump's agenda including deportation flights and federal budget cuts.

Later, they're joined by Senator Adam Schiff for a very different take on how the Trump administration’s policies are impacting California

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Democrats Desperately Seek a Winning Message May 06, 2025

Show notes

The Political Breakdown team is reporting from Washington D.C. all this week. Today, Scott and Marisa sit down with Senator Alex Padilla at his office building on Capitol Hill to discuss the Trump administration’s actions on deportations and immigration, including the recent appearance of ICE agents at two elementary schools in Los Angeles.

Then, they sit down with Suzan DelBene, who represents Washington State’s first congressional district and also chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). They talk about Democrats' plan to win back the House next year.

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Kamala Harris Breaks Her Silence May 02, 2025

Show notes

After months of laying low, former Vice President Kamala Harris steps out with a speech in San Francisco, taking aim at President Trump and warning of a constitutional crisis.

Plus, the Trump administration is taking aim at sanctuary city laws limiting local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration agents. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss all that on this Friday roundtable.

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Her Parents Couldn’t Vote in the South. Now She’s California’s Top Election Official May 02, 2025

Show notes

California’s Secretary of State Shirley Weber is speaking out against federal Republican policies and proposed laws she says will disenfranchise voters. Weber is the daughter of southern sharecroppers and knows what voter suppression looks like. Her grandfather was never given the opportunity to vote and her father didn’t cast a ballot until his 30s, after fleeing a lynch mob in Arkansas and moving to California when Weber was a toddler. She joins Marisa and Scott to discuss threats to voting rights in the U.S.

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